Huawei is developing a tri-fold phone with a flexible screen and performance that promises to replace a tablet.
Huawei has been working on a triple-folding phone for some time now. The company has also filed several patents for the folding technology it is working on. A recent patent shows a triple-folding phone with two hinges and a flexible display that can fold outwards, according to Gizmochina.
The latest information shows that the tri-fold screen of the phone model that Huawei is working on has passed the 28μm test, which is a test that evaluates the durability and visibility of the crease that forms on the screen after multiple folds. The “28μm” (28 micrometers) measurement may refer to the depth of the crease that the screen forms after a certain number of folds.
For foldable displays, maintaining the integrity of the display through multiple folds without creating visible wrinkles is a real challenge.
According to Gizmochina, this tri-fold phone is said to have the potential to replace tablets and book-like foldable phones. The information also says that with the help of HarmonyOS NEXT operating system and the new Kirin processor, Huawei's foldable phone will be able to run "desktop applications" and strengthen the company's product ecosystem.
However, according to a previous leak, this phone will be priced high and sold in limited quantities. According to the leak, the launch of this phone is more like a technology showcase for Huawei than a product launched to capture market share.
It is said that this dual-hinge phone will be powered by the Kirin 9 series chipset and will also offer Huawei's latest innovations in artificial intelligence. Mass production of this device will take place in the fourth quarter of this year.
Foldable smartphones are a prime example of cutting-edge engineering and design in phones. Over the past decade, we’ve seen smartphone brands unveil a range of foldable, rollable, expandable, and shrinking screen technologies, but there’s a big difference between demonstrating a great idea and making it a commercial reality.
Now, rumors are pointing toward what could be the next evolutionary stage of the foldable phone, with reports of the world's first "tri-folding display" prototype, as reported by Android Authority.
In a recent post on Weibo, Digital Chat Station revealed that they had the opportunity to test a new tri-fold screen prototype. Many previous rumors have said that Huawei is developing a unique tri-fold screen smartphone.
According to Gizmochina citing information from Digital Chat Station, Huawei's tri-fold phone will be the world's first smartphone with an innovative inward and outward folding design with a dual hinge. Currently, foldable screen smartphones on the market today only allow users to fold in one direction, either inward or outward.
What’s more, Huawei’s upcoming tri-fold phone will have a 10-inch display and will have a crease-controlled fold. The post also claims that the smartphone has “cutting-edge new technology” and mentions a lack of “competitors,” a bold statement given Samsung ’s dominance in the foldable phone market.
Another leaker, account X named @Ice Universe, also confirmed this claim and said that Huawei will be the first to launch a tri-fold phone. “One of the prerequisites for a tri-fold phone is that it has to be thin enough, and this is Huawei's strength,” Ice Universe said.
Huawei has been pursuing a tri-fold phone design for a long time, starting with patents for the technology in 2021, with more filings in 2022. Another patent filed in February 2023 shows a tri-fold phone with two hinges and a flexible display that folds outward, similar to the one Digital Chat Station mentioned in the post.
It is important to note that these reports come from unofficial sources and Huawei has not confirmed these developments. However, given Huawei’s patent filing and the reliability of these industry sources, the rumors carry considerable weight.