A known tipster on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website) has just revealed that Oppo is planning on launch two new unique smartphones later this year. These supposed handsets will include the clamshell design.

According to Digital Chat Station, the Chinese smartphone maker is planning on launching additional foldable models of smartphones following the release of its Find N. Apparently, the brand’s first foldable offering saw sales that were higher than what was initially expected. So now, it is planning on launching two new models as well. One of these would feature the clamshell design while the second model will be a higher end variant that will feature a display that is larger than the Find N.

For those unaware, the Find N was launched back in December 2022. Furthermore, this higher end model will reportedly launch with a price tag of around 10,000 Yuan (roughly 1,583 US Dollars), as per the tipster. In other words, it will be even more expensive than the Find N, which was relatively one of the most affordable phones in the foldable handset segment.

Notably, Digital Chat Station also stated that the display on this upcoming premium handset will be a rollable panel. Meaning, it might be similar in design to the OPPO X 2021 rollable phone concept, which was the world’s first smartphone with an extending display. It could extend its display for 6.7 inches to 7.4 inches thanks to its 6.8mm Roll Motor and flexible OLED panel design. Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed news, so take this report with a pinch of salt for now. But it would be impressive if the company manages to launch this device since it would be the first mass produced commercial model of a rollable phone.

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Earlier today (17th January 2022), a known tipster on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website) revealed interesting information regarding the next generation of foldable smartphone from Xiaomi. Apparently, the company has already started work on this device, which will feature a clamshell folding design.

Back in 2021, the Chinese tech giant had released its first ever foldable handset, which was the MIX Fold. It featured a vertical hinge, which meant that it folded horizontally similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. Furthermore, it launched with a price tag of 9,999 Yuan (roughly 1,575 US Dollars), which almost as expensive as its Samsung counterpart. Although, the device was still one of the more affordable foldable devices in the market.

Now, known tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed that the company is working on a new foldable phone, which features a vertically folding horizontal display. However, its most notable aspect would be its price, as the tipster claims that the company might launch it closer to a mainstream flagship price. This would be a big deal considering, the cheapest foldable phone still costs over 1,000 US Dollars. We had previously even reported on a Xiaomi patent that showcased such a vertically folding phone.

In the social media post, the tipster also revealed one key details regarding the upcoming Xiaomi foldable phone. Reportedly, this device will feature a FHD+ resolution and 120Hz high refresh rate. Under the hood, the phone will apparently houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen series processor. Keep in mind that this is still just an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt for now and stay tuned for more updates.

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Earlier this year, the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold was unveiled, which was the company’s first foldable smartphone that also resembled the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. Now, a new patent has revealed that the company is working on another foldable device that could be similar to the Galaxy Z Flip.

According to a LetsGoDigital report, the Chinese smartphone maker has patented a new foldable smartphone with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Office). This device is notable, as unlike the Mi MIX Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2, it sports a clamshell folding device. In other words, its design would be similar to the South Korean tech giant’s Galaxy Z Flip. Although, apart from the clamshell format, some of its design features are different and the device could even be more affordable.

Looking at the patent images, the foldable smartphone features a dual punch hole selfie shooter on the front. On the rear, the device sports a triple camera setup that is housed on a circular module. The bottom of the device also features a USB Type C port for charging along with a speaker as well. At the moment, this is still just a patent so finer details like pricing and specifications are currently unknown.

Unfortunately, we also do not know if the company is actually working on such a product or is just covering all bases. However, going by its efforts on offering innovative new products that does not cost a fortune, the clamshell device, might be called the Mi MIX Flip, which could compete with the likes of Moto Razr and Galaxy Z Flip but with a more affordable price tag.

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The post Xiaomi might launch the Mi MIX Flip, cheaper alternative to Galaxy Z Flip appeared first on Gizmochina.

