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Are folding mobiles the future? Well, we do not know if they will become commonplace, but what is clear is that manufacturers are still committed to them. Flexible OLED panels have allowed us to meet such incredible devices as a large TV that folds up for storage. So it shouldn't be excessively complicated to implement this technology in a device as small as a smartphone. A new sign that manufacturers are still "playing" with the idea is the video that Donovan Sung has posted on his Twitter account. In it , the president of Xiaomi is seen with a large device that folds.
Donovan Sung is one of Xiaomi's strong men. You hold the position of Director of Product Management and let's say you have full access to the news that the company works on. This morning he published a video on Twitter that has revolutionized users and professionals. In this video we can see Bin Lin, president and co-founder of Xiaomi, using what he calls “a very special smartphone prototype”.
What we see in the video is a kind of mobile with a large screen, almost a tablet. So far nothing unusual, but it is that after a few seconds it looks like the Xiaomi director folds the two sides of the terminals to fold the screen. But the best thing is that you see the published video with your own eyes.
twitter.com/donovansung/status/1087945772639891462
Is this Xiaomi's folding mobile?
Let's analyze the posted video. With the screens deployed the device is very striking. We don't know the size of the screen, but it looks like a small tablet, so it could be around 8 inches. Or maybe more, because the frames are very narrow, although Bin Lin holds it with one hand.
After using it "full screen", the president of Xiaomi turns it over and folds the two sides. The device thus changes to a more vertical view, becoming a kind of mobile with a very wide screen.
In this position it is perfectly usable. In addition, you do not see any type of line that divides the screens or anything similar in the corners, which makes us think that we are facing a flexible OLED panel. In fact, if you look closely, it looks like the bent part of the screen continues to work, although it is useless.
The last thing that Bin Lin teaches us in the video is how it looks once turned off or locked. We clearly see the "folds" of the screen on the back. And here we appreciate one of the disadvantages that this type of mobile can have, its thickness. The device is really thick when folded, much thicker than current mobiles.
Donovan Sung makes it clear in his message that it is a prototype, so we do not think it is a device that is going to be released to the public anytime soon. However, in his tweet he urges people to name this folding mobile. Will this be the Xiaomi Mi Flex or what is it finally called? We will have to wait to find out.
