With the Apple iPhone Duo just around the corner, are we in for a quiet revolution in smartphone form factor as folding devices finally hit the mainstream? Past experience suggests that niche devices struggle to hit the big time in the face of the monumental popularity of standard iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, Google Pixels and straightforward devices from countless other major makers.
Ahead of the Duo’s debut (23 October, although you can pre-order now), we’ve rounded up a trio of new phones that do things slightly differently from the mainstream, unburdened by the crushing demands of multi-million pre-orders of crucial components that absolutely have to translate into concrete sales. If expectations are a little lower and brand values less locked in, then difference has a chance to flourish.
It doesn't always succeed of course – for every Nothing there are five others who have fallen short. Read on to discover a calming screen, a big-ticket brand deal and an alternative take on the folding format.
Tecno Pova 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition
For better of for worse, Lamborghini has one of the more distinctive corporate and design identities of the modern era. How does that translate into smartphone design? A collaboration between Tecno and Lamborghini’s accessories and partnerships sub-division, Tonino Lamborghini, the phone joins a line-up that includes powerboats, laptops and real estate.
The Pova 8 Pro has been given a thoroughly Tonino-themed overhaul, from the black and red casing with flashes of the Lamborghini hexagon pattern and the ‘bull’ emblem, to the custom Android 16-based HiOS, with unique icons and wallpapers. The phone itself feels relatively lightweight in the hand (189g), despite the large 6.78-inch AMOLED display.
It offers up to 512GB of storage and 24GB of memory, while the front selfie camera is 13MP, with 50MP and 8MP Ultra-wide cameras on the rear, along with Tecno’s ‘Alive Matrix Display’, a notification system that owes more than a little to recent Nothing designs. Based in Hong Kong and originally focused on emerging markets, Tecno is now a global brand with aspirations to become more upmarket.
Like any mass-market co-branded phone, the Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition probably won’t attract much attention from actual Lamborghini drivers, especially as it could prove hard to get in the UK and US. As a curio for car fans, it currently stands alone.
Tecno Pova 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition, more information at Tecno-Mobile.com
TCL P80 Ultra Nxtpaper
TCL’s newest smartphone also does something different, albeit this time, it’s the screen, not the branding. While ostensibly a very straightforward, traditional black slab of a phone, the TCL P80 Ultra incorporates the company’s Nxtpaper display system, a hybrid screen that combines AMOLED technology with a matt, e-ink style display. The tech has evolved from earlier models like the TCL 50 Pro to become something of a jack of all trades for heavy readers and content consumers.
The display transforms via a sliding button on the side panel, turning the 6.83-inch 1.5K display from full colour into a monochrome reading experience – a wobbly screen animation signifies the three-second transition. Select between ‘Paper Mode’, which dulls colours and brightness for greater readability and less eye strain, and ‘Max Ink Mode’, which doubles up as an excellent battery-saving option, effectively giving you days of use.
It’s impressive stuff, especially when paired with close integration with Google Play Books and offline e-reader files and pdfs. Max Ink Mode also turns off the kinds of app that suck up your attention, transforming the TCL P80 Ultra into a pocketable novel or simply a phone. Flick the switch back and full brightness returns.
Also on board are a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto camera, faster charging that earlier models and access to Google’s on-device Gemini AI services. TCL’s phone tops out at 512GB storage and 24GB RAM and also has IP68 water and dust resistance.
TCL P80 Ultra, more information at TCL.com
Xiaomi 18 Fold
Finally, another entry into the foldable sector. Xiaomi’s 18 Fold is currently only available in China, but it’s a worthy riposte to the iPhone Duo and Samsung Z Fold8 Ultra. As that implies, the 18 Fold follows Apple and Samsung with its compact, passport-style proportions, rather than the book-like fold created by sandwiched two conventional screens together. That’s still enough for a 5.38-inch cover display and an inner display measuring 7.58-inch (closely comparable to the Samsung’s 5.5-inch and 7.6-inch screens and Apple’s 5.36-inch and 7.58-inch screens).
So what does and doesn’t Xiaomi bring to the party? The design accomplished, with prominently rounded corners and a camera bar on the front. The inside camera is still punched out of the screen, unlike the ‘Under-display’ FaceTime camera on the iPhone, but the triple outside camera unit is made by Leica, which the other two can’t match.
Lack of European or US availability currently hampers the 18 Fold’s ability to counter Apple, but such is the pace of change that we can’t see that situation staying the same for long.
Xiaomi 18 Fold, from 14,999 yuan, more information at Mi.com