Huawei is apparently working on a new foldable smartphone, but this one follows a different design that its Mate X series. According to a recently surfaced patent, the new foldable phone has a clamshell design, which resembles the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

The patent was filed by Huawei with the Chinese patent authority CNIPA back in August 2019 that was finally granted earlier today (7th July 2020). The patents reveal a foldable flip phone designed handset with a vertically stacked camera module on the rear. A secondary display can also be found on the back, while the front has a notch display, which should house all the necessary sensors.

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Looking at the images, it is clear that the phone bends inwards, from top to bottom rather than side to side. This design has been used by the Galaxy Z Flip previously, which had a rounded hinge mechanism as well. Industry sources believe that Huawei is currently working on a clamshell styled smartphone. The Chinese tech giant is expected to launch an aggressively priced foldable device later this year and has also purchased UTG (ultra thin glass) that is also used on the Galaxy Z Flip.

A new trademark application for a device called Mate V was recently spotted. It is unclear whether the trademark is for a smartphone or not, but it is similar to the existing lineup of Huawei smartphones. It might be for the clamshell handset, which might launch later this year. Unfortunately, it is still too soon to tell, so stay tuned for more updates.

UP NEXT: OnePlus Launcher v4.5.6 adds a quick toggle to switch between Google Discover & OnePlus Shelf

(Via,Source)

The post Huawei patents a smartphone that resembles the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Motorola Razr is the third commercial foldable smartphone in the market from an established tech company. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold is already available for purchase across the globe, and the Huawei Mate X went on sale in China today. Now, the Motorola Razr is here to challenge these two foldable smartphones, with a unique design. Instead of adopting a form factor that transforms your regular-sized smartphone into a tablet, the Motorola Razr makes your regular smartphone a lot more compact by folding it in half.

The Razr 2019’s design is inspired by the iconic Razr v3 clamshell smartphone from the 2000s. However, the new model gets rid of the physical keyboard and brings an all-screen design on the inside, featuring a flexible pOLED display panel. This enables the phone to transform from a regular-sized smartphone into something as compact as the Nokia 110 when folded in half.

But do we really need a super compact smartphone like the Motorola Razr? Especially when it’s only half a phone, literally, with its less than impressive hardware?

A lot less phone at $1500.

Today’s smartphones pack in a lot of features in an incredibly tight space. So if you are going to add some cool new tech without increasing its size, some features have to be axed.

First, a foldable flip design divides a regular-sized smartphone into two sections for hardware. The manufacturer has to work with these two sections to fit in the components. Not to mention, it will need a robust hinge design, as seen in the Motorola Razr, which will further take up some precious space. So you are left with limited space for essential hardware like processor, battery, and even cameras.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi patents Motorola Razr-like foldable phone

Now let’s take a closer look at the Motorola Razr.

The phone features an incredibly tall form factor (172 x 72 x 6.9mm). However, some space is taken up by the hinge at the center. So it’s not surprising that the Razr packs in a below-average 2510mAh battery. That’s less than what Pixel 4 brings to the table and do you recall how terrible its battery life is?
You may argue that the 2.7-inch small display upfront will help in conserving this battery but what’s the use of a foldable phone if you are always afraid to use its larger sized display?

Now let’s take a look at its camera setup. It has a 16MP f/1.7 primary sensor above the secondary OLED panel and a 5MP secondary sensor on the flexible display’s notch. While the 16MP single sensor may turn out to be good, you are still missing out on major camera features like telephoto, wide-angle, and even macro, which have become standard among flagships of 2019. For a phone that costs $1500, this camera setup lacks a lot of important features.
Also, you have to settle for a decent but still mid-range Snapdragon 710 chip. The SD710 usually powers smartphones that cost only about a third of the Razr’s selling price. Ideally, you would have expected something like the Snapdragon 855 inside such an expensive device. And the phone doesn’t impress us in its software department either. It will come with the old Android 9 Pie when it ships in January 2020!

