With phones looking more alike than ever, it's no surprise that manufacturers have tried to go past the convention rectangular form-factor. One of the main innovations we've seen in this space are foldable handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and reimagined Motorola RAZR. Now, OPPO is using similar flexible display technology for what it's calling a rollable smartphone.
Dubbed the OPPO X 2021, the concept smartphone can unfurl from 6.7-inches to 7.4. Unlike foldable devices, the phone doesn't have a crease, with the screen instead expanding out to create a larger, flat display. In addition, you don't need to expand all the way to 7.4-inches. You can expand the display as little or as much as you want.
Of course, durability will be a concern with any flexible display, but OPPO says it has developed its own power train, structural plate and screen laminate to help with resilience and protect from dust and debris. The real test will however be day-to-day usage, and we've definitely got questions as to how scratch and shatter resistance the display will be - especially if constantly exposed.
At this stage, the OPPO X 2021 is very much a concept phone with no word on if and when it will be released. OPPO revealed a foldable concept phone in February last year, but it never brought it to market. OPPO Product Manager Chuck Wang at the time said that such devices hadn't lived up to the company's standards.
"OPPO is taking into account a lot of factors, like consumer demand, user experience, as well as the battery life of the smartphone," said Wang. "Currently, we haven't quite lived up to the standards we're pursuing, so we're not ready for commercial use or mass production."
OPPO isn't the first manufacturer to tinker with the idea of a rollable foldable, with TCL unveiling a similar proof of concept earlier this year. TCL's concept used a paper screen however, while OPPO appears to have a fully working prototype.
Alex Choros
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