From CNET: Another trifold phone from a Chinese company is in our midst following the spotting of one from Huawei. But this time it's the Phantom Ultimate 2, a concept phone from Tecno that was unveiled on Tuesday. Tecno says that its concept foldable phone "reimagines the large-screen experience in a pocket-sized device." Unlike book-style folding phones such as Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Phantom Ultimate 2's cover screen unfurls into a larger "screen" measuring 10 inches, which is significantly larger than the 8-inch displays found on its book style-counterparts.
However, despite its three screens, the Ultimate 2 doesn't compromise portability according to Tecno. The trifold concept phone is 11 millimeters thick -- that's just a few millimeters thicker than current book-style phones. The Phantom Ultimate 2's thinness is helped partially by its a slim battery that measures just 0.25 millimeters. No details were shared on the device's weight, though Tecno says its concept foldable was designed with hinges that have been tested for 300,000 folds, which is 200,000 folds fewer than leading book-style phones like the Honor Magic V3.
Tecno is no stranger to foldable phones, having launched its first flip phone, the Phantom V Flip 5G, and book-style phone, the Phantom V Fold, globally last year, with next-gen models expected to launch in September. Tecno -- along with rivals including Huawei, OnePlus and Google -- are keen to grab a bigger share of the foldable phones market that is typically dominated by Samsung, which launched its sixth generation series of foldable phones in August. While the sub-category currently makes up a fraction of the broader foldable phones market, that piece of the pie is growing. The worldwide foldable market is forecast to reach 25 million devices by the end of 2024, up 37.6% from the 18.1 million units shipped in 2023, according to research firm the International Data Corporation. By 2028, total foldable phone shipments worldwide are expected to rise to 45.7 million units, IDC predicts, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 20.3% for 2023-2028.
A video released by Tecno illustrates various use cases of the Phantom Ultimate 2. One frame showed an individual multitasking with three different vertically oriented windows, making use of each of the screens. Another portion showed off the various ways the Ultimate 2 could fold including a mode where it mimicked the experience of a laptop: using the base screen flat for typing like a keyboard, leaving the remaining two displays stacked like a laptop screen.
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