I agree that the Motorola Razr looks cool. If it was any cheaper, I would have probably thought about getting one, despite its hardware limitations. The flip design makes it one of the coolest smartphones of 2019. However, when I’m paying $1500, I would definitely expect top-end hardware as well. After all, a smartphone is not just defined by its design.

So despite the innovative hinge design (which is really cool btw) on the Motorola Razr, you have to settle for a limited camera experience, terrible battery life, and an average CPU if you are going to get the phone.

Are these sacrifices worth the foldable flip design?

I don’t think so.

And when you have competitors like the Galaxy Fold that features top of the line hardware, including fantastic battery life and powerful camera performance, it makes you think whether it’s a good decision to spend $1500 on the Motorola Razr. If you want a compact yet powerful smartphone, get the S10e. Or if you want a foldable, it’s probably a good idea to spend a little more and get the Galaxy Fold.

What are your thoughts?

UP NEXT: Xiaomi patents foldable phone with pop-up penta-camera

The post Opinion: Motorola Razr is a cool flip phone, but an inferior 2020 smartphone appeared first on Gizmochina.

Motorola has a really long history of making phones. While it may not be a popular player in the market today, the brand has been selling smartphones since 1983, when it sold the giant brick of a phone, the DynaTAC 8000x! But the real success for the company came via the iconic Moto Razr series, particularly the Moto Razr V3.

Why was it so popular? Because it had one of the sexiest designs in a phone of its time. It was sleek, all-metal, and best of all, the flip to open sound was pretty satisfying. Anyone who wanted to be cool back in 2005 got this device. Well, by anyone, I mean someone with decent money, because this phone set you back more than $400 at launch. While that would get you a decent mid-ranger today, $400 was a significant amount to spend on a fancy phone back then.

The Moto Razr V3 got full marks for its design. So it’s no surprise that the phone managed to sell over 130 million units between 2004 to 2008. It is the best selling clamshell phone till date, which goes on to show its popularity among users.The phone drew long lines, quickly selling out too.

What Was So Special About Its Design?

Motorola dared to be different with the Moto Razr V3. It was a time when every phone had started to look like a brick. Yes, there were weird designs from companies like Nokia, but they were still fairly rectangular and thick. Remember the lipstick phone? Crazy design, but still a brick!

What made the Razr special was it chic look. It was super sleek, light weight (95 grams), and was shiny, all thanks to its metal design. The body was made out of magnesium and aluminum and unlike other smartphones in its day, the phone’s keypad was tactile and stayed flush with the body.

The simple act of flipping open the phone got a special fan following. Even today, I’m sure a lot of us would just pause for a second to see a Moto Razr flip open. That’s how iconic the Moto Razr has become!

Another cool feature was its camera! No, it wasn’t high resolution or feature rich. But thanks to its clamshell design, you could take selfies or use it like a mirror too. The display outside wasn’t great though. But you could make it work.

Editor’s Pick: Honor’s revolutionary Smart Screen product will be announced at HDC 2019

Talking about displays, guess where Vivo Nex Dual gets its inspiration from? The Razr V3 featured two screens, a small 96 x 80 pixel display on the outside and a 2.2-inch 220 x 176 display inside. Both were color screens, but nothing to shout about when you compare it with smartphones today. However, the outside screen came in quite handy alerting the user about new notifications, charging, and other details in a short format. The phone had a pretty decent MP3 player too, so you could listen to songs and get into your groove in style.

The Moto Razr had a small 680mAh battery with 250 hours of standby and 7 hours of talktime. It was nothing special but given its sleek design, it was enough to keep users interested.

Despite its expensive price tag, the phone became a status symbol among the youth. If you had a Moto Razr, you were considered to be cool! Motorola released the model in multiple color variants too, including a Black version. Later on, we would see updates to the original model like the Moto V3re and the Moto V3x.

There’s no denying that the Moto Razr V3 holds a special place among all phone users from the 2000s. While we are not sure if the company plans to revive the series with a foldable clamshell like design, it would be really cool to see its design being adapted to cater to today’s users.

