What you need to know
- TECNO shows off a new tri-folding phone concept that measures 11mm when folded.
- The phone has a 6.48-inch display when folded and opens up to a 10-inch 3K OLED panel and can by arranged in a number of ways.
- TECNO is also preparing to launch two new foldable phones soon, the Phantom V Fold 2 and V Flip 2.
TECNO is no stranger to interesting concept devices, several of which it showed off earlier this year at MWC 2024. Now, after showing off the Phantom Ultimate rollable phone concept, the company is switching things up with the Phantom Ultimate 2, a new tri-fold phone with an impressive and versatile design.
While we’ve seen tri-fold concepts before, TECNO has implemented some rather impressive engineering to design one that measures just 11mm thick when folded. For reference, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 12.1mm when its two halves are folded. The thickest part is the section that houses the triple camera system, which also holds the charging port and what looks like a speaker opening.
To achieve such thinness, TECNO is using a new hinge design that is capable of achieving a thickness of less than 9mm on foldable phones. The company also utilizes “the smartphone industry’s thinnest battery cover,” measuring just 0.25mm and made of “super-compressed Titan Advanced Fiber material.”
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When closed, the primary display measures 6.48 inches. The phone then opens to feature a slim frame and a 10-inch 3K OLED panel with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Unfolded, the TECNO Phantom Ultimate 2 looks a lot like an Android tablet but with significantly smaller bezels. However, instead of just being able to fold it completely open, TECNO has implemented various folding angles to bring more versatility to the device.
In one example, the Ultimate 2 is shown standing up with 1/3 of the phone folded flat on a table and the user typing on it like a regular laptop keyboard. It’s a form aimed at productivity and sort of reminds me of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i with a keyboard at the bottom. Another shows the bottom section folded back in a form that’s seemingly meant for viewing media. A third form shows the phone folded in a tent-like mode, which TECNO says is ideal for scenarios like live dual-screen translation, a feature we see more foldable phones take advantage of.
TECNO has also optimized the software to take advantage of the form factor, meaning wallpapers will adjust according to how you fold or unfold the phone, and users can take advantage of multi-panel multitasking.
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To support all these various folding scenarios, TECNO says both hinges have been tested to support up to 300,000 folds and are enhanced with 2100MPa strength.
Unfortunately, this is a concept device, so TECNO has not revealed any additional specs in its press release, such as chipset, battery capacity, camera resolutions, and more. It’s also unclear if and when TECNO plans to actually launch the product or one like it. Clearly, something like this wouldn’t be cheap to produce, and TECNO prides itself on developing impressive devices at more affordable prices.
Speaking of, the company is also gearing up to launch its foldable devices, the Phantom V Fold 2 and Phantom V Flip 2. TECNO did not specify a launch date but says they are “scheduled for release soon.” If they’re anything like the previous models, we expect to see great designs and prices that will undercut much of the competition, especially Samsung.
