What’s Next after Foldable Phone:Rollable Phone?

Foldable phones are a newer type of smartphone with flexible displays that can fold or bend, allowing the device to be compacted into a smaller size for portability while also expanding to a larger size for better viewing or multitasking. The first foldable phone was released in 2019, and several major smartphone manufacturers have released their own models since then.

Foldable phones use advanced display technology, such as flexible OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens, to allow the device to fold and unfold. They usually have a hinge mechanism that allows the screen to fold in half like a book or clamshell, and they are built to withstand repeated folding and unfolding.

Foldable phones have several advantages over traditional smartphones, including a larger screen that is easier to carry, the ability to multitask by displaying multiple apps at the same time, and increased durability due to the flexible display.

Foldable phones, on the other hand, are more expensive than traditional smartphones, and some users may find the folding mechanism to be inconvenient or prone to damage. Furthermore, there are concerns about the flexible displays' long-term durability, and some users may prefer the more traditional form factor of a standard smartphone.

It's difficult to predict exactly what will come next after foldable phones, as technological advancements in the smartphone industry are constantly evolving. However, some experts speculate that rollable phones could be the next big innovation.

The Future:Rollable Phone

Rollable phones would feature displays that can be rolled up, similar to a scroll or a poster. This would allow the device to be compacted into a smaller form factor for easy portability, while still providing a larger display when unrolled. Rollable phones would likely use similar flexible OLED display technology as foldable phones, but with a different form factor. Motorola recently unveiled its proof of concept ,” Motorola Rizr” at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

The Motorola rollable concept has a 5-inch display with a 15:9 aspect ratio in its standard form. It has a boxy build that reminds us of BlackBerry, and it's lovely and small. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is pocketable. However, there is a surprise when you double-push the button at the top right edge. While it does not fold out, it does roll out.

The 5-inch POLED display expands to a 6.5-inch 22:9 aspect ratio display in a few seconds, rolling up from the back of the device. It results in a lovely curve at the bottom of the device, which had a case on it for demonstration purposes, and when the screen isn't rolled out, it sits on the back, acting as a secondary display. The wallpaper on the display is interactive and changes in response to what the phone is doing.

When the display is expanded, a very thin excess display panel appears at the top; how well this will stand the test of time is unknown, but it appeared strudy-ish. We'd be concerned about the bottom of the device, where the flexible display curves around, because that POLED panel is very exposed without the protective casing, and it wouldn't take much to scratch it.

The display also drops down slightly to reveal a selfie camera and a speaker grille, which will happen automatically, such as when you use the front-facing camera or receive a call, but it's unclear how much dust this will attract.

Verdict

Clearly, there are some unanswered questions surrounding the Motorola rolling concept device, but as a concept, it's certainly intriguing, and we're here to discuss it. It'll be interesting to see what's under the hood, as well as what other clever software features Motorola offers that could make good use of the rollable display, and, of course, how durable it will be. Foldable phones weren't the best when they first came out, but all ideas must begin somewhere. We are hopeful as more companies would start coming up with their version of the roller phone, the tech will surely get better.