This ‘G' Tri-Fold Phone Bends in Ways That Make Me Uncomfortable

Gizmodo

6 days ago

Darwinian evolution is speedrunning foldable phone development. 'Z'-style folds from companies like the Huawei Mate XT collapse in a zig-zag pattern, exposing one side of the screen to the elements. The new alternate universe tri-fold could be Tecno's Phantom Ultimate G Fold concept phone that literally wraps around itself like a big 'G.' This actually may be the better way to do tri-folds, but Samsung would need to think long and hard about device integrity if it's using this same design for its own rumored tri-fold that's coming by the end of the year.
This is foldable, reimagined.TECNO PHANTOM Ultimate G Fold debuts as the world's thinnest tri-fold — 11.49mm folded, 3.49mm unfolded. Bold design. Limitless possibilities. pic.twitter.com/dBAdtDkGC4
— tecnomobile (@tecnomobile) July 17, 2025This is China-based Tecno's second attempt at a tri-fold phone. The company previously showed videos of its Z-style tri-fold last year, around the same time that Huawei was making waves with its first commercial phone with triple folding action. The redesigned concept for 2025 folds inwards twice. Unlike a Z-fold tri-fold, this means there's no part of the screen exposed when it's shut. There's a huge benefit to this for the sake of survivability. Foldable screens can bend because they're much thinner than your typical display on a candy bar-shaped smartphone. Having one side of the folded screen exposed at all times means it's more likely to brush up against any dirt or debris. The Mate XT doesn't have an IP rating for water or dust protection, which says a lot for how long the $2,800 device may last even if you keep it safe in your pocket.
As we mentioned, this is merely a concept and isn't something you can buy, even if Tecno sold its devices in the U.S. When unfurled, the Phantom Ultimate G Fold has a 9.94-inch display, which is slightly smaller than the Mate XT, though Tecno's device has the added benefit of a separate exterior screen. There are more innovations happening under the hood to allow this inward-facing collapsing mechanism. The rightmost hinge is actually smaller than the one on the left. We don't have any images showing off the inner hinge system, which leaves us with questions about whether the smaller hinge is more or less brittle than the larger one. It could also leave one side of the device heavier than the other.
Tecno's device seems innovative in size as well. The Phantom Ultimate G Fold clocks in at 3.49mm thick when unfolded. Even when it's not too thick when folded up at 11.49mm, which is thinner than Huawei's device, it's thicker than Samsung's recent Galaxy Z Fold 7 bi-fold or most other phones you can buy now. I'm honestly not sure how a device of this size could get any thinner without compromising the device's structure or limiting access to a USB-C port. Inevitably, tri-folds will be made for those with thick pockets or XL pocketbooks. This leaves me with extra concerns for the device's durability. More creases and more screen real estate mean there's more surface area to get damaged. What if there's dirt left on the back of the phone that then gets pressed up into the display?
Other than screen size, Tecno isn't revealing much in the way of tech specs, save for the promise of an 'over 5,000 mAh battery' and a 'high-performance chipset.' Tecno isn't selling this device just yet, but what's there is enough to make me wonder what's next for foldables. If Samsung's $2,000 Z Fold 7 has finally cracked the thinness debate, where do we go from here? We expect Google will showcase a next-gen folding phone at its Made By Google event on Aug. 20. Rumors persist that Apple is working on its own foldable iPhone. The folding iPhone's thickness could be the deciding factor in whether it succeeds. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested it could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, which would make it close to 9mm when shut. More recent rumors suggest it could be larger, but without official word from more reliable sources, we can only continue to guess until its rumored release date in 2026.