Tecno Phantom V Fold is proof ‘cheap’ foldables can be great, and now a Flip is coming

Ben Schoon | Sep 8 2023 - 8:27 am PT

Foldable smartphones are notoriously expensive, but there is one option that’s rather affordable in the Tecno Phantom V Fold which launched earlier this year. And, now, Tecno is teasing the launch of a flip phone that will likely inherent the same trademark value.

The Tecno Phantom V Fold is a stunning achievement in making foldables affordable

Launched earlier this year, the Tecno Phantom V Fold is one of the lowest-priced book-style foldables to date. At the equivalent of around $1,100 US dollars, it’s barely more expensive than a traditional flagship, and even undercuts options like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But, more importantly, it’s several hundred dollars less expensive compared to the Google Pixel Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

And, to get that price, it really doesn’t sacrifice much.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been toying around with the Phantom V Fold and, at least from a hardware perspective, I’ve been very impressed.

The Phantom V Fold has a sturdy build from its matte metal frame to the hinge itself. When you open up the device, the hinge smoothly opens to reveal the 7.85-inch 120Hz display which, almost as a cherry on top, has a near-invisible crease. Tecno has done better here than Samsung or Google, and that’s impressive. The hinge does stick a little before reaching a full 180-degree opening, with the hinge usually maxing out, comfortably, around 178-179. I don’t see that as a big problem, but it is one area where a compromise was clearly made. The hinge is also “springy,” as in it’s very eager to either be fully open or fully closed. Unlike foldables from Samsung, Google, and Oppo, this hinge can’t “pose” at a specific angle – a totally fair compromise, in my opinion.

The back of the V Fold is a textured plastic material which I actually quite like, and there’s a large circular camera module towards the top which has a unique look and three camera sensors. I haven’t played around with the cameras all that much, but they seem passable at least. The folks over at Android Police called them “perfectly adequate” back in April.

The hardware of Phantom V Fold is what really instills confidence that a “cheap” foldable can exist, but the software is definitely where this falls short. Tecno’s “HiOS” is a heavy Android skin, and one that’s not particularly pleasant to use. There are some good things, like the ability to run apps in floating windows and put “silent” mode on a timer, but there are other things that are just frustrating in daily use, like having the notification tray and quick settings split into two different panes (hello iOS), and I’m not the biggest fan of the overall design aesthetic. But, it does at least seem like things are getting better. In the few weeks I’ve had the Phantom on hand, a random update delivered an app drawer for the homescreen, which moved the experience from a near nightmare to something I’d actually be OK with using.

Sadly, the Tecno Phantom V Fold is yet another book-style foldable that’s limited in where it’s sold. The device isn’t limited to Chinese markets like so many others, but it’s only available in select regions, such as India.

Ultimately, though, Tecno’s efforts mean more than just bringing a solid foldable to some new markets. To me, they just prove that this technology is getting good enough to where we might finally see prices come down, and that’s especially important as Samsung, the market leader, just keeps deciding to charge the same sky-high price over and over again despite no major improvements in the past three generations.

And, notably, it’s not the first time Tecno has shown how good cheap devices can be. The company also launched the Camon 20 Pro and Premier earlier this year as Android phones with surprisingly solid specs and cameras, but low prices. The Camon 20 Pro costs the equivalent of around $230 in the US market, and with that still includes 5G connectivity, a 120Hz display, and is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8050. It was even one of the few devices able to try out Android 14 early.

Compare that to a $230 Android phone sold in the United States like the OnePlus Nord N300 which has a lesser 90Hz display, much weaker MediaTek Dimensity 810, and launched on Android 12 and will only ever get a single update to Android 13.

Tecno ‘Phantom V Flip’ is coming September 22

All of that said is why Tecno’s next launch, the rumored “Phantom V Flip,” is so exciting.

The Phantom V Flip has shown up in a handful of previous leaks with a form factor similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but with a unique circular display on the outside. Beyond that, it does seem like it will share a lot in common with the V Fold in terms of its build, which is great news.

As GSMArena reports, Tecno is set to host a September 22 event from Singapore where it’s abundantly clear that this flip phone is coming, with Tecno even directly saying that the upcoming release will show “commitment to exploring new form factors and redefining the style and functionality of flip phones for passionate, fashionable, and forward-looking audiences.”

The only question now is how much it will cost, and whether or not it will have enough of an impact to drive anyone else to release a more affordable flip phone…