TCL may be working on a phone with an extendable display

TCL is an OEM that brought its foldable phone prototype to MWC last year. Now, it seems it may have an even more ground-breaking follow-up for the tech shows of the future. Should a new patent document dug up by LetsGoDigital prove valid, it will have a flexible, rollable screen that may allow the device in question to take on various display sizes.

The phablet as depicted in this claim clearly has sliding components that interact to allow the display to extend sideways or retract again in the opposite direction. This implies many potential advantages and use-cases for the screen in question, even if it may result in some strange aspect-ratios. It also indicates the presence of a quad rear camera, although, oddly, there is no sign of front-facing sensors.

This patent had been discovered in the World Intellectual Property Office's (WIPO) archives, and was filed on December 5, 2019 by Huizhou TCL Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. Therefore, it may be a little much to expect that a preliminary model based thereon might make it to CES 2020. The OEM has stated that it will debut its mini-LED TVs at this show, but has made no mention of handhelds of any kind thus far.