Rollable Phones Look Amazing. But Don’t Get Too Excited Yet
It’s that time of year again where the annual gatherings of the biggest tech companies in the world convene to show off their latest and greatest creations. This year’s big event was Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, and as usual, there were plenty of new gadgets and gizmos on display. One of the most interesting (and potentially game-changing) products to come out of this year’s show was the Motorola Rizr, a prototype rollable phone that wowed the crowd with its innovative design.
I had a chance to get my hands on the Rizr and I have to say, I was impressed. The phone itself is quite slim and relatively light, considering it has a rollable display. The mechanism for extending and retracting the display is smooth and easy to use, and it doesn’t feel like it would be easy to break.
One of the main selling points of the Rizr is that it’s supposed to be more durable than your average phone. The rollable display means that there are no exposed hinges or vulnerable glass surfaces, so it should be able to withstand a few bumps and bruises.
However, I’m not convinced that the Rizr is ready for prime time just yet. The biggest issue I can see is the lack of apps that are optimized for a rollable display. Right now, the Rizr can only run a limited number of Android apps in its extended mode, and I suspect that many apps will simply not work at all in the retracted mode.
It’s also worth noting that the Rizr is not a foldable phone like the Samsung Galaxy Fold or the Huawei Mate X. That means it’s not going to be as pocketable as those other devices.
Still, the Rizr is an intriguing concept and it’s clear that Motorola has put a lot of thought into the design. I’m curious to see how this phone (or a similar device) develops over the next few years. For now, it’s just a prototype, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a rollable phone on store shelves within the next few years.
