Honor shows 9mm thick concept foldable with screen on the outside

At the IFA, Honor is showing a concept of a foldable smartphone with a screen on the outside. This Honor V Purse is only 9mm thick when closed. The device can be carried as a handbag; the screen can display different patterns to customize the appearance.

The Honor V Purse has a screen that curves around the housing and forms a large part of the back when closed. On the other side there is a slightly thicker section at the back with the cameras and flash. By pressing the button in the middle, the screen comes loose and can be unfolded. A case that slides around the thicker part contains eyelets to which a series of handles can be attached, allowing the device to be worn on the shoulder and make it resemble a handbag. The foldable OLED screen can then display a series of patterns, which can also respond to the movement of the device, touch of the screen or the time of day. For a business presentation you can therefore come with a more serious-looking ‘bag’ than when going out.

The fact that the V Purse’s screen is on the outside is special. Huawei previously did this with the Mate Xs, but it was not a great success. Due to the vulnerability of the folding screen, almost all manufacturers of foldables nowadays opt for a screen on the inside. The design of the V Purse has more aspects that can adversely affect its usability in practice. For example, Honor does not seem to be able to build in an advanced camera, judging by the number of lenses on the back and their size, the battery life of a device whose screen is on all the time is questionable and you cannot take anything with you in this ‘bag’.

Fortunately, practical considerations are not that important for this model. Honor calls the V Purse a Future Concept Phone; so it is not a device that will actually be in stores. Honor also did not share any specifications during the presentation other than the thickness of the device. At 9mm when closed, it would be the thinnest foldable shown so far.

In addition to the Honor V Purse, Honor’s presentation at IFA also focused on the Magic V2. This device was announced for the Chinese market in July, and has a more traditional design with a folding screen on the inside. At 9.9mm when folded, it is slightly thicker than the Magic V Purse, and one of the thinnest folding phones actually available in stores. Although the manufacturer did not specifically mention a European introduction date at IFA, as expected, an employee at the stand says that it will probably be released in European countries at the end of this year or early next year. It is uncertain whether the Benelux will also be included, apart from gray imports. Honor is not yet active here. It is also still unknown what the device will cost.