We've seen the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Huawei Mate X and the Xiaomi Mi Fold or Mi Flex, but we have never seen a tri-fold smartphone like TCL's foldable phone prototype.
CNET reported that TCL has been demonstrating a non-working prototype of a tri-fold smartphone that measures approximately 10-inches when fully opened.
TCL employs not one but two hinges folding in opposite directions, almost like having both the Mate X and Galaxy Fold in one device. In addition to allowing for a wider tablet form, this method of folding also ensures that at least one fold is always on the outside to be used like a regular phone.
The prototype features a quad-camera setup, a front-facing camera, and a USB-C port. If it goes into production, it will carry an Iridescent finish and it will not-repeat not-have an earphone jack onboard.
TCL produces BlackBerry phones like the Key2 and Palm's small phone under license. The company has been trying to promote the TCL brand for products besides television sets outside of China.
Folding one panel under, for example, could turn a portion of the screen into a digital keyboard while you use another part as the display. When you fully close the phone, you'd be able to use it as a really chunky handset.
TCL's fadable phone prototype design doesn't have a name, a price or a target window for production. It doesn't even have a working screen, according to CNET.
TCL is a Chinese multinational electronics company headquartered in Huizhou, Guangdong Province. It designs, develops, manufactures and sells products including television sets, mobile phones, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and small electrical appliances.
In 2010 it was the world's 25th-largest consumer electronics producer. Since 2015, it remains the third-largest television manufacturer by market share.
