Smartphones with two screens: why?

Cell phones with two screens appeared back in the nineties, and the first devices of this format were the well-known “clamshells”. With the advent of smartphones, manufacturers concentrated on creating touchscreen all-in-one devices and forgot about auxiliary screens for a while. In 2017, everything changed: five large companies at once - LG, HTC, Samsung, Meizu and ZTE - presented a new product, marking the beginning of a new trend. ZOOM takes a look at what dual-screen smartphones are on the market today and why they need a secondary display.

It would seem that there are not so many models with two screens, but upon closer examination there are more than a dozen of them. We studied all the trends and identified five main groups: smartphones with an additional touch color display, with a monochrome display, with an E-ink-based secondary screen, folding devices with two identical screens and modern clamshells.

Folding beds

The first flip phone was introduced in 1989 Motorola model MicroTAC, although it received a more familiar form factor only with the release of the upgraded version of Motorola StarTAC in 1996. And although all-in-one PCs completely dominate the market, flip phones are still selling and are even evolving. At first, manufacturers began adding small screens to the back of phones, and when devices began to get smarter, equivalent touch screens appeared on both sides of the devices.

Samsung W2017

A good example of such a design is Samsung model W2017. It received two 4.2-inch Full HD displays, a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB random access memory, support wireless charging And Samsung Pay and so on. In a word, a truly top-end folding phone. True, it was made for Chinese market and is very expensive - about 20,000 yuan (180,000 rubles).

Folding smartphones

Smartphones with two equivalent screens, once popular in Japan, appeared quite a long time ago. At first, manufacturers began to use QWERTY keyboards, then the keyboard began to slide out from the side, and then was even supplemented with a second display, as, for example, in the 2011 LG Dual Screen QWERTY Phone model. Subsequently, the need for a physical keyboard disappeared and was replaced by a second screen of identical dimensions to the main one and a folding design, when the smartphone resembles a horizontal clamshell. The NEC Medias W smartphone became a hit at MWC 2013, but this concept never gained widespread popularity around the world. Subsequently, such modifications were practically not produced outside Japan, and at the end of 2017, ZTE again decided to return to this idea by introducing the Axon M.

ZTE Axon M

The device has modern hardware, two Full HD displays with a diagonal of 5.2" each and a wide range of usage scenarios. When folded, to save battery, the auxiliary screen turns off and the device becomes similar to a regular smartphone. For games, there is a special mode in which control buttons are displayed on one display, and the main action is displayed on the second. And finally, desktop mode allows you to display the same picture on both screens, which is convenient for watching videos with a large group. In general, ZTE's interest in such a solution is quite remarkable, especially considering the fact that Samsung has long been threatening to show its vision of the concept, in which one large display will be divided into two, folding like the Axon M. At first, this development was mentioned under the name Project Valley. then Galaxy X, and now it has completely disappeared from view.

Second E-ink display

The first idea to combine a smartphone and a reader was implemented in 2013 by the Russian company Yota Devices, which presented its . The device differed from its competitors by the presence of a second display on the rear panel, similar in size to the main one, but made using electronic ink technology. This allowed not only to use it as e-book, reading text with greater comfort, but also continue to work, even when the charge level dropped to a minimum.

YotaPhone 2

Electronic ink has significantly lower energy consumption, so you can use such a device longer than a regular smartphone. Following the first version of YotaPhone in 2014, and then the company was sold to the Chinese, who independently presented it in 2017, not yet available on Russian market. At one time, the Umi company was going to release a similar model called Zero 2, but then it was rebranded as Umidigi and the plans, apparently, were abandoned.

Second monochrome display

Auxiliary touch displays have practically replaced monochrome ones, but at a certain period of time manufacturers managed to experiment with them. At first these technical screens appeared in flip phones, allowing you to see information about the time, calls and messages without opening the phone, and then they were introduced into smartphones. One of the most interesting products that implemented a similar idea was the Chinese Doogee T3, introduced in 2016.

Doogee T3

The device combines a non-standard design with genuine leather inserts, good performance for a price of less than 10,000 rubles and an additional screen located on the upper end of the case. It is capable of displaying information about missed calls, notifications about unread messages, time, etc. Looking at such a screen, however, is not very convenient, and there is no brightness adjustment, so Doogee has something to work on.

Highscreen Ice 2

The domestic manufacturer Highscreen also distinguished itself here. On the back of it smartphone Ice 2 also has a small secondary OLED display that can display time, weather, notifications and other similar data, automatically turning on after a set interval.

