{"id":70337,"date":"2025-07-17T16:31:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/70337\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T16:31:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:31:08","slug":"this-g-tri-fold-phone-bends-in-ways-that-make-me-uncomfortable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/70337\/","title":{"rendered":"This ‘G’ Tri-Fold Phone Bends in Ways That Make Me Uncomfortable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Darwinian evolution is speedrunning foldable phone development. \u201cZ\u201d-style folds from companies like the Huawei Mate XT<\/a> collapse in a zig-zag pattern, exposing one side of the screen to the elements. The new alternate universe tri-fold could be Tecno\u2019s Phantom Ultimate G Fold concept phone that literally wraps around itself like a big \u201cG.\u201d This actually may be the better way to do tri-folds, but Samsung would need to think long and hard about device integrity if it\u2019s using this same design for its own rumored tri-fold that\u2019s coming by the end of the year.<\/a><\/p>\n

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This is foldable, reimagined.
TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold debuts as the world’s thinnest tri-fold \u2014 11.49mm folded, 3.49mm unfolded. Bold design. Limitless possibilities. pic.twitter.com\/dBAdtDkGC4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 tecnomobile (@tecnomobile) July 17, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is China-based Tecno\u2019s second attempt at a tri-fold phone. The company previously showed videos of its Z-style tri-fold last year, around the same time that Huawei was making waves with its first commercial phone with triple folding action. The redesigned concept for 2025 folds inwards twice. Unlike a Z-fold tri-fold, this means there\u2019s no part of the screen exposed when it\u2019s shut. There\u2019s a huge benefit to this for the sake of survivability. Foldable screens can bend because they\u2019re much thinner than your typical display on a candy bar-shaped smartphone. Having one side of the folded screen exposed at all times means it\u2019s more likely to brush up against any dirt or debris. The Mate XT doesn\u2019t have an IP rating for water or dust protection, which says a lot for how long the $2,800 device may last even if you keep it safe in your pocket.<\/p>\n

As we mentioned, this is merely a concept and isn\u2019t something you can buy, even if Tecno sold its devices in the U.S. When unfurled, the Phantom Ultimate G Fold has a 9.94-inch display, which is slightly smaller than the Mate XT, though Tecno\u2019s device has the added benefit of a separate exterior screen. There are more innovations happening under the hood to allow this inward-facing collapsing mechanism. The rightmost hinge is actually smaller than the one on the left. We don\u2019t have any images showing off the inner hinge system, which leaves us with questions about whether the smaller hinge is more or less brittle than the larger one. It could also leave one side of the device heavier than the other.<\/p>\n

\"TechnoThe Tecno Phantom Ultimate G Fold concept when all clammed up. \u00a9 Tecno <\/p>\n

Tecno\u2019s device seems innovative in size as well. The Phantom Ultimate G Fold clocks in at 3.49mm thick when unfolded. Even when it\u2019s not too thick when folded up at 11.49mm, which is thinner than Huawei\u2019s device, it\u2019s thicker than Samsung\u2019s recent Galaxy Z Fold<\/a> 7 bi-fold or most other phones you can buy now. I\u2019m honestly not sure how a device of this size could get any thinner without compromising the device\u2019s structure or limiting access to a USB-C port. Inevitably, tri-folds will be made for those with thick pockets or XL pocketbooks. This leaves me with extra concerns for the device\u2019s durability. More creases and more screen real estate mean there\u2019s more surface area to get damaged. What if there\u2019s dirt left on the back of the phone that then gets pressed up into the display?<\/p>\n

Other than screen size, Tecno isn\u2019t revealing much in the way of tech specs, save for the promise of an \u201cover 5,000 mAh battery\u201d and a \u201chigh-performance chipset.\u201d Tecno isn\u2019t selling this device just yet, but what\u2019s there is enough to make me wonder what\u2019s next for foldables. If Samsung\u2019s $2,000 Z Fold 7 has finally cracked the thinness debate, where do we go from here? We expect Google will showcase a next-gen folding phone<\/a> at its Made By Google event<\/a> on Aug. 20. Rumors persist that Apple is working on its own foldable iPhone. The folding iPhone\u2019s thickness could be the deciding factor in whether it succeeds. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested it could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, which would make it close to 9mm when shut. More recent rumors<\/a> suggest it could be larger, but without official word from more reliable sources, we can only continue to guess until its rumored release date in 2026.<\/p>\n