Things are going Z-shaped at Huawei: Chinese giant preps three-screen folding smartphone
(2024/07/25)
- Reference: 1721878267
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/07/25/huawei_triple_screen_phone/
- Source link:
Huawei has reportedly developed a tri-fold smartphone that can be formed into a Z-shape, and will mass produce the machine before the end of 2024.
Chinese state-sponsored media outlet [1]Securities Daily this week teased the phone, and wrote that Huawei been working on it for five years.
Huawei CEO Yu Chengdong was [2]reported to have championed the device in a recent live event.
[3]
"The next generation of folding screens, others can imagine it, but they can't make it. We've been thinking about it for five years, and it's finally coming out," Yu [4]reportedly stated on a livestream interview.
[5]
[6]
Huawei told The Register it had no information on the matter to share, but in March this year it was granted a patent for a "folding screen device." According to the patent, the screen is equipped with a double hinge system so it folds in both directions and can take on a Z-shape form. Curiously, it's being referred to as a tri-fold even though it only has two folds – presumably because it has three screens.
The device can be unfolded to create a ten-inch display. Apple's 9th-gen iPad, which is still on sale, has a 10.2-inch display,
[7]
One of Huawei's three screens includes a rear facing camera, while the others apparently include bumps and recesses – presumably a locking mechanism for the screen.
The three screens are said to each have different thickness, and to use lightweight glass to reduce weight and bulk.
Rumor [8]has it the source of the screen is Chinese display maker BOE. The foldable phone is reported to run HarmonyOS on a Kirin 9100 processor and cost ¥15,000 ($2,065).
[9]
Huawei reportedly told Securities Daily "the specific progress was not yet ready for disclosure."
Huawei launched its first generation foldable smartphone, the Huawei Mate X, in 2019 – the same year as Samsung released its Galaxy Fold.
A Q3 or Q4 release for Huawei is expected to coincide with Apple's iPhone 16 series – which is expected to have zero folds.
[10]Samsung buys UK AI startup to give its products the personal touch
[11]China's Honor debuts laptop with bonkers removable camera that lives in a little slot
[12]Smartphones sales bounce, Xiaomi biting at Apple's heels
[13]Smartphone is already many folks' only computer – say hi to optional desktop mode in Android 15 beta
However, a recent [14]report suggests that Cupertino has caught onto the clamshell craze and will in 2026 deliver a foldable iPhone. Apparently such a device has passed through conceptual work and Apple is talking to suppliers.
Market analyst firm Counterpoint Research [15]tracked global foldable smartphone shipments as up 49 percent year-on-year in Q1 2024. But folding phones still account for less than two percent of the market. ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] http://www.zqrb.cn/tmt/tmthangye/2024-07-20/A1721395594573.html
[2] https://www.msn.com/zh-cn/news/other/%E5%8D%8E%E4%B8%BA%E4%B8%89%E6%8A%98%E5%8F%A0%E6%89%8B%E6%9C%BA%E5%8D%B3%E5%B0%86%E5%8F%91%E5%B8%83-%E4%BD%99%E6%89%BF%E4%B8%9C-%E7%A0%94%E5%8F%91%E5%8E%86%E6%97%B65%E5%B9%B4/ar-BB1q2u5s
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_28100085
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[8] https://36kr.com/p/2864308100500096
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/18/samsung_acquires_oxford_semantic/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/16/honor_laptop_with_removable_camera/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/15/smartphones_q2_analysts/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/12/android_15_beta_desktop/
[14] https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-moves-forward-with-foldable-iphone
[15] https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insights/global-foldable-smartphone-market-q1-2024/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Chinese state-sponsored media outlet [1]Securities Daily this week teased the phone, and wrote that Huawei been working on it for five years.
Huawei CEO Yu Chengdong was [2]reported to have championed the device in a recent live event.
[3]
"The next generation of folding screens, others can imagine it, but they can't make it. We've been thinking about it for five years, and it's finally coming out," Yu [4]reportedly stated on a livestream interview.
[5]
[6]
Huawei told The Register it had no information on the matter to share, but in March this year it was granted a patent for a "folding screen device." According to the patent, the screen is equipped with a double hinge system so it folds in both directions and can take on a Z-shape form. Curiously, it's being referred to as a tri-fold even though it only has two folds – presumably because it has three screens.
The device can be unfolded to create a ten-inch display. Apple's 9th-gen iPad, which is still on sale, has a 10.2-inch display,
[7]
One of Huawei's three screens includes a rear facing camera, while the others apparently include bumps and recesses – presumably a locking mechanism for the screen.
The three screens are said to each have different thickness, and to use lightweight glass to reduce weight and bulk.
Rumor [8]has it the source of the screen is Chinese display maker BOE. The foldable phone is reported to run HarmonyOS on a Kirin 9100 processor and cost ¥15,000 ($2,065).
[9]
Huawei reportedly told Securities Daily "the specific progress was not yet ready for disclosure."
Huawei launched its first generation foldable smartphone, the Huawei Mate X, in 2019 – the same year as Samsung released its Galaxy Fold.
A Q3 or Q4 release for Huawei is expected to coincide with Apple's iPhone 16 series – which is expected to have zero folds.
[10]Samsung buys UK AI startup to give its products the personal touch
[11]China's Honor debuts laptop with bonkers removable camera that lives in a little slot
[12]Smartphones sales bounce, Xiaomi biting at Apple's heels
[13]Smartphone is already many folks' only computer – say hi to optional desktop mode in Android 15 beta
However, a recent [14]report suggests that Cupertino has caught onto the clamshell craze and will in 2026 deliver a foldable iPhone. Apparently such a device has passed through conceptual work and Apple is talking to suppliers.
Market analyst firm Counterpoint Research [15]tracked global foldable smartphone shipments as up 49 percent year-on-year in Q1 2024. But folding phones still account for less than two percent of the market. ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] http://www.zqrb.cn/tmt/tmthangye/2024-07-20/A1721395594573.html
[2] https://www.msn.com/zh-cn/news/other/%E5%8D%8E%E4%B8%BA%E4%B8%89%E6%8A%98%E5%8F%A0%E6%89%8B%E6%9C%BA%E5%8D%B3%E5%B0%86%E5%8F%91%E5%B8%83-%E4%BD%99%E6%89%BF%E4%B8%9C-%E7%A0%94%E5%8F%91%E5%8E%86%E6%97%B65%E5%B9%B4/ar-BB1q2u5s
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_28100085
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://36kr.com/p/2864308100500096
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZqHN6aVzwanoOwwWGPXjWAAAAEc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/18/samsung_acquires_oxford_semantic/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/16/honor_laptop_with_removable_camera/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/15/smartphones_q2_analysts/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/12/android_15_beta_desktop/
[14] https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-moves-forward-with-foldable-iphone
[15] https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insights/global-foldable-smartphone-market-q1-2024/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/