Finnish smartphone maker Turing Robotics Industries is looking beyond its past failures and the current push toward dual-screen folding smartphones to a completely new multi-screen concept not slated for release until 2020. That two-year time frame is probably unavoidable because the device called the HubblePhone is not an ordinary design. Instead, it packs in three displays which can be manipulated into a plethora of configurations depending on use. That’s projected as being backed up by an enthusiast’s wishlist of components for gaming, 5G support, and advanced features that don’t exist today such as machine learning-driven lip reading for ‘voice’ controls. The ‘liquid metal’ hinge, meanwhile, is also where the company has embedded its primary camera, with the handset featuring three 12-megapixel shooters in total. The main camera is listed at 60 megapixels, has a 15x optical zoom and, coupled with software and the other sensors, allows for 3D object scanning for AR-like projecting of real-world items. Pricing will match its advanced features and internals, according to Turing, at $2,749.
The three screens are split across two body components; the first is the back of the device when folded outward, while the other two operate on the reverse side depending on how its held. The screens fold out and can twist away from the titanium aluminide frame on a hinged arm. That puts multitasking at the forefront and that’s also why things get even more interesting on the inside. The HubblePhone is currently expected to ship with a total of two of Qualcomm’s as-yet-unannounced Snapdragon 855 SoCs – one for each set of displays. Those are listed as being clocked at 2.96 GHz. Each is also listed as being accompanied by its own 256GB of storage and 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, while the storage on each half is expandable by up to 512GB via two of the four Hybrid SIM card spots. GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, and NFC are all included alongside 5G networking. Two Li-Ion batteries, rated at 2,800mAh and 3,300mAh, power the package and are charged via USB Type-C.
Moving back to the outside, there are the usual volume and power buttons but those are backed up by a fingerprint reader in the side frame of the handset. A programmable ‘scroll-wheel’ and button is part of the build as well. Everything’s rated at IP68 for dust and water resistance and the whole thing would be running a skinned Android 9.0 P. Bearing all of that in mind, there’s no guarantee that this ambitious device will ever be released at all. Turing has failed to deliver on ultra-premium flagships in the past and the span of time involved here means that this announcement should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.