TL;DR
- TECNO has revealed the Phantom Ultimate 2 concept smartphone.
- This is a dual-folding triple-screen foldable concept, featuring a 10-inch folding display.
- HUAWEI is expected to beat TECNO and others to the punch with the first commercial device, though.
HUAWEI is tipped to launch the first dual-folding triple-screen foldable phone later this year, but TECNO wants to get in on the action with the Phantom Ultimate 2 concept phone.
The TECNO Phantom Ultimate 2 is a dual-folding triple-screen foldable phone concept. That means it folds into a Z shape when you want to use the 6.48-inch smartphone screen, with one inward-folding hinge and one outward-folding hinge. The Chinese manufacturer says the folded device measures just 11mm thin. Unfurl the device via the two hinges and you’ve got a 10-inch internal display (4:3, 3K LTPO), dwarfing existing foldable phones.
TECNO says the concept’s hinges can be folded 300,000 times. It also claims that the creases have been minimized, but we’ll need to see a real-world device to see if that claim holds water.
TECNO’s device can also be folded into a few more postures/form factors, such as a pseudo-laptop mode (with the lower third of the device acting as a base) and a tent mode of sorts. The laptop mode seems a little rickety for my liking, but we’ve asked TECNO how it works.
There are still some unknowns about the Phantom Ultimate 2, though. We’re curious about specs (particularly battery capacity), but the company only confirmed that it has three 50MP rear cameras.
We were also curious to see how the company is protecting the smartphone screen. After all, the smartphone display is part of the folding panel, so we’re guessing it’s made out of plastic and, therefore, more prone to damage than cover screens on conventional foldables. The manufacturer told Android Authority that it’s protecting this part of the screen by using ultra-thin glass and said it would add “cushioning materials” to improve impact resistance at a later stage. It also suggested the use of a special protective case down the line.
What about a commercial release, though? Here’s what TECNO told us:
TECNO is actively exploring the commercialization of the tri-fold smartphone, currently in the technical pre-research phase. The Phantom Ultimate 2 represents a breakthrough in key hardware technology. With further refinement, the concept phone is expected to be available for hands-on experience early next year.
For what it’s worth, the manufacturer also told us it was “actively exploring the commercialization” of its Phantom Ultimate rollable concept unveiled last year.
TECNO Phantom Ultimate 2 concept: Hot or not?
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This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a dual-folding triple-screen foldable phone concept, though. Samsung previously showed off this technology at various expos over the years. Meanwhile, Xiaomi showed off a dual-folding foldable a few years ago that featured two outward folding hinges, with the center third of the folding display acting as a smartphone screen.
HUAWEI is poised to be the first brand to actually offer a commercial triple-screen foldable phone, though. We’ve already seen several images showing a company executive using the device, while an executive reportedly confirmed a September launch. So you might not have to wait too long to get your hands on a device like this.
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