Foldable or rollable? You don't need to choose with this concept phone.

TCL is well known for showcasing crazy concepts. Earlier this year, it outed the Fold ‘n Roll, which combined foldable and rollable screen technology into a single phone. Now, it seems we’ve finally got a glimpse of this tech in the flesh.

An evolution of this design was showcased at last month’s DTC 2021 in China and captured in a video published by Fold Universe. The concept phone in question includes the usual book-like folding system we’ve seen on several foldables thus far, but the screen wraps around the phone’s left-hand edge. This design negates the need for a secondary screen. Adding to this arrangement is a rollable system. The screen can extend to the left when unfolded, giving the user even more usable pixels.

It’s unclear what specs this TCL concept packs. According to Device Specifications, the company is working on a flexible, foldable display that packs HDR 1000 support with 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and an effective 5,120 x 1,440 resolution when fully extended. Refresh rates range between 48Hz to 240Hz, too.

See also: The best foldable phones

The concept showcases some impressive technology and would allow TCL to cram more real estate into a relatively normal-sized smartphone. However, the complexity and abundance of moving parts undoubtedly introduce more points of failure. It’s unclear how much this tech would cost to implement, too. Nevertheless, it does suggest that companies might not launch separate foldable and rollable phones but rather lean on the advantages of both in a single device.

Of course, this is a concept, and it still looks pretty rough around the edges. We shouldn’t expect TCL to launch a traditional foldable phone any time soon, let alone something as daring as this. Nevertheless, the concept does demonstrate one solution to the growing need for screen real estate.

But what do you think of the design? Let us know in the comments below.