Folding screens are the latest trend in phones. Google, OnePlus, Motorola, and Samsung have already released phones with foldable displays, and Apple is soon to unveil its own foldable phone.
But what about laptops?
The folding screen in a laptop can offer different options for users who want the laptop form factor but a taller screen. At CES, Lenovo debuted a rollable laptop screen, and has followed that feat with a folding laptop screen.
The ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept that Lenovo unveiled on Sunday before the start of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is a visual wonder. Even in its proof-of-concept phase, which Laptop Mag went hands-on with last month, it's easy to see how this laptop with an unfolding screen could become the norm.
The 13-inch compact laptop comes with an 18.1-inch outward folding OLED display. The way you fold this extra display determines different modes that adapt to various situations, thanks to AI assistance.
To start, there is the traditional Clamshell mode, which functions like a standard laptop. Simply open the lid and start working.
Vertical mode is a bit different. In this setup, the extra display folds upward to create a tall, vertical view, making it ideal for long documents. However, prolonged use in this position could lead to neck strain.
Shared mode is a unique feature of the ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept. In this tent-like configuration, the screen allows for dual-display collaboration using Workspace Split Screen functionality. This enables a second user to work on the extra screen as if it were their own.
Lenovo didn’t provide many examples of how this mode will function or share more specific details, but it is the most visually distinctive setup for the laptop concept.
Tablet mode has been a common style for laptops for some time and is familiar for those who use their laptop more creatively.
Then there’s Read mode, the simplest of all the modes, designed primarily for reading books or documents.
Since the ThinkBook Flip AI PC is still a proof of concept, it’s unlikely to hit store shelves anytime soon. However, there seems to be a growing race to define the future of folding laptop displays.
A patent from HP was published last November. It shows a laptop screen that folds out on its side to create a viewable area wider than the laptop's width. Apple's rumored MacBook Fold would use a folded part of its display as a mouse and keyboard.
Lenovo has been working on folding or rolling display technology for years. It released its ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 Gen 1 last year, using its foldable screen as an all-in-one device that can fold out to feel like a desktop, work as a regular laptop, or even fold to act like a tablet.
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