The appearance of smartphones may be about to usher in a new wave of changes, and the protagonist this time is not the folding screen phone itself, but a strange new model that “looks like a folding machine, but does not fold at all.” According to the latest news, this bold design concept comes from OPPO. It seems to have borrowed ideas from Samsung and added its own style in an attempt to create a new wide-screen mobile phone form.
OPPO is rumored to be developing a “non-folding foldable phone”
according toChina media fast technologypointed out that OPPO is developing a new wide-screen smartphone, which is expected to be unveiled in the first half of 2027. This device is said to be equipped with a 6.3 to 6.4-inch 1.5K LTPO display and adopt an ultra-narrow and symmetrical bezel design on four sides. If the news is true, it will become the first Android phone to adopt a “non-folding wide screen” design.
The core of the concept is pretty straightforward: keep the big-screen advantage of a book-style foldable phone, but remove the folding mechanism entirely. In other words, its screen ratio is no longer the slender shape common in ordinary mobile phones, but closer to that of a small tablet, and can even be regarded as a “phablet”. Such a wide-screen design can bring a more comfortable video playback experience, a larger game screen, and more space for multitasking, making mobile phones closer to tablets in terms of productivity and entertainment.
Compared with folding screen phones, the biggest difference of this design is that it does not require an expensive hinge structure or a costly flexible display. These two are the most expensive parts of folding phones, so after removing them, the overall manufacturing cost will be closer to that of a general flagship phone. For OPPO, this means that it can launch a new form of mobile phone with a “folding machine visual experience” at a more reasonable price, rather than being forced to enter the high-priced folding machine market.
Therefore, if OPPO’s “phablet” project is successfully implemented, the price may be much lower than the current foldable screen phones that easily cost tens of thousands of yuan. A more affordable price may also make more users willing to try wide-screen mobile phones, thereby promoting the emergence of new product categories in the market. This design might even appeal to consumers who like a larger screen but don’t want to bear the durability concerns or high price of a foldable phone.
Of course, this new form does not come without costs. The biggest problem may not be the technology, but your pocket. With a wider screen and a larger body, it’s nearly impossible to fit into a jeans pocket. In other words, this phone is more like a “you have to prepare a bag” device than an everyday phone that can easily fit in your pocket.
Although it is still in the rumor stage, if OPPO really launches such a product, it may bring new focus to the smartphone market. It is neither a traditional mobile phone nor a foldable phone, but a new form between the two. In the next few years, the appearance of smartphones may be redefined again due to such innovations.
Source: KOCPC Chinese