This year will stand as something of a landmark for smartphones. While Samsung did release their original folding phone, the Z Fold, back in 2019, the general consensus is that the disaster of the original drop is best left to the pages of history. As a result, 2020 has been able to usher in a brand new design for our phones, which have – for the most part – remained more or less the same since the release of the first smartphones back in the early 2000s.
While the vast majority of us continue to use the more traditional design – perhaps owing to the high cost of the first wave of folding phones – that hasn’t stopped the tech giants from dreaming up new ways of altering the longstanding design of these devices, and adding new features to their hardware.
Just recently, phone manufacturer Oppo unveiled plans for a new ‘rolling’ phone, which offers users the option to draw their screen out horizontally, and increase its size from 6.7 inches to 7.4 inches with ease.
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The phone remains in the ‘concept’ stages at this point in time, but Oppo remain confident that we should expect to see the new device materialise in the future. So, what do we know so far about their intentions, and what benefits can we expect from a rolling phone? Read more below.
A Move Toward Mobile Gamers?
Oppo have long since been falling behind in the race for mobile gamers. While other phones utilise Snapdragon processers, which are famed for supporting an incredibly high quality level of gameplay, Oppo have housed MediaTek processors, which fall behind on a number of factors that support gamer’s habits.
There are, of course, many reasons for Oppo to want to augment their status as a worthy, budget gaming phone. The vast majority of us are mobile gamers; we devote plenty of time to seeking out a worthwhile indie title, or an online roulette site available in South Africa, or a competitive title – from Words With Friends to Player Unknown: Battlegrounds – to play online with friends.
The rolling screen will foster a much more immersive experience for gamers of all interests and skill levels. Just as the folding phone promises to open up (literally) the playing field for gamers, the rolling screen – if it works – will ensure that our mobiles are better and more versatile than ever before when we are looking for a distraction from the morning commute.
When Will We See the First Rolling Phone?
According to an early report from The Verge, Oppo have already worked out the logistics for a rolling design, including the structural plate and a special laminate for the screen to ensure it is able to withstand repeated rolling and unrolling. This already stands them in good stead, as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold has been criticised for potentially disastrous weaknesses in the phone’s screen, which could prove devastating for those who have dropped $2,000 on the device.
Since the phone’s design remains a concept, there’s no guarantee just yet that the rolling feature will ever make it into the hands of users. The tech firm does, however, seem highly confident in their ambitious design – and, given the considerable interest users have shown in new, expandable phones, anyone who is already eager to try the new tech out for themselves should feel quietly confident that this device will one day make its way onto shelves.
Until then, watch this space, and look forward to further developments from Oppo’s innovative team as smartphone designs grow increasingly unique and versatile for users.
