ZTE’s gone ahead and launched a fully-functioning foldable phone called the Axon M into the world, in advance of rivals like Samsung and LG which have been working on similar technology. The Chinese firm’s chosen to go with a hinge-based design that can perform various functions.
The Axon M features two 5.2-inch 1080p screens layered over with Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Both can be combined into an Extended Mode that offers up a tablet-like 6.75-inch display for watching movies or playing games. One major shortcoming of this is the visible hinge in between that interrupts the view.
There are also a couple of other options in the Axon M like Dual Mode, Mirror Mode, and Traditional Mode. The first lets people run 2 apps simultaneously on each display, so they can browse through websites on one screen while running a video in the other.
Also See: ZTE launches Nubia Z11 Mini S with whopping 23MP camerazzz
Mirror Mode duplicates the same content on both panels. This way, 2 people can watch a video on each screen after folding the ZTE device into a tent. Finally, individuals can switch to Traditional Mode when they want their handset to behave like a normal smartphone with one display.
ZTE’s planning on working with developers to optimize apps for the device. Interestingly enough, the dual-screen structure means that there’s a single 20MP camera for both rear and front-facing photography. There’s no word on durability, an important aspect since hinges can break and panels can shatter.
Specifications of the ZTE Axon M:
– OS: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
– Display: 5.2-inch, 1080 x 1920 pixels
– Storage: 64GB, expandable up to 256GB
– RAM: 4GB
– Processor: Snapdragon 821
– Camera: 20MP rear + front
– Battery: 3180mAh
– Weight: 230g
The Axon M is exclusive to AT&T customers in the US and is set to hit availability in November. It’s been priced at $24.17 for 30 months on AT&T Next. The smartphone will eventually make its way to Japan, China and Europe.