Oppo to unveil ‘retractable’ smartphone

‘In the future, your mobile phone may be able to retract freely,’ press materials state

Oppo’s new phone is expected to feature a retractable and flexible display (Getty Images)

Chinese smartphone giant Oppo has hinted that it will unveil a device with a retractable and flexible screen this week.

The handset will be revealed at the company’s second Inno Day 2020 event on Tuesday, with promotional materials promising “a new era of screen”.

Oppo shared an image on Twitter and Chinese social network Weibo showing a display stretching out into darkness.

“Big screen? Small screen? Infinite Screen? In the future, your mobile phone may be able to retract freely,” the post stated.

Oppo is the world’s fifth biggest smartphone maker, behind Huawei, Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi. 

The majority of their sales come from the mid-to-low end range of the market, shipping more than 100 million handsets in 2019.

In recent years, the firm has focussed on broadening sales beyond its domestic market but still only accounts for a small fraction of device sales outside of China.

It is not yet clear whether its latest smartphone will be available in Europe and the US. It may even just be a proof-of-concept and not be released commercially at all in its current iteration.

Other phone makers rumoured to be working on roll-out retractable screens include South Korean firm LG, which has already developed a rollable TV.

LG’s phone – potentially called ‘Wing’ or ‘Slide’ – could launch as early as March 2021.

If the technology proves to be successful, retractable displays could follow foldable screens as the next major innovation for the form factor of smartphones.