Something to look forward to: Foldable devices may not be to everyone's taste, but they're slowly starting to capture the attention of tech enthusiasts, especially among the younger crowd. A newly-revealed prototype from Samsung leaves a lot to your imagination, but it also shows that the dream of a tri-fold smartphone is getting closer to becoming a reality.
Samsung is currently the undisputed king of foldable phones, and the young crowd is apparently so excited about the company's latest Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 that the company is having trouble handling the demand. So far, they've outsold both the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy Note 20, which is no small feat.
However, as exciting as the new Galaxy Z foldables may be, companies are experimenting with multiple form factors that have yet to materialize in a commercial device. Recently, Samsung showcased a prototype foldable phone that looks strikingly similar to one of the exotic tri-fold concepts portrayed in the popular science fiction TV series Westworld.
The foldable device was on display at the International Meeting for Information Displays (IMID) 2021 in South Korea. As you can see in the video above, it draws a lot from the current Galaxy Z Fold design. While the prototype isn't actually shown folding, it can extend into a 7.2-inch tablet with an 18:9 aspect ratio and is proof the mock-up device that Samsung revealed in May is actually working.
Samsung is referring to this as a "multifoldable" device, and the prototype in question is called the Samsung Flex In & Out. We've already seen that the Korean tech giant is determined to bring foldable phones into the mainstream, so it will be interesting to see if this concept will be brought to market in the coming years.