Lenovo has a major asset in its back pocket with the ThinkPad brand it acquired from IBM as part of a larger purchase of its personal computing business. The popular line turns 25 later this year, a fact that Lenovo certainly isn't overlooking.
In honor of the ThinkPad's rich history, Lenovo is developing a limited edition ThinkPad that it intends to announce in October and bring to market by the end of the year.
The device, teased during Lenovo's recent Transform NYC 2017 event by Senior Vice President of Commercial Business, Christian Teismann, will include both "throwback" features from earlier models as well as the best and most powerful features of modern ThinkPads.
The executive then showed a photo of a "concept" device which, to be clear, was almost certainly done in a joking manner (I mention this only because I've seen other news outlets reporting on the concept as a legitimate product).
While it's plausible that the anniversary edition ThinkPad could use a flexible screen, it seems highly unlikely. The technology does exist to make it happen but thus far, hardware makers and innovators haven't found a practical use for bendable screens. The idea that Lenovo would do so - and on a limited edition laptop, for that matter - just doesn't make sense.
That said, the 25th anniversary ThinkPad will likely pack the latest Intel processors with respectable supporting hardware as well as other iconic features like a TrackPoint and a ThinkLight - all housed in a retro-themed chassis. Lenovo could really send buyers for a loop if it implemented the "butterfly" keyboard from the ThinkPad 701 but that's probably just wishful thinking.