Tri-fold smartphones have been rumored for years, with reports of Samsung working on a next-gen foldable smartphone dating back to as early as 2020. Huawei is rumored to be developing its own take on the technology as well, but apparently the company still needs to work out the kinks before bringing it to market.
Earlier this week, a tech tipster at tweeted on X claiming Huawei is working on its outward-folding technology, which the company plans to implement on a tri-fold screen of an unnamed smartphone. But apparently the technology is “too advanced” and still faces challenges with software optimization. The handset is said to be running on Huawei’s HarmonyOS, which is reportedly yet to be fully adapted to the triple-screen setup.
The tipster also went on to say that this yet-to-be-revealed tri-fold smartphone will be powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9000 series. But there seems to have an issue with its thermal management system. Though the exact Kirin chipset was not specified, even having the latest Kirin 9010 under the hood means the device is using a 7nm process chip that is relatively less power-efficient compared to the likes of Apple’s A17 Pro or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Thickness is also an issue. The tri-fold display is expected to be extremely thin to avoid making the device overly bulky when folded. But a design that’s too thin might present a challenge in cooling the chipset, which must be housed in one of the panels.
Via: Wcftech