The Xiaomi’s triptych foldable phone still seems to me like the best design for the foldable phone phone-tablet form factor, but this fan render takes the original to the next level.
This animation shows a slightly different device from the prototype shown on video by Xiaomi’s President Lin Bin. While the latter closes completely on the back, this 3D model leaves an opening for a three-sensor camera module.
This makes sense, as Bin’s prototype required you to unfold it to take a photo — which would be rather impractical in situations where you want to quickly snap a shot. And it’s just more comfortable than taking a photo with the larger tablet.
MORE: Forget Samsung and Huawei: This Is the Best Foldable Phone Design Yet
The fan concept also uses a punch hole display so you can take selfies with the phone folded or unfolded.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold can take normal photos using a three-sensor camera and selfies without unfolding it. The Huawei Mate X can do the same. To take a selfie with the Mate X you just need to turn it around and use the half of the display that is on the phone’s back.
The real Xiaomi prototype doesn’t have any of these abilities — which are rather important for consumers — so perhaps this 3D render will be something closer to its final form than the one Bin demonstrated.
