Foldable phones from Chinese TV maker have roll-out displays and multiple hinges

Chinese TV maker TCL has new ideas about flexible displays. The company just gave the public a closer look at two new concept phones. One of them is the previously leaked phone with a slide-out design that was reportedly meant to be unveiled at the now-canceled MWC Barcelona event.

The “rollable extendable smartphone” lets users pull out the flexible display from the side, extending the device into a tablet. This means it’s not as thick as a folding design. But prototypes shown to media outlets reportedly weren’t operational. TCL also showed off a phone that has two hinges, giving it a trifold design that unfurls to become a 10-inch tablet -- bigger than the original iPad. Hands-on videos for the device shows that it’s chunky and the software experience is poor.

TCL told Tencent News that it will launch its first foldable phone available to consumers early next year, but the company hasn’t said what that phone might look like.