Prototype Tri-Fold Multi-Screen Smartphone Shows Off Future Tech

[dgstorm]

[video=youtube;GJiy7sb6SKw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJiy7sb6SKw[/video]​

Let's face it. We haven't really seen anything innovative in smartphones for a couple of years now. For the most part, the mobile industry is locked in a race to see how fast the manufacturers "upgrade" to mildly improved internal hardware in the latest ho-hum, me-too device. It's going to take something truly ground-breaking to shake us out of these doldrums.

Of course, there are probably plenty of creative ideas swarming around the minds of engineers in the various "Silicon Valleys" of the world, but as fast as tech advances, sometimes its just not fast enough to implement every idea in a cost effective manner. Perhaps the above video is an example of a near-future product which might be the first "exception" worth noting. It's called Paperfold, and it might really be the real "Next Big Thing."

The video show cases a tri-fold prototype smartphone which uses foldable flexible display technology. It's obviously still rough around the edges, but it might only be a couple years from actual production models. Here's a quote from Dr. Vertegaal, a Queen’s University professor who is part of the development project, “In PaperFold, each display tile can act independently or as part of a single system. It allows multiple device form factors, providing support for mobile tasks that require large screen real estate or keyboards on demand, while retaining an ultra-compact, ultra-thin and lightweight form factor.”

One of the main features being touted for this technology is an improved way to use Google Maps. Here's a quote with some of the details,

PaperFold automatically recognizes its shape and changes its graphics to provide different functionality upon shape changes. For example, folding the device into an ultra notebook form factor opens up a keyboard on the bottom screen. Users could use this form factor to type a search, e.g., for an address on Google Maps – displayed on the top screen.

• By flattening PaperFold’s 3 displays, the user changes views to a Google map that spans all screens.
• Shaping PaperFold into a convex globe shows the map in Google Earth view.
• Folding PaperFold into the shape of a 3D building on the map will pick up a Google SketchUp model of the building and turn the device into an architectural model that can be 3D printed.

Inspiration for PaperFold came from its namesake: paper. Typically, mobile devices require scrolling or zooming in order to see different parts of a document whereas paper can be folded, detached or combined allowing it to be accessed in multiple parallel forms.

“The development of electronic paper computers that can adopt similar qualities to paper has been an enduring research goal for our team,” says Dr. Vertegaal. “Books use folding as both a navigational and space saving technique, and paper maps have malleable display sizes. The PaperFold smartphone adopts folding techniques that makes paper so versatile, and employs them to change views or functionality of a smartphone, as well as alter its screen real estate in a flexible manner. PaperFold demonstrates how form could equal function in malleable mobile devices.”

Perhaps a product made from this could push smart-device tech to the next level. What do you guys think it will take to shake us out of the doldrums currently facing the mobile tech world?

Source: Queen's University

 

[Vepaot]

It seem really gimmicky. I completely agree that this whole incremental hardware upgrade is a bunch of malarkey at this point, and it's going to take something really different to break us out of the form factor that smart phones are in now, but I don't see this being the thing to do it.

Besides, I don't want to watch all of my cat videos and Netflix in black and white.

 

[RyanPm40]

It seem really gimmicky. I completely agree that this whole incremental hardware upgrade is a bunch of malarkey at this point, and it's going to take something really different to break us out of the form factor that smart phones are in now, but I don't see this being the thing to do it.

Besides, I don't want to watch all of my cat videos and Netflix in black and white.

ahaha well, it is an early prototype beta, something tells me a commercialized product would be in color. But, yes, it does seem rather gimmicky.

 

[kodiak799]

I thought of this exact thing several years ago....it's the perfect 3-in-1 device with a nice, modest 4.7" phone that can expand into a 7-8" tablet.

And something like this finally makes sense out of the ridiculous "thinner" wars. Think of the possibilities - the backside of one display could be all battery (3X the display size but 6X the battery capacity), while another might be all storage/ram (since that's actually converging with new tech coming out)...

 

[cr6]

I say gimmicky as well. Personally I don't understand what people expect from today's smartphones. They are already mini computers that do everything your desktop pc can do, what more do people want? Aside from a faster processor, better camera and longer battery life, smartphones have come about as far as their going to come, while still being practical.
(as least until holographic displays come out)

tap'n

 

[Jeffrey]

I think it's a very limited market, if it ever gets launched.

 

[Gremlin]

Eh I see this more of a business use phone than for personal stuff...

 

[mslaceyrose]

I say gimmicky as well. Personally I don't understand what people expect from today's smartphones. They are already mini computers that do everything your desktop pc can do, what more do people want? Aside from a faster processor, better camera and longer battery life, smartphones have come about as far as their going to come, while still being practical.
(as least until holographic displays come out)

tap'n

This is pretty much how I feel. It'll probably get to the point that the differences in cell phone specs and features is so minimal that the only reason to upgrade to a new phone (or tablet) will be when the one I have no longer supports the newest available android OS - by either OTA updates or custom ROMs.
That or my innate need for a new shiny toy once in a while, just for the sake of... having a shiny new toy. But, I could fulfill that need with some other gadget or another.
I do like to see prototypes such as this one, though. Some of them lead to innovation that can be used in a much broader arena than the smart phone market. So it's good that we have tinkering geniuses among us.