Motorola Demos Smartphone That Can Wrap Around Your Wrist (Again)

At Lenovo Tech World '23 in Austin, Texas, yesterday, Motorola demoed a bendable, bracelet-like smartphone that can wrap around your wrist. Ars Technica reports: On stage at the event, Lexi Valasek, 312 Labs innovation strategy and product research Lead for Motorola Mobility, proudly held a prototype. The smartphone looked ordinary to start: a slab of OLED with a chassis that's a bold orange on the backside. But Valasek quickly bent the phone into an arch shape, where it stood on her hand before she wrapped it around her wrist like a cuff. The phone seemed to adapt to its new positioning rapidly, quickly showing a large clock, making the device feel like a smartwatch.

Interestingly, Valasek placed the phone around a silver band already wrapped around her wrist. Lenovo hasn't confirmed why, but The Verge suspects this could be critical to the phone being wearable by featuring a magnet for a secure hold. Videos Motorola shared with its press release today also show the user wearing some sort of metal-looking band on their wrist that the smartphone wraps around. And images of the device show a metal-looking strip that might be for connecting to the additional band in question.

According to Motorola's press release, the concept device has "FHD+" resolution across the display, which has a 6.9-inch diagonal size when flat. Also when flat, the device runs the "full Android experience, just like any smartphone," according to Motorola. The concept shown this week differs slightly from the concept demoed at Lenovo Tech World '16 in that it can be arched or bent into an upright position. [...] But beyond that, Motorola doesn't seem any closer to releasing the design.

Pointless

[Baron_Yam]

Why? Just why?

You can't make a wrist-mounted device comfortable and practical - they're too thick, too fragile, and/or difficult to use because they move around. They look good in sci-fi, that's about it.

So if I'm not actually wrapping it around my wrist, why do I want a bendable or folding screen? As long as my phone is going to be held in my hand and its real estate primarily display... flat and rigid is just fine, thanks.

Re:

[Locke2005]

No way that screen could possibly get damaged! (I bump my smart watch crystal on things pretty much every day.)

Re:

[ls671]

Cell phone makers should realize that growth of sales is over. It has become a commodity. In video; "bendable cell phone with the use of AI" LOL!

Re: Pointless

[easyTree]

"Hey, may I use your phone?"

"Uhh, sure - have an arm too"

Re:

[Can'tNot]

Given how large phones have gotten, one which could flex as pictured, not just fold in one spot but flex across a large area, would be more comfortable in a pocket than a rigid slab.

Of course, they could just make smaller phones...

Re:

[jvkjvk]

>They look good in sci-fi, that's about it.

*These* wouldn't look good in sci-fi. In sci-fi they'd be all sleek and THIN most of all I think! Good god those look awful. A cellphone bent around your wrist. Literally.

What's the use case for something like this?

[Falco54]

It looks cool, but I don't understand what having a bendable phone would actually allow me to do. It certainly can't be worn as a watch like the picture showed. Seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Re:

[taustin]

Seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Isn't that the unofficial motto of Silicon Valley?

Re:

[techno-vampire]

Bling. It's something that young, thoughtless professionals with more money than sense can buy because they think it makes them look cool. It's like that new Kia where the engine starts itself the moment you sit down in the driver's seat.

Six two and even, ...

[PPH]

... over and out!

The full Android experience

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

the device runs the "full Android experience, just like any smartphone,"

I can be tracked by Google 24/7 with my watch too now? Sign me in!

sweaty

[awwshit]

A big hot panel covering my entire wrist is exactly what I was thinking I need. Nothing like bulky, sweaty wrists while typing.

Whoa

[bill_mcgonigle]

I can "easily have a hands-free experience with a moment's notice"?

Sign me u.... wait.

I have pockets.

Maybe good for miniskirt-wearers and nudists, tho?

Re:

[Locke2005]

Only the male nudists. The female nudists have pockets...

Re:

[ls671]

Well males can wrap that phone around their ... well you know what I mean... maybe they can even make a phone with the texture of the female counterpart too... double-pleasure!

Re:

[taustin]

The female nudists would undoubtedly find the vibrate feature highly desirable.

Re:

[ls671]

Why wouldn't the males love it as well, especially if it can vibrate in long strokes? Don't forget females can already be satisfied with already existing phone while males can wrap this revolutionary new phone around their... well...

Hmmm

[Ol Olsoc]

Gonna be hard to watch Pr0n on that one. Shaky images yaknow.

Zip ties

[Yo,dog!]

I have a bunch of zip ties that'll do the same thing for a whole lot less and without the tracking.

Handcuffed by my phone

[votsalo]

Do I need a subscription to be uncuffed?

Re:

[awwshit]

No, if you watch enough ads it eventually unlocks, eventually.

probably not even someday....

[irving47]

Wearable tech is a farce. The Apple watch (and samsung etc. competition) seems as far as we're going to get.

Seems to be like the portable tech. equivalent of flying cars. Yeah, it can be done, but by the time you've jumped through all the hoops to satisfy the definition, it's not what we wanted it to be in the first place.

That's not Dick Tracy's

[whitroth]

wrist-tv. It needs to be no more than half that size.

And the way she wrapped it around her arm, almost any movement beyond slow would have it flying off.