Next week, the world of foldable phones looks set to change forever. That's because Huawei has a launch event pending, and it could unveil its long-awaited triple-folding phone.
That would be a landmark step. While the traditional bi-folding designs have become commonplace, there is always room for more innovation.
The tri-folding design seen in concepts and leaks from brands like Huawei and Tecno offers exactly that. For the first time, users will be able to truly experience both the compact convenience of a phone, with the large-screen benefits of a tablet.
Current foldable phones offer that to a degree. I've been enamoured with the Honor Magic V2, which I'm currently using as part of a year-long test.
@t3dotcom ♬ original sound - T3
Still, it could be improved. The internal display is beneficial, but something larger would certainly enable a wider range of tasks to be completed.
Based on leaked images of the Huawei device, it doesn't look like that functionality has come at the cost of slimness, either. Images of the handset appear to show a delightfully slim build when folded, which will be music to the ears of prospective buyers.
As someone who has followed this burgeoning industry with great interest, I can't help but feel like this is a real turning point. Way back when the technology came to the fore, the very idea of a phone which could fold in half felt completely alien. Now that the technology is more established, this feels like a logical next step.
In fact, the only real issue with the device stems from its creator. Huawei is still subject to sanctions in both the UK and the USA, stemming from previous privacy concerns which the brand denies.
That affects just about every aspect of their operation. Most notably for consumers, it means they can't make use of any Google apps, the Android operating system or any Snapdragon processors.
For most users, that's likely to be a step too far – especially on a device which could very easily cost more than £2,000 (approx. $2,650; AU$3,900). Still, it's hard to deny the innovation on offer here – and that's enough for me to get excited about.
