Sharp unveils radical concept phone that folds vertically like a Game Boy

Add Japanese tech giant Sharp to the list of gadgetmakers developing a folding phone.

Sharp has unveiled a new prototype phone that folds vertically, transforming its 6.18-inch AMOLED display into one that’s small enough to fit in your pocket.  

The design takes a page from the well-loved Game Boy Advance SP or the Motorola Razr, both of which fold over the y-axis, instead of the x-axis.

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Sharp has unveiled a new prototype phone that folds vertically, transforming its 6.18-inch AMOLED display into one that’s small enough to fit in your pocket

The radical phone was on display at a media event on Wednesday and, during a hands on, EngadgetJP was able to test out the device. 

The elongated screen features WQHD+ 1,440×3,040-pixel resolution, making the display surprisingly crisp and clear. 

Sharp noted that the phone also supports outward folding akin to other tablet-style folding displays on the market.  

What’s more, Sharp claims that the screen can withstand being folded more than 300,000 times before it starts to show damage. 

That means if you fold your phone 100 times a day, it’ll last roughly eight years before it begins to show some wear and tear. 

By comparison, Samsung says its own folding phone, the Galaxy Fold, can withstand up to 200,000 folds.  

However, that number has been disputed by Bloomberg, which reported that the Fold develops a crease on the main screen after it’s folded about 10,000 times.

The flaw has caused the tech giant to consider offering free screen replacements once it goes on sale. 

Samsung will start accepting pre-orders for the device starting tomorrow. 

There’s no telling when or if Sharp’s folding phone will go on sale. 

Sharp hasn’t given the device a price tag or a name just yet, suggesting it’s still in the early stages of development. 

Sharp’s prototype folding smartphone takes a page from the well-loved Game Boy Advance SP (pictured) or the Motorola Razr, both of which fold over the y-axis, instead of the x-axis

Sharp has reportedly been mulling over a folding phone for a while, having filed a patent in 2017 for an elongated flexible display. Similar to the prototype, the screen folds vertically

That said, Sharp has reportedly been mulling over a folding phone for a while, having filed a patent in 2017 for an elongated flexible display, according to Let’s Go Digital.

Similar to the prototype device shown off this week, it features a vertically folding display with a clamshell design. 

It also describes a ‘unique hinge that can bend at two points,’ allowing users to keep a portion of the display visible after it’s been partially folded, Let’s Go Digital noted.

HOW DOES SAMSUNG’S FOLDING PHONE WORK? 

At the Korean tech giant’s Unpacked event in San Francisco, it officially debuted the Galaxy Fold, a unique device that’s part smartphone, part tablet. 

The Galaxy Fold, which features an unprecedented six cameras and two batteries, starts at a whopping $1,980.  

In a mesmerizing demonstration, Samsung showed how the Galaxy Fold transforms from a compact smartphone that ‘fits in the palm of your hand’ into a full-sized tablet with an uninterrupted screen, thanks to a hinge that’s ‘hidden’ in the device.  

DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT and Mobile Communications, holds up the new Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphone during the Korean tech giant’s Unpacked event

When folded open, the device features a 7.3-inch AMOLED Infinity Flex Display with QXGA+ resolution. 

It then folds closed to become a single, smaller 4.6-inch AMOLED display.  

Amazingly, the full screen is almost entirely edge-to-edge and features no disruptive hinge down the middle, allowing it to ‘open naturally’ and giving it a ‘seamless, elegant look.’ 

Samsung said it worked with Google to help Android app developers optimize their apps for the revolutionary folding display design. 

The interior screen is big enough that users can run three apps at one time.