News

TCL’s foldable concepts are unlike anything we’ve seen before

They can fold, flip, and roll!

Published

March 6, 2020

Michael Josh Villanueva

Are you a believer in the future of foldable smartphones, but not quite convinced about what’s currently available in the market today?

TCL, a brand best known for making high-end televisions for less, is looking to leverage its display expertise with 3 new experiments that not only hope to pave the way to a future that’s dominated by foldable, bendable, and rollable displays but also to create technology that’s not just novel, but also practical.

Pocketbook

We first saw TCL’s “pocketbook concept” (nicknames all my own) late last year but got our hands on a fully working model this January at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

A cross between the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Pro Duo – this concept device borrows the same horizontal fold idea, albeit wider on both sides.

Its shape is reminiscent of a book, some have also compared it to a wallet or passport.

When opened up, the two folded screens turn into a 7.2-inch tablet with a 2K AMOLED display, but its nothing more than that, at least in its current state. You can’t fold it in such a way that would transform it into a smartphone.

There is no secondary display on the outside. Instead all you’ll find is a row of cameras and this lovely textured glass finish that makes it look like a multi-faceted precious gem.

This concept devices uses TCL’s new Butterfly Hinge that allows the the device to be folded shut without a visible gap in between.

Tri-fold

TCL’s tri-fold concept was born out of the desire for foldable displays to be used for even bigger screen experiences. So instead of just one fold, it folds into 3, transforming from a smartphone about the the size of a Nokia Communicator to that of a 10-inch tablet.

It’s the first foldable concept we’ve seen with two separate hinges. One folds inward, the other outward. One side uses TCL’s Butterfly Hinge, the other an older hinge design TCL first showed off a full year ago called the Dragon Hinge – which forms an accordion like tear drop shape when folded shut.

While it become one hefty smartphone when folded and doesn’t stay put as firmly as a regular tablet when unfolded, the idea of being able to fit a 10-inch tablet in your pocket is pretty amazing.

TCL’s General Manage of Global Marketing Stefan Streit says, “the idea is to go in a direction where people won’t have to bring multiple devices.”

Rollable display

Of all the design experiments, for me personally, the TCL’s rollable display is most exciting. And that’s possibly because I’m still waiting for that smartphone that folds into a tube of lipstick like Samsung teased 7years ago.

Unlike the other two devices, or any other device that’s leveraged bendable display technology up to this point this TCL concept does neither has a hinge, nor does it fold.

Instead, internal motors allow the display on what looks like a regular smartphone to expand to become a 7.8-inch tablet. Imagine physically stretching the phone apart to make it bigger and then squeezing it back together to shrink it.

Instead of a hinge mechanism these motors furl and unfurl the rollable display, tucking part of the display away and out of sight when not needed.

At our briefing we were only showed a mock up that you have to manually stretch yourself – but we were showed video of an actual working prototype that does this automatically with the push of a button.

Pricing and availability

TCL stresses none of these concepts are ready for primetime, and are instead investments in finding the best, most practical use cases of this technology. Streit calls it “a long term play” in TCL’s new smartphone business, which marks the launch of its new flagship lineup in the US this week.

If and when TCL launches its own foldable or rollable smartphone – we’re told to expect it to be priced competitively, matching TCL’s philosophy of offering great displays at more affordable accessible prices.

Related Topics:featured Foldables TCL TCL Foldable Phone

Deals

GoTyme Bank, Visa partner for FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway

Win an all-expense-paid trip to the World Cup with your GoTyme Visa Debit Card

Published

March 19, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

GoTyme Bank and Visa have officially teamed up for a FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway.

This gives Filipino football fans the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to attend either the World Cup Group Stage or Final in the United States.

The partnership marks GoTyme Bank’s growing presence not only in the market but also in the global stage. Recently, the digital bank has grown to over 9 million customers in the Philippines, and 20 million worldwide.

Under the partnership, GoTyme Bank and Visa have released new limited-edition FIFA World Cup 2026-themed Visa Debit Cards.

These are available in two designs: Pitch Black and Trophy Gold. Both are designed by Filipino artist Ross Du, who incorporated the iconic tournament’s iconic trophy.

The latter, in particular, has some rarity as there will only be 20,000 copies printed in GoTyme Bank kiosks nationwide. Customers can have them printed starting March 23.

