In the new world of foldable devices, this TCL prototype is special

At the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019, a number of manufacturers showcased their foldable phones, each with a different way of folding and unfolding, but none as different as the one by TCL.

TCL, known for its TVs, took the wraps off its prototype foldable smartphone, one of which bends in half, but not completely.

As Mashable reports, the prototype model bends like a stack of cash, which means it may not be a perfect fit for those tight pants.

The current challenge with foldable phones is the presence of hinge that doesn't wear out with repeated folding and unfolding, the crease lines on the display which are distracting, and lastly, whether the device folds to show a bigger display on the inside or the outside.

TCL's concept phone uses DragonHinge mechanism to fold in half. The company showcased other concepts and prototypes using the same mechanism. One of the concept models followed the conventional book-style folding method, and sported an LED outside of the screen to display the time.

From the range of concepts, it is clear that TCL is currently only exploring the right way of folding a foldable phone.