Are tri-foldable phones the next big thing? I tried one from an upstart brand

I’ve been rooting for tri-fold phones since I used the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate. I found that device to be more useful than a book-style foldable. Now, here comes the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2, which is a similar tri-fold foldable. 

However, unlike the Huawei phone, the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 isn’t available to buy. The phone was launched as a concept in August 2024 and Tecno is showcasing a working prototype at Mobile World Congress. While the phone is expected to be launched in the future, I got limited hands-on time with the tri-fold at the event — and was impressed. 

Also: I tested Huawei’s $3,600 tri-foldable, and it made me question why tablets still exist

The Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 is 11mm thick, slimmer than the Huawei Mate XT’s 12.8mm-thick design. When folded to single-screen mode, Tecno’s device is closer to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 form factor than the Oppo Find N5 or Huawei’s tri-fold design. 

The Tecno tri-fold concept can go from a folded 6.48-inch outer screen size to a 10-inch display. The device has an LTPO OLED screen with a 1,620 x 2,880 pixel resolution. The hinges felt quite strong and held the screen where I wanted it to be. Tecno expects the device to last for up to 300,000 folds. The company also says it developed a battery as thin as 0.25mm to fit inside the device. 

In my experience, the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 didn’t feel heavy and was easy to handle when unfolded once or fully unfolded. The crease in the screen wasn’t as bad as you might expect on a foldable phone. The experience was on par with the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate. However, Huawei’s hinges have a more premium feel to them. 

Also: Oppo’s new foldable phone is one of the thinnest I’ve seen – and I hope OnePlus and Samsung follow suit

The Tecno tri-fold I used had buggy software so I couldn’t do much with the phone. Tecno claims to offer a multitasking mode allowing three apps to run side by side. Another use case includes a Tent mode, where you can place the device in a Z shape with two equal parts of the display half-folded on opposite sides for seamless dual-screen face-to-face conversations with live translation.

Tecno hasn’t shared other specs yet, so we don’t know the processor and camera details. My hands-on unit had three cameras on the back and one at the front. However, unlike the Huawei phone, the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 comes pre-loaded with Google apps.

If Tecno manages to bring out a well-priced version of this novel form factor, I will be eager for this device to launch. The company is known for making pricey innovations more affordable and accessible. The book-style Phantom V Fold costs about the same as Samsung’s flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The device is also $700 cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and delivers the novelty factor at a more affordable price point. 

For now, the Phantom Ultimate 2 is a prototype with no launch date or price. However, the existence of a working prototype that seems polished and in the final stages means I’d expect the company to announce a global launch this year.