Huawei’s new three-fold foldable product is ready to be launched

In March of this year, Huawei announced a patent for a “folding screen device”, which focused on a device that can be folded into three sections and listed three usage modes. This was the first time that Huawei confirmed the existence of the long-rumored three-fold product.

According to information leaked from the supply chain, the product is a mobile phone, and Huawei is very likely to release this tri-fold phone at the end of this year or early next year.

Folding from half to three can be said to be a huge breakthrough in the development of folding screens. The editor also feels that compared to folding in half, the three-fold form can better play the advantages of folding screen products.

Square screen VS long screen

Today’s foldable phones have a screen ratio that is closer to a square when unfolded, and mobile phone manufacturers do not limit the positions of the long and short sides of the foldable screen when unfolded.

Most of the content we watch is 16:9 horizontal screen video or 9:16 vertical screen video. Some movies or documentaries also use a 21:9 ultra-wide screen ratio.

Therefore, foldable screen mobile phones, which are said to provide better audio and video experience than traditional mobile phone screens, actually waste most of the upper and lower display areas when displaying traditional videos or movies.

On some smaller folding screens, the unfolded screen size is not much larger than that of traditional straight-screen phones, which does not match the higher price of the folding screen.

The three-section folding screen is closer to a traditional long screen when unfolded, with clear long and wide sides, which is more compatible with mainstream video content, has high screen display utilization, and provides a better audio and video experience.

The long screen also has better adaptability. It will not lose the “display field of view” when playing games like the current folding screen, nor will the UI elements in the application be stretched.

Three-section folding unlocks more postures

In the past, folding the screen in half and using the lower half of the screen as a stand was a common usage scenario in manufacturers’ publicity. As folding screen phones become lighter and thinner, it is more likely that the phone will be “pushed over” when used in a half-folded scenario.

Because the three-fold mobile phone has more folding structures, it will have better stability in the same scenario, which in turn increases the user experience and can unlock more usage postures.

There are more concerns and risks

The complexity of the mechanical structure of foldable screen mobile phones is far greater than that of traditional mobile phones, especially the design and optimization of the hinge part, which is the focus of each manufacturer’s iterative upgrade. It also plays an important role as the “skeleton” and “backbone” in the overall structure of the foldable screen mobile phone.

A three-fold mobile phone means that it has to be equipped with two such “backbones”, and a more complex mechanical structure means more reliability risks.

At present, flexible screens have been developed quite well, but there is still room for further optimization of the hinge structure. The hinge quality controversy of a certain brand’s folding screen flagship last year is a vivid example.

At the same time, more mechanical structures also mean a heavier and thicker body. How to make the three-fold mobile phone lighter and thinner is still the direction that manufacturers need to focus on exploring.

In addition, the power consumption increase brought by the larger screen, the challenge of the motherboard and heat dissipation brought by the more complex body design, and whether the manufacturers have prepared the corresponding adaptation at the system level in the face of the tri-fold screen form, etc., all mean that tri-fold mobile phones will bring more concerns to consumers and manufacturers.

Final Thoughts

The editor is very much looking forward to the three-fold mobile phone, because only by unfolding the three screens can we piece together a screen that matches the tablet computer, which can satisfy our idea of ​​putting the “tablet in the pocket” with the first-generation folding screen.

The current folding screen mobile phones with a folding design, with a nearly square screen when unfolded, cannot offset the experience compromise brought by folding screen mobile phones compared to traditional flagship mobile phones.

At the same time, more complex designs are accompanied by more uncertainties. The more sophisticated the design, the more likely it is to go wrong. I believe that the three-fold phone will become the next battleground for all mobile phone manufacturers and the next stage for them to show off their skills.

New product forms are both opportunities and challenges for all manufacturers.

Kazam

Kazam is Focused on creating and reporting timely content in technology with a special focus on mobile phone technology. Kazam reports, analyzes, and reviews recent trends, news and rumors in mobile phone technology and provides the best possible insights to enhance your experience and knowledge.