Everyone and their brother seems to want to come out with a foldable device right now and TCL is no different. At last week’s CES, they unveiled something that they’re calling “Project Chicago”, their foldable concept device. The clamshell flip designed smartphone is calling itself TCL Flex V and the company’s goal is to be able to release an affordable device somewhere around the $600-$700 price range. It seems pretty similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 although that is more premium at $1,000.
GSM Arena shares their first impression of the TCL Flex V which for a concept device, seems pretty complete already in terms of hardware and software as well. In fact the name TCL Flex V was found in the About Screen even though they are still calling it technically Project Chicago. The specs are also displayed on the device as it shows it’s running on the Snapdragon 75G chipset and comes with 6GB of RAM and 3,545 mAh battery.
Camera-wise, it has a 48MP plus 16MP main camera and a 44MP selfie cam in the display punch-hole design. The phone is running on Android 11 with TCL UI on top. But of course, since this is a clamshell device, the most interesting thing is its display with its 1080×2400 pixel resolution. It’s taller and skinnier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G which some may prefer. The OLED display panel seems to come from Samsung so it’s similar to the Flip but has less of an air gap but the crease is spread it on a larger surface area.
The metal-looking frame and hinge cover and the glass back panels give it a premium look while the colors and silhouette makes it more fashionable. The small secondary display seems to be around the size of a wearable band like the Mi Band. It can be used as a camera viewfinder and you can see notifications for calls and texts and you can access quick toggles. Since this is still a concept device, some of these things may still be different from the final product that they will announce.
As to when we’ll see an actual TCL Flex V or whatever they will call it, that remains to be seen. If they are able to price it between $600-$700 as planned and still have these specs, that may be a win for the brand and can give the Galaxy Z Flip3 a run for its money.
