Foldable smartphones could become a thing of the past, again, as more smartphone companies delve deeper into rollable technology. Firms like OPPO have already teased such a flexible device, and unsurprisingly it appears that Xiaomi doesn’t want to be left off this particular bandwagon. LetsGoDigital has found a patent for a rollable phone from Xiaomi that incorporates the dual display design of the Mi Mix Alpha.
Thanks to Jermaine Smit, also known as Concept Creator, we can get a better look at the device, which has been given the moniker Xiaomi Mi Alpha R, in some renders and a video (see below). The smartphone looks just like the Mi Mix Alpha at first glance, but it then shows that it has a retractable or pull-out display due to the inventive utilization of rollable screen technology.
The Mi Alpha R is easily converted from smartphone size to tablet size thanks to the retractable screen, and the mechanism’s construction and design means that the display shouldn’t be obstructed with creases or lines, even when touched. Of course, this is just a patent and therefore the Xiaomi rollable phone might never be produced, but even if it was manufactured you could certainly expect a sky-high price tag for this one.