Final week, a leak from YouTube channel Tech Buff PH confirmed off Xiaomi’s upcoming Mi 11 Extremely. Different specs apart, the cellphone’s most intriguing side was a second display screen on the again.
That acquired us considering: the idea of getting a second display screen on a cellphone shouldn’t be new. In reality, we’ve seen a bunch of manufacturers take a swing at dual-display gadgets over time, with various levels of success. Let’s take a better have a look at the shape components which have used a second display screen for some goal, and see in the event that they’ve been of any use.
Flip telephones
That’s proper. You won’t have considered these good previous trendy flip telephones whereas eager about a second display screen, however loads of them had one on the shell. We received’t title each single flip cellphone mannequin that had a second display screen, however let’s return in time to the glory days of the GOAT, the Moto Razr.. The previous traditional sported a tiny display screen to indicate you info like incoming calls, textual content messages obtained, and the time. Sensible.
When Moto resurrected this manner issue final 12 months, it included a 2.7-inch display screen on the surface that would additionally enable you to take selfies — and show info as effectively.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip, which includes a related kind issue to the Moto Razr, features a tiny show strip of the show to indicate fundamental information akin to calls as an alternative of going for a much bigger display screen when it’s closed.
For this manner issue, a second display screen is sensible as your cellphone is closed more often than not. So for those who might see notifications shortly, it helps you resolve if you wish to open the machine at the moment or take care of them later.
Tiny second screens
That is the class the place the Xiaomi Mi 11 Extremely suits in greatest. The Chinese language tech big is among the few to aim this aside from Meizu. In 2017, Meizu launched a pair of telephones — the Professional 7 and the Professional 7 Plus — with 2-inch AMOLED shows on the again.
The concept was the identical as flip telephones when it comes to displaying info. You could possibly additionally use that display screen to take selfies, however the entrance of the cellphone wasn’t all display screen, as you may see above. Meh.
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Giant second screens on the again of the cellphone
That is the weirdest software of a second display screen based on me. If I’ve a cellphone in a bar-shaped kind issue, I might simply carry it or flip it to see what’s on my display screen; what’s the necessity for the second?
There are some notable entries on this phase together with the Vivo Nex Dual Display Edition, the Nubia Z20, and the Nubia X. All of them featured a completely purposeful display screen on the again. However actually, I don’t see myself utilizing apps on the again of the display screen when there’s a greater show out within the entrance.
Whereas we’re exploring this class, I’ve to say Yotaphone — the cellphone sequence by Russian producer Yotathat launched e-paper shows on the rear panel for studying ebooks and checking notifications whereas consuming much less energy. The idea didn’t take off effectively, however it was a contrasting experiment to simply slapping one other display screen on the again.
Foldables
First, let me get the LG G8X out of the best way. It was a enjoyable however shabby try at making a ‘foldable’ by slapping a hinge between two shows.
Microsoft’s Surface Duo assumes an analogous kind issue. However it’s arguably higher thought out than LG’s experiment, significantly in the best way the software program handles apps working on each screens.
Then there are foldables akin to the Huawei Mate X and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. Each of those have a much bigger unfolded show and a “smaller” 6-inch plus show on the surface when folded. Given Samsung’s success within the discipline, we would see extra telephones on this avatar.
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Printed February 16, 2021 — 12:37 UTC