Merrily We Roll Along…
Foldable are not new anymore. Having been technically available since 10/31/2018[1] and in real production in September 2019[2], there have been at least 30 foldable smartphone models and a number of other ‘foldable’ display devices. That said, there have been a vast number of prototypes, demos, and ‘concept’ foldables shown at a never ending parade of conferences and expositions, only a few of which have ever seen retail shelves. That said, consumers have become used to the idea of foldable displays, and with the improvements that have been made in both the displays themselves and the hinge and other mechanisms needed to make them operate correctly, that fear of spending all that money on a device that is going to fall apart quickly seems to have dissipated.
As smartphone component manufacturers became more adept at creating those intricate mechanisms that help foldables to open an close without scoring a line across the screen, they began to understand that as flexible OLED screen technology continued to develop, they could think about rolling a display on a spool inside a device and unrolling it when a larger screen was desired. Many smartphone brands have shown demos of such devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and with the start of Mobile World Congress this week, there have been a few more that have made the tech press rounds.
Lenovo (992.HK) showed a particularly interesting device, a 12” laptop (diagonal) that could be expanded to 15.3”, and while that might not seem a big change in size, it is a ~65% increase in display surface area. As seen below, the device looks a bit strange when expanded as the screen expands vertically, but Lenovo said the idea comes from users as the expanded screen can fit two 9:16 aspect ration images, the format for most videos. The screen expands mechanically through a motor as the user presses a button and the system adjusts the screen resolution as the size changes.
There is no timetable for the commercialization of such a device from Lenovo and earlier prototypes have been around for a while, but one has to give credit for Lenovo coming up with an idea that has practical value in the real world, as opposed to the many demos we have seen that are essential there to prove that engineers can prove a point. The most successful CE products are those that make life easier for consumers, and we can see how such a device, especially in a cramped location such as a plane, might be useful. Perhaps we won’t buy the first iteration, letting the mechanics settle in for a generation, but it certainly is a thoughtful use of rollable technology.
[1] Royole (pvt) Flexpai developers model
[2] Samsung Galaxy Fold
As smartphone component manufacturers became more adept at creating those intricate mechanisms that help foldables to open an close without scoring a line across the screen, they began to understand that as flexible OLED screen technology continued to develop, they could think about rolling a display on a spool inside a device and unrolling it when a larger screen was desired. Many smartphone brands have shown demos of such devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and with the start of Mobile World Congress this week, there have been a few more that have made the tech press rounds.
Lenovo (992.HK) showed a particularly interesting device, a 12” laptop (diagonal) that could be expanded to 15.3”, and while that might not seem a big change in size, it is a ~65% increase in display surface area. As seen below, the device looks a bit strange when expanded as the screen expands vertically, but Lenovo said the idea comes from users as the expanded screen can fit two 9:16 aspect ration images, the format for most videos. The screen expands mechanically through a motor as the user presses a button and the system adjusts the screen resolution as the size changes.
There is no timetable for the commercialization of such a device from Lenovo and earlier prototypes have been around for a while, but one has to give credit for Lenovo coming up with an idea that has practical value in the real world, as opposed to the many demos we have seen that are essential there to prove that engineers can prove a point. The most successful CE products are those that make life easier for consumers, and we can see how such a device, especially in a cramped location such as a plane, might be useful. Perhaps we won’t buy the first iteration, letting the mechanics settle in for a generation, but it certainly is a thoughtful use of rollable technology.
[1] Royole (pvt) Flexpai developers model
[2] Samsung Galaxy Fold
Lenovo "Rollable" Demo - Source: Lenovo
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