News

TCL shows-off a 3-in-1 concept phone that can fold and roll

Said to have a budget-friendly price tag

Published

April 16, 2021

Shivam Vahia

The last two years were all about folding phones, and Samsung has pretty much dominated the segment. Huawei and LG tried their luck but with limited success. Though, we often forget that TCL, too, has been in the race since the beginning and still has a lot of tricks up its sleeve like a rollable phone.

Alongside a slew of affordable phones, it unveiled a concept phone that can fold and roll, and it’s literally called — Fold n’ Roll. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary phone with a 6.87-inch screen, but it can be unfolded to reveal a much bigger screen measuring 8.85-inches diagonally. Finally, if you need more screen space, you can roll out another screen from the phone’s housing to deliver an immersive 10-inch tablet.

Being a concept phone, the brand hasn’t delved deep into its specifications, raw capabilities, and software integration yet. However, it did mention that it could sport a hinge mechanism that we haven’t seen in a smartphone before.

Although considering the design’s complexity, it’ll be hard to make the phone commercially available anytime soon. While LG has also shown off a similar rolling design, it’s improbable we’ll ever see it publicly now since the company has entirely left the smartphone market.

TCL no stranger to foldables

TCL has previously unveiled multiple folding concepts, and none of them have actually made it to the mass market. The brand is constantly working on new ideas and is keen on sharing them with the world. While it’s a long journey, TCL seems to be on the right track with its overall portfolio.

The budget and midrange segment is highly lucrative due to scale, ensuring that sales continue growing. Experimenting with new technology is usually an expensive venture, but it gradually pays off in the longer run. Xiaomi has previously followed a similar strategy with the Mi MIX series, and even though it didn’t work out immediately, the brand gained valuable experience for future premium offerings.

Watch: Rollable display smartphones are coming NEXT!

News

Apple reportedly gives up on the Vision Pro

But Apple will continue to sell the current model.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When they unveiled the Vision Pro in 2023, Apple touted the wearable as the next big thing after the iPhone. Now, almost three years removed from the launch, the Vision Pro hasn’t really taken over the coveted spot occupied by the iPhone. Apple, according to a report, is allegedly canning the short-lived wearable.

According to MacRumors, Apple has reportedly given up on making the Vision Pro a thing. The team handling the wearable has supposedly been subsumed by other teams within Apple.

If true, the wearable’s end is unfortunate but not surprising. Despite being out for years, the Vision Pro has sold only a little more than half a million units with numerous returns from customers. Most recently, Apple updated the wearable with the M5 chip, but the move hasn’t revitalized the device’s status in Apple’s lineup.

Most of the complaints about the device stem from its exorbitant price or its cumbersome battery pack. Besides costing a whopping US$ 3,499, the Vision Pro is also difficult to move around with, especially because of its total weight and a battery pack that can get in the way.

To be clear, Apple has not officially discontinued the Vision Pro yet. The company continues to sell the version with the M5 chip. Apple can also restart development in the future.

However, the meantime retirement on future development does coincide with the recent restructuring inside the company. Tim Cook recently decided to step down as CEO with John Ternus as his replacement. Canning the Vision Pro might be Ternus’ first step in redefining Apple according to his plans.

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Enterprise

OnePlus has reportedly merged with realme

Both brands were previously rumored for restructuring early this year.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

OnePlus has a problem. For a while now, rumors have swirled about the company’s dissolution. For their part, the company has continued to deny the reports, citing business as usual. Likely to their dismay, the reports just keep coming. Today, sources have hinted that OnePlus has merged with realme.

Back in January, it was rumored that OnePlus would be closing up shop this year. Since the company very quickly denied the rumors, the report hardly made waves. However, a suspected merger with realme is more difficult to debunk.

For one, realme is itself in a very interesting position. Also back in January, realme was reportedly moving back into being a sub-brand of OPPO. Coupled together with the OnePlus debacle, all this internal restructuring seems par for the course.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus and realme have already concluded the merger. The two brands have reportedly united their Chinese and international operations under one roof. Likewise, their marketing will be the same. Pete Lau will still be the main head for this new division.

As with anything of this nature, take this with a grain of salt. OPPO, OnePlus, and realme have not issued any official statements concerning a merger or a shutdown for any brand.