Will we ever see a clamshell foldable smartphone from Motorola? Maybe we’ll!

Let’s wait and watch.

Previous Throwback Tech Thursday Coverage:

• Throwback Tech Thursday: Nexus One, Google’s First Pure Android Phone Revisited
• Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit Samsung’s Crazy 10X Optical Zoom Smartphone
• Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit Nokia’s Crazy Lipstick Phone (7280)
• Throwback Tech Thursday: Nokia N9’s Weird Selfie Camera Revisited
• Throwback Tech Thursday: World’s First Android Phone Revisited
• Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit the World’s First Camera Phone & Its Selfie Camera

The post Throwback Tech Thursday: Revisiting the Iconic Moto Razr V3, the Phone That Made You Look Cool! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Are you surprised with the Samsung Galaxy Fold or Huawei Mate X? Then you need to have a look at the new Sharp clamshell foldable prototype device, and it will surely amaze you with its artistic design. According to a video by OLED-info, the new clamshell prototype looks quite minimal with a display notch on the top.

The phone uses flexible OLED technology as like of some other players in the foldable market. Its inward folding will protect the display from scratches and fades away chances of any screen damage from sudden falls. According to Japan’s Mainichi outlet, the screen has passed 300000 folding tests. It is somewhat 100K more than the Samsung’s claims for Galaxy Fold.

In the era when Samsung has unveiled its Galaxy Fold, and Huawei announced Mate X foldable smartphone, Sharp is still aiming to bring the first commercial product “in a few years’ time.” We hope the Japanese display manufacturer might have planned something else. Otherwise, it would be a risky move for Sharp to wait for a couple of years.

• Read More: Patent reveals Samsung’s foldable phone with a clamshell design

To improve its screen manufacturing business, Sharp started developing OLED display for a mobile device in October 2018. Earlier the company was limited to LCD panel manufacturing.

Sharp is not alone in the race – ZTE, Samsung, and Lenovo are also developing foldable clamshell devices.

(via)

The post Sharp clamshell foldable prototype device appears in a video appeared first on Gizmochina.

Gionee set a record on Sunday by launching 8 new smartphones (6 technically speaking) with FullView displays. While some manufacturers would have called it a year already, the Chinese manufacturer doesn’t appear to be done. A new Gionee W9191 phone has been seen on TENAA. However, this isn’t a FullView phone but one with a clamshell design.

Yesterday, Samsung launched the China-exclusive W2018 flip-phone. Just a day since its release and it already has a competitor in form of the Gionee W919. The Samsung W2018 is not only the most powerful clamshell phone but also the most expensive. Gionee’s W919 also packs impressive specs and may as well have a high price tag.

The Gionee W919 is the successor to the W909 released in March 2016, and just like its predecessor it comes with dual displays. The screens are 4.2” HD displays – one is on the outside and the other is inside when you flip it open.

There is a 2.5GHz octa-core processor under the hood paired with 6GB of RAM and a massive 128GB of storage. The W919 also has a MicroSD card slot for adding up to an extra 256GB of memory.

The phone doesn’t get the dual camera treatment. Rather it has a single 16MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The Gionee W919 also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 3000mAh battery capacity, and runs Android 7.0 Nougat.

In terms of design, the W919 will be a luxury smartphone like the M7 Plus. It has gold plated rivets on the front, sides and the back. The rear is also covered with calfskin leather. The Gionee W919 is also pretty thick as it measures 128.0 × 62.7 × 16.2 (mm) and weighs 230g. This is most likely as a result of the bigger battery.

READ MORE: Gionee S11& S11S Official: Packs Full View Displays, 3D Glass Design, & Four Cameras

There is no news as to when the Gionee W919 will hit market shelves but it will most likely be pretty soon so as not to give Samsung too much of a head start.

(Source)

The post Gionee W919 Clamshell Phone Appears on TENAA, Packs High-End Specs appeared first on Gizmochina.