Vivo to Make Rollable Phones a Reality in 2024

The competition to redefine the smartphone industry is intensifying as leading Chinese tech giants, namely Vivo and Transsion, are gearing up to introduce the world’s first rollable screen smartphone.

According to insiders within the industry, this new rollable screen phone is anticipated to make its debut by the close of the upcoming year.

For those unaware, a rollable screen phone is able to slide out more screen that is tucked inside the device. The extra display typically rolls out with the press of a button. This concept was shown off just last September by Tecno through its latest concept phone, the Phantom Ultimate.

The Phantom Ultimate featured a screen capable of seamless expansion from 6.55 inches to a more generous 7.11 inches in approximately 1.3 seconds. An additional noteworthy feature is the miniature display on the back, designed for notifications. See the phone in action in the video below.

Transsion has been notably vocal about its ambitions in this arena, and there have been multiple instances of rollable concept phones and displays showcased in the past.

Though some details remain uncertain, there are indications that Vivo could be procuring these displays from reputable tech giants such as BOE or Samsung Display. Industry experts lean towards the possibility of BOE being the more enthusiastic player in this endeavor.

This move towards rollable technology may well be a strategic response to the formidable challenge of surpassing Samsung in the realm of foldable phones. Samsung has undoubtedly cemented its presence in the foldable market, particularly with its successful Galaxy Z series of phones.

However, the challenge for rollable phones continues to be practicality. Do we really have any practical use of that extra 2 inches of screen? Hopefully, Vivo will be able to answer that question with its upcoming rollable phone.