Last year, Lenovo showcased a lot of new tech at their Lenovo Tech World Expo in San Francisco. Some recent releases, like the Lenovo Moto Z and PHAB2 Pro were cool in their own right, but what really stole the show was the foldable technology shown in their working phone and tablet prototypes. Codenamed the CPlus and the Folio respectively, both gadgets have the flexibility of a yoga instructor and the adaptability of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator.
First off is the CPlus, which doubles as a smartphone and a smartwatch. Simply roll up the phone backwards like you would a newspaper and wrap it around your wrist! Though the prototype showcased could not be folded towards the screen or securely wrapped around the owner’s hand, slapping your phone onto your wrist for an early morning jog might just be a thing for the near future.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7BcwGzZu4I
The Folio, on the other hand, is a tablet which bends into a dual screen smartphone. It isn’t made out of two screens either; the single screen can actually be folded to conform to its current shape. This removes the annoying blank line that a split screen monitor provides and makes it easier to play Angry Birds while in its tablet form.
It’s worth mentioning that the UI of both prototypes adapts to the machines’ current shape. The CPlus gets a more rounded interface when folded into a smartwatch while the Folio’s UI actually divides itself to provide an interface for each of the two smaller screens. This may not seem like such an important feature, but this is because it is integrated so well into the hardware that you hardly even notice it.
Unlike those heavily Photoshopped designs which feature anything from a similar foldable tablet to a freaking Apple car, these are some of the first working physical prototypes that prove a future in foldable technology is possible. According to CTO Peter Hortensius, foldable technologies may become available in the market as soon as 4 years from now.
Whether you’re a fan or not, this new gimmick may just be what hardware companies need to appeal to those with on-the-go lifestyles.
