Even when folded in three, this smartphone (though in concept form) still has a thinner design than Samsung's two-fold Galaxy Z Fold6.
Chinese company Tecno has just joined the tri-fold smartphone race by introducing the Phantom Ultimate 2 concept at the ongoing IFA 2024 event in Berlin, Germany. What makes the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 different from other tri-fold smartphones is that the company has implemented impressive engineering for the device to be only 11mm thick when folded. For comparison, the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold6 measures 12.1mm when folded.
The thicker part of the Phantom Ultimate 2 houses the camera, speakers, and charging port. Tecno says it achieved the 9mm thickness by using a new hinge design. The company also claims to have used the “thinnest battery cover in the smartphone industry,” measuring just 0.25mm thick. The cover is made from “super-compressed Titanium Advanced Fiber material.”
The main display on the Phantom Ultimate 2 measures 6.48 inches, and when opened, the internal display expands to 10 inches, featuring a 3K OLED panel with a 4:3 aspect ratio. When opened, the Phantom Ultimate 2 looks like an Android tablet.
One interesting feature of the Phantom Ultimate 2 is that instead of just folding and unfolding, the phone has multiple folding angles for added versatility. Tecno demonstrated several examples of this versatility, including one where 1/3 of the phone lays flat on a table with the other two screens positioned like a laptop.
Another variant shows the device's two screens forming a triangle with one screen lying flat on a bench, making it ideal for media playback. Tecno has optimized the software to take full advantage of the different folding configurations. The company says both hinges have been tested to support up to 300,000 folds.
Since this is a concept device, Tecno hasn’t revealed any of the device’s specifications yet, nor has it mentioned a launch date. But after seeing a small wave of tri-fold smartphones in the past, it probably won’t be long before Tecno launches its own tri-fold device.
According to the latest information, Samsung will equip the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim, with the code name Q6A, model number SM-F958N, with a 10MP front camera on the outer screen, while the rear camera cluster will include a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera.
There are no details about the main and telephoto cameras at the moment, but interestingly, sources say the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim could debut the most significant under-display camera (UPC) upgrade ever.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim could feature a 5MP UPC, up from the current 4MP used on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The device, which is only 10mm thick when folded, may only launch in select markets. There's no word yet on whether the phone will launch in markets other than South Korea and China, nor in Europe or the US.