Print, Spend, Score

View this post on Instagram

To join the raffle, cardholders simply have to spend at least PhP 1,000 for a raffle entry. That’s using the Classic or Pitch Black card.

Overseas spending also comes with a 3x multiplier, meaning three entries for every PhP 1,000 spent abroad.

Two winners — one Classic and one Pitch Black cardholder — will each win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage in Los Angeles.

But even better, those who get the exceptionally rare Trophy Gold card will automatically get a raffle entry for the grand prize raffle draw — with no minimum spend required.

One Trophy Gold cardholder will win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the World Cup Final in New York City. This includes roundtrip business class seats as well.

In addition to the major prizes, 10 customers will receive exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 Visa Premium merchandise.

The fly-off promo runs until May 7 for the Classic and Pitch Black cardholders and until June 10 for the Trophy Gold cardholders.

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.

News

OPPO Find N6 launches globally with near crease-free foldable display

‘Zero-Feel Crease’

Published

March 17, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

OPPO has officially unveiled the Find N6, its latest foldable flagship designed to push the category further with a near crease-free display, powerful hardware, and productivity features tailored for large screens.

The device introduces what OPPO calls a “Zero-Feel Crease,” a new hinge and display structure designed to minimize the visible fold line and deliver a flatter inner screen experience over time.

The foldable was introduced at OPPO’s Binhai Bay Campus in China and will become globally available starting March 20, 2026.

Design and durability upgrades

Left: OPPO Find N6. Right: Galaxy Z Fold7

The Find N6 continues OPPO’s push for thinner and more ergonomic foldables. Despite its book-style design, the company says the device maintains a comfortable grip comparable to conventional bar-style smartphones.

It comes in two colourways: Stellar Titanium and Blossom Orange. The latter stands out with genuine gold accents integrated into the hinge casing made of titanium alloy.

Underneath its premium exterior, the Find N6 also adds stronger durability credentials. It carries IP56, IP58, and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance, allowing it to withstand everyday splashes as well as high-temperature and high-pressure water jets.

Multitasking powered by ColorOS 16

On the software side, the Find N6 runs ColorOS 16 optimized for foldables, designed to take advantage of its larger inner display.

One of the key features is Free-Flow Window, a multitasking tool that allows up to four apps to run simultaneously. Users can freely adjust window sizes and aspect ratios, enabling flexible workflows for productivity or content creation.

The feature integrates with OPPO’s Boundless View interface, allowing users to transition smoothly between intensive multitasking layouts and a focused single-app experience.

ColorOS 16 also brings a set of AI-driven tools, including AI Mind Space, AI Recording, and AI Motion Photo Popout.

For cross-device functionality, O+ Connect enables file transfers between the Find N6 and Mac or Windows computers. The system also supports screen mirroring and remote control functions.

AI Pen turns foldable into a workstation

Complementing the large display is the OPPO AI Pen, a stylus designed to enhance productivity on the foldable device.

The stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and works on both the inner and outer displays.

OPPO positions it as more than a standard stylus. The AI Pen enables features like Quick Note and Global Annotation, while also functioning as a laser pointer for presentations.

It also supports AI-powered tools such as Circle to Capture, AI Chart, and AI Image. These tools can capture on-screen content, convert rough notes into structured tables, or transform hand-drawn sketches into polished artwork.

Flagship performance and imaging

Powering the Find N6 is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform paired with a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery.

The device supports 80W SUPERVOOC wired charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, designed to provide all-day endurance even with extended use of the foldable display.

For imaging, OPPO introduces its new Hasselblad Master Camera System on the Find N6.

The system is led by a 200MP Hasselblad Ultra-Clear main camera. It is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide camera capable of capturing 50 percent more light than the previous generation, and a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens with tele-macro capabilities.

The phone also includes a dedicated True Color Camera sensor, first introduced with the Find X9 series, designed to improve white balance accuracy and produce more natural color reproduction.

Camera features developed with Hasselblad include Hasselblad Portrait Mode for DSLR-style bokeh, Hasselblad Master Mode with manual controls tuned to match the Hasselblad X2D camera, and XPAN mode that captures cinematic photos in a wide 65:24 aspect ratio.

The Find N6 also supports professional-grade video features. All three rear cameras can record 4K video at 60fps in Dolby Vision, while the main camera can capture 4K 120fps Dolby Vision footage. Log video support is also included for advanced color grading workflows.