ZTE Axon M Foldable Phone Might Not Look That Bad

2018 might be the year of the foldable smartphone at long last. But before Samsung brings out its long awaited and much hyped take on this unorthodox form factor, it might be beaten to the punch by another unlikely contender. Android Authority has published what it claims is an image of the Axon M, previously leaked as the Axon Multy, which gives its own take on the foldable idea. And while it might not be everything we imagined it to be, it's might not be that bad after all.

There are currently four or so ideas on how foldable mobile devices could work, ranging from the ideal to the practical. The best and perhaps the most difficult to implement is the one that Samsung showed off in a concept, where the display folds inside and the tablet becomes like a book.

That implementation is difficult because displays, while flexible, can't exactly fold flat yet like paper. Samsung's patents suggest it might opt for a style where the "hinge" actually curves instead of folds, not unlike Microsoft's infamous Surface Book "Dynamic Fulcrum" hinge.

And then there's Lenovo's implementation, which was the first working prototype of a foldable phone/tablet hybrid. The display folds on the outside of the device, so that, even when folded, the screens can still be viewed and used. It also solves the earlier problem because the fold isn't completely flat.

Compared to these, the ZTE Axon M might be considered more of a cheat, confirming earlier comparisons with the failed Kyocera Echo, the Axon M actually uses two Full HD screens that, when unfolded, form a 6.8-inch 1920x2160 tablet (two 1920x1080 screens side by side). When folded, the screens stay on the outside so that the device becomes a dual screen phone instead.

While that may work fine in theory, the implementation is what will make or break ZTE's ambitious attempt at a niche market. The Kyocera Echo operated two screens independently, more like a Nintendo DS than a foldable tablet. ZTE will have to unify not just the graphics output but the touch input as well, and make it all seamless despite there being a thin but still visible bezel where the two screens meet. ZTE has a press event in New York on 17th October and we might be able to get a glimpse of this mysterious Axon M there.

VIA: Android Authority