TCL Flex V, World's Affordable Foldable Smartphone At CES 2022

For the past couple of years, TCL has been showcasing prototypes of possible foldable smartphones at various press conferences and events. One of these prototypes featured a 10-inch display and bent into thirds while another one is a futuristic model that featured a screen that can be wrapped around the wrist. While we have seen a few such models, the company has showcased the TCL Flex V, which is affordable than its Samsung counterpart.

TCL Flex V Foldable Phone

The TCL Flex V is a clamshell flip such as a Samsung smartphone with a hinge featuring a smaller gap when the phone is closed. Notably, it spreads the crease and makes it shallower and less noticeable. Talking about the display, the aspect ratio is not as tall as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. In terms of the external display, it appears to be smaller and can be used to display notifications and as a viewfinder for selfies.

This prototype from TCL is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 765G SoC and gets the power from a 3545mAh battery. Also, there is a 44MP camera at the front and a combination of two cameras - 48MP and 16MP at the back.

Notably, TCL had decided to launch a fully-featured foldable smartphone by the end of 2021. However, it canceled the plans due to several commercial factors including lack of carrier support, expensive components and more. Moreover, foldable devices comprise only a tiny part of the smartphone market worldwide.

TCL Flex V Vs Competition

In terms of competition in the foldable smartphone market segment, Apple is all set to launch its foldable smartphones in the second half of 2023. Even Motorola came up with the Moto Razr foldable smartphone. Also, Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Z Flip3 at $1000 while the Galaxy Z Fold3 is priced at $1800. On the other hand, TCL is aiming to tap into the affordable foldable smartphone segment with its offering that could be priced between $600 and $700.

In terms of comparison, the high-end Galaxy Z Flip 3 is lighter and slimmer while the TCL foldable smartphone is wider and heavier. Also, the screen at the front is smaller at 1.1 inches diagonally while it was 1.9 inches on the Z Flip 3. It is not as sturdier as the Samsung counterpart as well.