Samsung and Huawei have released the second generation of foldable phones this year. Based on the Galaxy Fold, Samsung has launched a new form of folding screen, the Galaxy Z Flip, while Huawei has upgraded the configuration on the Mate X. Regardless of the actual effect of the folding screen, it is at least a representative of the strength of the manufacturer.

This year TCL Communication launched two new concept phones based on last year's folding screen prototype. Shane Lee, Vice President, GM of Global Product Center at TCL Communication recently said that while developing the concept machine, TCL Communication is constantly trying to solve the most difficult part of the reliability of the folding screen, and has already come up with a better solution. Program.

Therefore, Shane Lee revealed that TCL Communication will launch the first folding screen next year. Not surprisingly, TCL's first folding screen will be positioned high-end, but Shane Lee said that the price will not be unattainable and will not make consumers feel too expensive to buy.

Although optimistic about the future of folding screens, Shane Lee judges that the folding screens are only for the climbing period until the end of this year because the yield rate is too low. According to its disclosure, the yield rate of early folding screens is single digits, and has now climbed to double digits, but the gap is still very large compared to the general hard screen yield rate.

Therefore, the outbreak of folding screen mobile phones will not arrive until the screen yield, hinge yield, flexible glass maturity, battery life, software ecology, and other issues have been completely resolved.

The first generation of folding screens will be released next year

In addition to Samsung and Huawei's launch of folding screen mobile phones in 2019, TCL Communication also showed a variety of folding screens on the booth.

On the basis of last year, TCL Communication this year also prepared two new forms of folding screens for display at MWC, but due to the cancellation of the exhibition, TCL Communication chose to publish online.

The TCL cloud screen mobile phone is a new flexible screen design concept of TCL. When it is unfolded and retracted, it looks like a cloud movement. It is very poetic, and the cloud screen is also named after it.

Its screen can be rolled out from both sides of the fuselage, quickly extending the screen from 6.75 inches to 7.8 inches, and this transformation only requires one hand with one button.

The other is a TCL tri-fold prototype that can meet the user's pursuit of a large screen to the greatest extent. The screen can be extended from 6.65 inches to 10 inches, which is equivalent to combining a normal-sized mobile phone and tablet into one.

However, these two flexible screens are both TCL's exploration of new forms of mobile phones and have not yet entered mass production.

Shane Lee revealed that TCL will launch the first folding screen next year, and later this year will take the lead in launching developer projects overseas.

"In the early stage of the folding screen mobile phone, there were some flaws in the user's" rude "use or assembly. Some users would remove the protective film based on the curiosity of the folding screen and so on. We do not want to rush Launch a less mature product. "Shane Lee said.

It is understood that in the flexible screen laboratory of TCL Shenzhen Xili, there are more than 30 prototypes of folding screens and more than 200 design sketches. "It can be seen that TCL is serious about making flexible screen or folding screen mobile phones." Shen Lijun, head of global communication of TCL Communication, mentioned.

At present, TCL Communication's team participating in the flexible screen project is about 300 people, including about 200 people in research and development, and about 100 people in products and supply chain.

Of course, TCL Communication can continue to innovate in the form of mobile phones without its brother industry Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd (CSOT).

"We and CSOT belong to the same group, and the folding screen technology is definitely provided by CSOT. We also have a very close relationship with CSOT, which can be said to be seamless. This is why we have such confidence to challenge different Difficulty. "Shane Lee admitted.

For example, the design of the TCL cloud screen, according to Shane Lee, at the beginning, this new form of flexible screen was just a joke inside, which was a sudden whimsy of the designer chatting with the engineers of CSOT. After a lot of testing and exploration, we finally did it.

"This includes the collision of many ideas of TCL communication designers, structural engineers, and experts of CSOT, including screen characteristics, small motors with one-button opening and closing, how to install the shaft part, etc." Shane Lee described.

Folding screen yield has climbed from single digits to double digits

Just as other manufacturers initially positioned folding screens in the high-end market, TCL Communication's folding screens will also be positioned high-end next year. But in terms of price, Shane Lee said it would not be out of reach.

"Because the yields of screens and hinges are still very different from normal phones, so the cost is high. But TCL will take advantage of the panel and use the folding screen to drive the brand. Although the positioning is high-end, the price will not let consumers It’s too expensive to buy or touch. "

When it comes to the yield of folding screens, this is the most problematic problem for mobile phone manufacturers at present. Both Samsung's folding screen Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X have caused delays in market availability.

Shane Lee revealed that the yield rate of folding screens has climbed from the early single digits to the current double digits, but there is still a large gap compared with the general hard screen yields.

Therefore, he believes that folding screen mobile phones will still be climbing until the end of this year. Only when the screen yield, hinge yield, flexible glass maturity, battery life, software ecology and other issues are completely resolved by the industry will it explode.