It is no secret that OPPO is one of the most enjoyable smartphone companies to follow in the last couple of years. From periscope cameras to insanely fast charging solutions, the Chinese tech giant has brought many innovations to the table. Now, the company has unveiled its rollable smartphone concept – OPPO X 2021.
Before proceeding, it must be reiterated that this is still a concept. OPPO hasn't even announced its plans to bring the phone to market any time soon. That said, the thing remains extraordinary: OPPO X 2021 is the first working concept of an authentically rollable smartphone ever. And this may be a paradigm that puts foldable smartphones out of action.
OPPO X 2021 and the dynamic display
OPPO X 2021 has a rollable mechanized display that extends with a simple touch. This allows the phone to expand its 6,7-inch OLED panel to 7,4-inch. Powering this movement are two dual rotary motors that extend and reduce the display.
Another interesting aspect of this display compared to those of folding smartphones is that OPPO claims to have obtained a zero-fold screen, something that the current foldable ones cannot boast.
The use of a rollable display also eliminates the “redundancies” we see in current generation foldable smartphones. Rollable phones don't require two displays or two sets of cameras to ensure the phone is equally functional when folded and unfolded.
A “responsive” smartphone
OPPO has also worked on the software front as seen in the video above. As the display expands, the elements on the display also react accordingly and range to fit the larger display.
As promising as the OPPO X 2021 may seem, as mentioned, it is still a concept phone. Not much is known about when we will see the commercial implementation of such rollable displays that can replace foldable smartphones. What remains to be seen is whether this new generation of rollable smartphones will bring its own set of problems.