Second touch display

Perhaps the most promising concept in modern realities is adding an auxiliary screen to the main screen, but not monochrome, but color and touch. LG was the first to implement the idea of ​​placing a narrow secondary display above the main one in 2015, introducing the flagship V10 (). Over the next two years, the South Koreans managed to release three more models: V20 (that too), Q8 and the “state-priced” LG X view.

Impressed by the concept, at the beginning of 2017 HTC showed its U Ultra, using an identical solution, followed by Meizu in July. Naturally, the Chinese did everything their own way, installing an additional screen in the Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus not on the front, but on the back.

Meizu Pro 7

The implementation turned out to be more interesting than that of LG, which has been exploiting the same idea for the second year, and HTC, which simply copied the concept from the Koreans. Moreover, the location of two displays one below the other, even taking into account the fact that the camera is located on the side of the auxiliary one, inevitably leads to an increase in size. The Pro 7 doesn’t have this problem; in addition, the main screen is frameless, so everything looks neat and modern. The only thing is that the issue of ease of use of the additional display located at the back is somewhat controversial: to look at it, the smartphone will have to be turned over with the front screen down.

HTC U Ultra

Regardless of the location of the second display, its purpose is similar for all models: it is an additional screen for displaying all kinds of notifications, time, weather, charge level and other information that can be displayed when the main display is turned off. Other application scenarios include controlling an audio player, displaying the most frequently used contacts or camera operating modes. Meizu in its Pro 7 also offers to use an additional display to view the image when taking a selfie on the rear module.

If you are tired of the same type of smartphones, then you will definitely like the new Samsung Leader 8 flip phone. Yes, they are still being made, but, as a rule, only for the South Korean and Japanese markets.

For many of us, folding phones are a thing of the distant “push-button” past. But in South Korea and Japan, such devices are still in demand. Samsung Leader 8 is most likely made specifically for Asian markets, but it specifications And appearance would allow it to become a popular device in other countries. The smartphone uses two 4.2-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution. One display is located inside, the second outside, so you can fully use the device without opening the lid. Leader 8 is equipped with last year's flagship chip from Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 and the Adreno 530 video accelerator, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. In addition, the smartphone has a slot for a micro-SD card up to 256 GB.

Design and cameras

The body of the new product is made of aluminum alloy. Leader 8 looks at least interesting and resembles other devices from the company. The smartphone will be pre-installed with all major branded Samsung apps, such as Samsung Pay, Secure Folder and S Voice. However, smart voice assistant Bixby is not here. This may be due to the fact that the device is running on Android based 6.0. The built-in battery capacity is 2300 mAh, the main camera is 12 MP with f/1.7 aperture, the front camera is 5 MP, aperture f/1.9. From a technical point of view, this is a very powerful device and the price tag is unlikely to be below $500. So far, Samsung has not shared data about the countries where the smartphone will be sold, and also has not said anything about the cost of the smartphone. There is a suspicion that a powerful and attractive clamshell would appeal to many users who are tired of the same type of metal and glass bars of modern smartphones.

Samsung Electronics introduces the Galaxy Fold smartphone, a foldable device that opens up a fundamentally new category of mobile devices. The Galaxy Fold features the world's first 7.3-inch foldable, edge-to-edge Infinity Flex Display, allowing the smartphone to fold into a compact device. Galaxy Fold offers users a completely new user experience and greater multitasking capabilities.

“Today, Samsung opens a new chapter in the history of mobile innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in modern smartphones. The Galaxy Fold model represents a fundamentally new category of devices and offers unique capabilities thanks to the flexible Infinity Flex Display screen, said Dong Jin Ko, President and Head of IT and Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics. “We created Galaxy Fold for users who want to experience what a premium foldable device can do without the confines of a traditional smartphone.”

Smartphone and tablet in one device

Galaxy Fold represents an independent category of devices. When unfolded, the device is a smartphone with the largest screen to date. The Galaxy Fold embodies the innovations in materials, design and display technology that Samsung has developed over the eight years since Samsung's first flexible screen prototype was released in 2011.

New display materials: The internal screen of a smartphone is not just flexible. It folds up. The folding screen is the result of years of development and innovation. Samsung created a new polymer layer and developed a screen that is almost twice as thin as screens regular smartphones. The new material makes the Galaxy Fold flexible, strong and durable.

Innovative hinge mechanism: The Galaxy Fold opens smoothly and naturally, like a book. Thanks to the innovative connection module, it folds easily into a flat, compact device. Module hidden inside stylish body smartphone, reliably protects the internal display part and the folding mechanism, ensuring uninterrupted operation even with the most intensive use.

New design elements: Samsung pays the utmost attention to every detail, every element you see or touch, from the screen to the body. The fingerprint scanner, located at the end of the case, right where your thumb would normally be when you hold the device in your hand, makes it easy to unlock your smartphone. The smartphone comes in Space Silver and Cosmos Black color options, and an engraved Samsung logo on the hinge complements the sleek design of the device.

A fundamentally new experience

When developing the Galaxy Fold, Samsung engineers sought to take into account all the needs of modern smartphone owners and meet the demand for devices with large and convenient form factors. The device allows you to change the screen size at the moment when the user needs it. To make calls and answer text messages just take the phone out of your pocket and use it touch screen on the front panel of the phone (cover display), and when you need to work with several applications simultaneously or need to enlarge the image (to view presentations, electronic magazines, films or augmented reality content), you can open the device and use the largest display.

The unique user interface, created specifically for the Galaxy Fold, opens up new possibilities that allow you to fully exploit the full potential of your smartphone:

Multiple windows support: The smartphone allows you to keep up to three active applications open at the same time, no matter whether it is necessary for work, for games or when publishing content. With the new experience, users can browse the latest Amazon Prime Video offerings, read reviews and reviews, and invite friends to join by sending a trailer link via Messenger, all on one screen.

Integrated dual screen support: The interface provides the ability to conveniently switch from an external screen to an internal one and vice versa. When you open and close the Galaxy Fold, apps automatically appear on the screen you're working on. For example, when you use your phone folded, you can stay connected on Instagram with one-handed scrolling through your news feed. And if you need to take a photo, edit a photo, or study a post more closely, you can open your smartphone and work with the large screen.

Samsung is actively working with the Google and Android developer communities to bring support for your favorite apps and services—like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube—in user interface Galaxy Fold.

Exceptional performance for foldable devices

Galaxy Fold has a powerful hardware platform. It is designed for active use and where increased performance is required.

Performance: Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Fold powerful processor(AP chipset) of a new generation and 12GB of RAM with PC-level performance. The smartphone has a specially designed complex power system with two batteries. The Galaxy Fold is also capable of recharging and charging other mobile devices at the same time thanks to wireless reverse charging technology.

Exceptional multimedia performance: Galaxy Fold is designed for entertainment. With immersive Dynamic AMOLED visuals and crisp, clear audio from stereo speakers tuned by AKG engineers, your favorite movies and games like Asphalt 9 come to life with richer sound and color.

The Most Versatile Camera System: No matter what state your smartphone is in - folded or unfolded - the camera is always ready to shoot, so you never miss a moment. Thanks to the presence of six cameras, three of which are located on the back, two on the inside and one more on the front side. This allows you to use multiple apps during video calls, for example.

Complete any task with Galaxy Fold

Galaxy Fold is more than just mobile device. You can connect your smartphone to Samsung DeX 1 for powerful productivity like today's PCs. Bixby personal assistant supports new smart features, including Bixby Routines, and Samsung technology Knox will ensure the security of the user's information and personal data. Starting from shopping with using Samsung Pay and up to Samsung features Health to monitor your physical condition and health, device owners have access to all the functions of the Galaxy ecosystem.

Technical Galaxy specifications Fold

Galaxy Fold
Screen	Main: 7.3” QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED (4.2:3) Front (front panel): 4.6” HD+ Super AMOLED (21:9)
Camera	Front camera on cover (phone folded)	10MP Selfie Camera, F2.2
	Main camera	16MP Ultra Wide Camera, F2.2 12MP Wide-angle Camera, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.5/F2.4 12MP Telephoto Camera, PDAF, OIS, F2.4, 2X optical zoom
	Front camera (phone unfolded)	10MP Selfie Camera, F2.2 8MP RGB Depth Camera, F1.9
CPU	7nm 64-bit Octa-core processor
Memory	12GB RAM (LPDDR4x) 2, 512GB (UFS3.0)
Battery	4,380mAh (typical) 3 Fast Charging compatible on wired and wireless Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC Wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA
OS	Android 9.0 (Pie)

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information contained herein, including product benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities, are subject to change without notice.

1 Samsung DeX Accessories sold separately.

2 Memory available to user is less than total specified memory due to files operating system And software, necessary for the implementation of functions. Actually accessible to the user Memory varies by operator and may change after software update.
3 The value 4 380mAh (typical) indicates the typical capacity of the battery, which has been obtained and tested by a third party laboratory. The typical value is an estimated average value that takes into account the variation in battery capacity among selected samples. The nominal capacity (minimum) is 4,275 mAh. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, smartphone usage, and other factors.