Sharp's foldable phone demo is a flippin' clamshell, is it a better design than Galaxy Fold or Mate X?

20comments
Video Thumbnail

If you are disappointed by the two current approaches to foldable phones - the horizontal in-folding type of the Galaxy Fold or the out-folding Mate X - there is another way, and it makes plenty of sense.

Sharp's vertical in-folding phone patents have now been translated into a working prototype, and the company just demonstrated the concept which resembles a foldable clamshell of sorts and works like a charm.

In fact, Sharp's approach is closer to what we imagined a foldable handset would be - an old-fashioned flip phone that has an uninterrupted screen where the hinge would be, making it compact to carry, and giving you a huge display when you need it.

The Galaxy Fold and Mate X are chasing a different concept, and are rather bulky when folded in addition to impractical when unfurled. Watching YouTube on the unfurled display, for instance, renders a huge chunk of their large displays unutilized which defeats the purpose of lugging a bulky and expensive foldable phone with you. 

Now, the only thing left is to hear the specs of the Sharp's folding phone prototype and whether the company aims to license or materialize it in some form. The 6.2" OLED screen is certainly ready and can be folded 300,000 times before it creases, says Sharp. The more foldable form factors, the merrier.


Is Sharp's 'flip phone' foldable a better concept than the Galaxy Fold or Mate X?

Yes
62.82%
Nah, I prefer the Galaxy Fold approach
21.37%
Nah, I prefer the Mate X approach
15.81%

Recommended Stories

Loading Comments...
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless