TCL is developing smartphones with flexible, sliding screens that can be expanded into tablets

According to a report from CNET , TCL is developing a new smartphone with a sliding screen. The phone was originally planned to debut at the MWC 2020 Global Mobile Show, but the event has now been canceled due to the unpredictable corona virus pandemic.

Instead of owning a half folding design like Motorola Razr or Samsung Galaxy Fold, TCL’s new smartphone has a horizontal sliding mechanism that works like a expandable “dining table”, in which the second screen Can slide out from the bottom of the first screen.

This information is clearly shown through the render provided by CNET. However, it also causes us to ask quite a lot of questions regarding the mechanism of operation of the machine.

Looking at the rendered image, it can be seen that when sliding to the right, the device’s screen seems to stretch continuously from side to side. However, the question is where that screen will be when the phone has not been expanded?

If it is folded at the back of the first screen, it also means that the screen will be bent a lot to fit inside the phone’s cover. On the other hand, this design also shows that the chassis will be partially vacant, which is used to accommodate flexible screen parts when in a more compact mode.

Of course, TCL’s display of this smartphone at MWC does not mean that it will be officially launched. Previously, the company had displayed many of its foldable smartphone prototypes at a number of different events, but until now, the company has not launched any commercial products.

At last year’s MWC show, TCL showed off a prototype smartphone with an extremely thin folding screen, so much so that even its employees were warned not to touch it. Later, at CES earlier this year, TCL allowed people to try it out, but said it had no plans to launch as a commercial product.