Foldable display smartphones are quite rare and also very expensive. A 17-year-old student from China has now proven that one can build such a device by oneself.
Foldable display smartphones are rarely encountered, primarily due to the high price: For the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you currently have to pay at least €1,250. However, MeinMMO editor Jürgen Horn firmly believed that foldable smartphones will revolutionize MMO gaming.
A 17-year-old student from China developed a foldable smartphone at home from old phones. Overall, he spent 2,000 Yuan (about €255).
17-year-old builds a new foldable model from old phones
What did he do? The 17-year-old Chinese student Lan Bowen bought a 3D printer for around €250 and began developing his smartphone at home.
He collected old devices from his family members and disassembled them to obtain the components. He then created 3D models of the future phone’s casing and also for the hinge so that the phone can be folded. In a roughly six-minute video on the social network Baidu, he explained the individual steps.
A short excerpt from his video can be viewed directly on X.com with English subtitles. Here you can also see that the phone works perfectly in daily life.
He explained that the most difficult part was shutting down the display when the phone was folded. Because that initially did not work. He explains in his video:
I changed my design, conducted many tests, and damaged several screens before I could solve this problem.
However, there are a few peculiarities:
- On the one hand, the phone folds in the “wrong” direction: While known phones fold so that the display is on the inside, here the display folds outwards. This makes the display more susceptible to damage.
- On the other hand, the device is thicker than the devices sold on the market, as it is 1.6 cm thick when folded. In comparison: The Galaxy Fold 5 is 1.34 centimeters thick when folded.
Is the project now completed? By the way, he has not yet finished his project, as he confirms himself.
My phone is in a very primitive stage with many shortcomings. But the good news is that it is compatible with all the functions of a normal mobile phone.
With the Motorola Razr+ (or Motorola Razr 40 Ultra), a new foldable phone has hit the market. Most testers are enthusiastic about the new device. Many say it is the first affordable “Foldable.” You can read more about it directly on our site MeinMMO: Why is a foldable phone for €1,000 impressing so many testers around the world?
