By Jon Fingas, Engadget
Don't look now, but Samsung's foldable phone might already be old hat. Reputable leaker Evan Blass has shared
a video of what's believed to be a three-panel folding phone from
Xiaomi. The dimly-lit clip shows precious little beyond the display, but
it's clearly the centerpiece. In addition to providing a large
landscape view, the two side panels can fold backward to provide a
conventional phone-sized screen.
It's not certain if this is actually a Xiaomi device, let alone a
shipping product. There is some evidence to support the leak, though. ET News sources reported
in July of last year that Xiaomi was developing an "outfolding" phone
with plans to release it sometime in 2019. Moreover, the company is
known for pushing the boundaries of smartphone design -- the Mi Mix
series touted nearly bezel-free displays months before other major
brands followed suit. If any company is going to push the boundaries of
foldable phones, Xiaomi would have to be on the short list of
candidates.
There are plenty of unknowns if you assume the rumor
is true, though. Will this be as expensive as it looks? How does it
handle photos? And do you have to fold it backward, or do you risk
scratching the displays when you fold it up for your pocket? It's easy
to see why Xiaomi might experiment all the same. A phone like this could
serve as a halo model that attracts people to the brand, even if it
only sells in tiny numbers. Also, there's the not-so-small matter of a shrinking smartphone market.
If brands like Xiaomi don't produce exciting phones, they risk losing
customers who might pass on phones that are merely iterative upgrades.
Can't speak to the authenticity of this video or device, but it's allegedly made by Xiaomi, I'm told. Hot new phone, or gadget porn deepfake? pic.twitter.com/qwFogWiE2F— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 3, 2019
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