Tecno Unveils Rollable Phone Prototype at MWC 2024

Tecno showcased its Phantom Ultimate prototype with a rollable display at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in Barcelona. The first rollable concept phone by the Chinese tech brand has a different form factor, unlike the current foldable. The Tecno Phantom Ultimate boasts a 6.55-inch display that expands to 7.11 inches at the tap of a button. The handset features a secondary display on the back. 

The Transsion Holdings subsidiary took the wraps off Phantom Ultimate during the MWC 2024, offering a hands-on experience for Gadgets360. The device features a 6.55-inch display that wraps around the left edge. At the push of a button, a 7.11-inch AMOLED screen extends outward from the handset, in 1.3 seconds. It gives a tablet-sized display and offers a more versatile and immersive viewing experience.

Tecno Phantom Ultimate

When retracted, the handset gets a double-sided display. The display wraps horizontally around the back of the handset and shows time and notifications. The device measures 9.93mm in thickness. The Tecno Phantom Ultimate supports customisable dynamic wallpapers, desktop effects, and an always-on display (AOD). The 7.11-inch display is claimed to have a 1,596×2,296 resolution and a pixel density of 388ppi. The dynamic low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) display is said to deliver 100 percent coverage of DCI-P3 TYP wide colour gamut and a refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz.

As this is a concept phone, the general release of Tecno Phantom Ultimate might not take place any time soon. The brand had already showcased the prototype in September 2022 during IFA. However, the emergence of rollable technology is paving the way for a new era of slideable phones.

Brands including Vivo, Oppo, Motorola, LG, and Samsung have announced similar concepts in recent years. Motorola showcased a rollable Rizr concept phone display that can wrap around wrists.