[ad_1]
During Oppo’s Inno Day 2020 event, the Chinese smartphone maker unveiled the Oppo X 2021, a new device prototype that can transform from a regular smartphone to a larger screen tablet. Instead of opting for the usual foldable form factor like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Huawei Mate Xs, the X 2021 features a rolling OLED display that is said to overcome the wrinkle problem with typical foldable displays.
When closed, the device looks like a typical full-screen smartphone with a 6.7 ″ display with curved corners. If you need a large screen experience, the device can be stretched to display a 7.4 ″ enlarged screen.
Instead of using mechanical hinges, the new Oppo device features two drive motors to expand and retract the screen. This is to ensure stress is spread evenly across the screen whenever it expands. For a smoother experience, they have added a full bearing measuring 6.8mm in diameter on the side of the phone to allow the screen to bend with minimal wrinkles.
According to Oppo, you can adjust the screen size based on your actual needs. This offers more flexibility compared to current folding smartphones that come with a fixed screen.
For added durability, the expandable concept device features a 2-in-1 plate design to support the display and is also protected by a 0.1mm thick high-strength display laminate.
At the moment, the X 2021 is just a concept and there are hardly any details of its internal specifications. From what we can tell, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack and there is a visible USB-C port on the bottom right of the device.
At the rear, it has a slim but long camera bump that comes with what appears to be a triple camera setup. What’s interesting is that the rear panels are split at an angle to give it a more futuristic look.
According to Oppo, they have applied for 122 patents during the development of this concept and 12 are related to the roller mechanism. At the moment, it is not clear when Oppo would present a commercial device with a roll-up screen. However, it is still a very interesting alternative to current folding smartphones.
You can watch the hands-on video below:
