Mobile phones have changed significantly over the last 50 years, we have seen the classic old Samsung flip phones with buttons to the introduction of the touchscreen moving the mobile industry into the smartphone era. Then we saw the complete removal of the phone button with the iPhone and the return of the Flip phone with Samsung. Now, tech giants are trying to continuously up their game, attempting to release the best and unique phone that there is. And now, we have arrived at a brand new type of phone, the rollable phone.

We are here to answer any of your questions on this new piece of tech, helping to create a better understanding of what is to come for the future of mobile tech and the phone industry. Let’s get into it.

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Flip/Rollable Phones	Classic Designed Phones:
Easy to pack away into a pocket or bag Smaller Chance to break and snap Less colour and style options	Takes up more space in the bag Larger Less likely to become damaged Plenty of variety and brands

Related blog: Apple iOS VS Android

 

How does a rollable phone work?

To begin with, the most important question we need to answer is simple. How do these phones work? Rollable screens are the latest instalment in the mobile tech industry since the return of the iconic flip phone and the introduction of the fold phone. However, where the flip phone flips out and the folding phone unfolds to create a bigger screen, the rollable phone does what it says, rolls out and physically grows before the user’s eyes. This means that users will be able to see more on their screens due to the expansion of the phone's screen size. Although slightly bulkier to fit in the excess screen space, we can’t wait to see how this device looks.

It may seem like the production of rollable phones is already up and running. We already know a lot about these devices like how they operate and where they came from. So that may lead to your next question… are these phones real?

Foldable Phones Available:

• OnePlus Open
• Samsung Z Galaxy Fold 5
• Google Pixel Fold
• Motorola Razr
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

 

Do rollable phones actually exist?

Considering we know a lot about rollable phones, they actually currently do not exist. There have been a couple of concept and protocol devices made but as of current time, there are no new phones available on the market. And due to durability challenges, high expenses, and engineering challenges, we won’t see them in the market anytime soon. Two big tech giants however, Samsung and Motorola, have brought forward some concepts for their version of this phone.

Motorola showed their concept at the Mobile World Congress earlier in 2023. The phone stood at 5” tall in its default state, with an OLED display cover at the front of the device and also wrapping around to the bottom third of the back of the phone which would create a secondary display. When double-tapping the power button, the screen starts to roll, expanding in only a couple of seconds to show more content. There has been no further information on the development of this phone.

Samsung debuted it's shapeshifting prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2023. Their device expands the OLED panel screen by simply sliding the phone open. Samsung further explained they hope to do the same with laptops and tablets. But like Motorola, there has been no further information on this product.

However, another two brands Vivo and Transsion seem to be pushing along the development of the rollable phone, after it was announced that they are planning to launch one rollable phone display by the end of 2024. The two brands aim to launch these devices as the world's first slidable/rollable phone beating Samsung to the mark. It is rumoured however, that due to this creation, Samsung will begin production of their rollable phone in early 2025. So now we have more information about what big brands are beginning their production of this phone, let’s take a deeper look into Vivo and Transsion’s concept.

 

What is the Vivo and Transsion Rollable Phone?

Vivo and Transsion’s rollable phone is expected to be released by the end of 2024. Their concept phone expands from 6.5” to 7.1”, physically expanding with one touch. After this, the text will travel across the screen rather than down with anti-slip protection on the back of the phone to ensure the device cannot be dropped and always has a secure grip. The phone will look like a normally designed smartphone, with one curved edge where the screen will expand and return back to normal size.

We can’t wait to see what this phone brings, and we will be providing further information on this topic as more details are released.  

 

What will the future bring for phones?

It is clear that smartphones are progressing to more than just small screens that fit inside our pockets. They can now expand, fold out to become bigger and flip to become smaller. As phone users, we now have the power the change our phone's screen size with one gesture or the click of a button. So this makes us think about what our future will bring for the classic mobile device.

Maybe we will see a phone that moves vertically rather than horizontally or mobiles where you attach a screen rather than fold it or roll it out. And what does this mean for other tech like laptops, tablets, and tvs?

Rollable Phones Pros:	Rollable Phones Cons:
Easy to store away Smaller and lighter Can change the screen size	Less variants Risks of breaking

 

Related blog: iPhone 15 VS Samsung S24

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Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading! We’d love to hear your thoughts on the upcoming rollable phones, would you consider them or are you just a fan of the classic straight mobile phones? Have you ever tried the new flip-and-fold phones? We have plenty available on Envirofone, so make sure to go and check out our mobile phones now.