Imagine a tablet that folds to fit into your pocket, or a smartphone that folds seamlessly to turn into a flip phone whenever you want. Read a tablet like it's a folded paper book, or unfold it for a generous screen size that rivals most standard laptops.
Folding screen devices promise to be whatever you need, whenever you need it — whether it's a laptop or a compact mobile device. And with the first versions hitting the market over the next few years, we might be on the verge of yet another device revolution.
According to The Guardian, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold might just be the first wave of the future when it comes to portable computing. This tablet PC closes to the size of a large paperback book, but when unfolded, reveals a 13.3-inch screen — a common small laptop screen size. An optional Bluetooth-enabled mini keyboard converts the folded tablet into a small, but very functional laptop — great for airplane seat trays.
Sound good? Brace yourself for the price — according to Lenovo, the device starts at a cool $3,099.
If you're in the market for something slightly cheaper, Samsung just released its first foldable screen phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Not that much cheaper, though — the device starts at a cool two grand, according to The Verge.
For iPhone die-hards, Apple has its own folding iPhone in the works. According to CNET, the notoriously secretive company might reveal a folding device in 2023. Already, Apple has been registering patents for folding devices for more than a decade.