A recent update from the executive director of Oppo suggests that the company is developing a foldable smartphone featuring three panels. This announcement could signal the dawn of a new era for foldable phones.
Move over, two-fold phones; smartphone manufacturers are now exploring the potential of three-fold designs. Oppo’s product director, Zhou Yibao, has hinted at a model the company is currently developing.
A New Technological Era
Following Huawei’s lead, Oppo recently let slip details about its concept for a three-panel foldable smartphone. According to Android Central, Zhou Yibao shared an image of the phone on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging platform akin to Twitter.
Details about this new smartphone are scarce since the original post was quickly removed. Zhou Yibao mentioned that Oppo is exploring various foldable concepts and hinted that this model might actually see a commercial release, although it may have been a bit premature to share.
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Gadget or Genuine Utility?
These remarks indicate a trend among numerous manufacturers aiming to evolve the foldable smartphone format. Foldable phones are becoming increasingly mainstream, evident at the recent Paris Olympics where Samsung, the event’s official sponsor, distributed a special edition of its Z Flip 6 to athletes, which was spotted multiple times during various ceremonies.
With such advanced engineering, the price of these smartphones tends to be on the higher side. Beyond the novelty factor, it remains to be seen whether these devices will prove useful in our daily lives.
As the IFA 2024, the technology expo in Berlin, approaches, we can expect to gather more insights into the latest trends in the smartphone market.