This Foldable iPhone Never Actually Folds, and That's Genius - Yanko Design

"Mechanical Pixel's iPhone Fold concept sidesteps these issues by keeping the phone itself rigid and adding a separate foldable screen to the back. The main iPhone body stays conventional, maintaining the familiar feel and dimensions people expect. A thin, flexible display sits raised on a platform above the rear panel, almost like it was stuck there as an afterthought. When needed, that screen unfolds outward to create a larger, squarish tablet surface."

"The raised platform is visible when viewing the device from the side, creating a layered appearance that signals something unusual is happening on the back. This isn't a flush integration where the foldable screen hides seamlessly. The screen clearly sits above the phone's rear panel, which gives the concept an experimental, modular quality. The camera module remains in its typical position, unaffected by the additional display layer."

"Unfolding the screen pulls it away from the phone's back and opens like a book. The result resembles a small tablet with nearly square proportions rather than the typical elongated phone-to-tablet transformation most foldables offer. The phone's primary display can continue functioning normally, while the flexible screen adds surface area when tasks require it. The main body never bends or flexes during this process."

The design keeps the phone body rigid and attaches a thin, flexible display raised on a platform above the rear panel. The raised screen unfolds outward like a book to form a nearly square tablet surface while the main display continues normal operation. The layered, non-flush integration creates an experimental, modular appearance without moving the camera module. The rigid-body approach reduces reliance on hinge durability and confines any crease issues to the secondary display. The arrangement produces added thickness and a visible seam above the rear panel, trading traditional folding compromises for a separate expandable surface.

Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News