The world's first foldable phone has a sequel, and it might not be awful

The world’s first foldable smartphone — the Royole FlexPai — just received a successor. Chinese display-maker Royole has launched the FlexPai 2 with a 180-degree folding display, Snapdragon 865 chipset, and Android 10.

The phone doesn’t look much different from the first FlexPai but features Royole’s third-generation Cicada Wing display. The company claims that the new flexible display can withstand more than 1.8 million bends. It also promises improvements in brightness, contrast, and response time compared to the second-gen Cicada Wing display featured on the OG FlexPai.

Expanded, the Royole FlexPai 2’s display measures 7.8-inches and folded, the main screen measures 5.5-inches. The other side of the display in the folded state is referred to as the secondary display, and it measures 5.4-inches. When in tablet mode, the FlexPai 2’s display has a 1,920 x 1,440 resolution. Once you fold it into half, the primary screen has a 1,440 x 900 resolution, whereas the secondary screen has a 1,440 x 810 resolution. The phone folds outwards, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 buyers guide: Everything you need to know

The previous Royole FlexPai also had a third display in the spine, but it looks like the company gave that a pass this time around. Instead, users will be able to touch the Samsung-style edge panel when the phone is folded and quickly open preset apps.

In terms of size, the FlexPai 2 is heftier than its predecessor at 339g. That’s a lot of weight to carry. Then again, even the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is 282g, that’s just 50g shy of the FlexPai 2. Sadly, this is one of the downsides you’ll have to live with if you want a tablet in your pocket.

The camera system on the FlexPai 2 also gets an upgrade this time around. The phone houses a 64MP wide-angle camera, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, an 8MP telephoto sensor, and a 32MP camera for portraits. The main camera setup also doubles for selfies.

Elsewhere, the FlexPai 2 features a 4,450mAh battery with 18W charging via a USB-C port. It comes in 8GB/12GB RAM options paired with 256GB/512GB storage. Colorways include Sunrise Gold, Cosmic Gray, and Midnight Black.

In terms of price, the Royole FlexPai 2 is almost $500 cheaper than the $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. It comes in at 9,988 yuan (~$1,471) but remains a China-only launch. Last year, Royole sold a developer version of the first FlexPai worldwide, but we’re unsure if it plans to bring the FlexPai 2 to global markets.