Smartphones keep changing and getting smarter, yet one idea turns heads for its simplicity and potential. A physically flexible handset has emerged from a team at Queen’s University in Ontario. The MorePhone is described as paper-thin, with a curling display that can bend and then settle into a usable flat surface when needed. The flexible screen technology powering the MorePhone comes from Plastic Logic, a British company known for pushing bendable electronics forward. In concept, the device preserves the full power of modern smartphones while adding a tactile, unfoldable dimension to interaction. It invites users to think of a phone not merely as a flat glass pane but as a surface that shapes itself to the moment, whether kept in a pocket, used on a desk, or held in one hand. The collaboration blends university research with practical materials, signaling a new direction for mobile screens beyond conventional glass. The team behind MorePhone highlights a lineage of flexible electronics aimed at lighter, more versatile devices, suggesting a future where the display truly responds to how people use it. The idea has attracted attention from industry observers who see a pathway from crisp prototypes to consumer devices that feel alive in the hand.
Like a regular phone, the MorePhone rings and vibrates. But here the tension is in the screen. When a call, email, or text arrives, the device curls up to reveal the caller or message, letting the user glance at content without picking it up. The curling action is not random; it is programmable and can be customized to suit user preferences, offering varied curvature, speed, and visual cues. The design keeps core smartphone capabilities intact, so apps, cameras, and connectivity work as expected while the display adds a new layer of physical interaction. The MorePhone is no mere curiosity; it demonstrates what a screen engineered for flexibility can do in daily life. Researchers from Queen’s University emphasize that the combination of a paper-thin chassis with a curlable display opens up possibilities for different hand postures, one-handed use, and on-the-go multitasking. The approach extends beyond novelty by envisioning scenarios where glanceable information reduces the need to unfold the entire device. The prototype harnesses materials from Plastic Logic to maintain durability and performance, sketching out how future generations of foldable screens could endure real-world wear and tear. This technology remains in the research domain, yet the promise of a lifelike interaction model is clear to engineers and designers alike.
Even as an inspiring concept, the MorePhone is only a prototype, and public release remains years away. Industry timelines commonly project five to eight years before such a device reaches consumers, depending on manufacturing, battery solutions, and software ecosystems. In the meantime, the project offers a laboratory for testing new interactions that hinge on curved surfaces. Engineers are tackling challenges such as hinge durability, screen resilience, battery life, and the integration of sensors that respond to touch at multiple angles. The approach depends on the collaboration between Queen’s University researchers and Plastic Logic, a cross-Atlantic partnership that aims to translate lab breakthroughs into scalable components. If these hurdles are cleared, a market path could open in Canada, the United States, and beyond, with early adopters eager for a phone that folds to reveal information and then folds back to become a normal smartphone. The concept also raises questions about software adaptation, app design, and data handling on a flexible display. Still, the overall direction is clear: flexible screens push the idea of what a mobile device can be, inviting new forms of interaction and use cases around everyday tasks.
Observers in North America watch the MorePhone project with interest from both consumer and enterprise perspectives. In Canada and the United States, interest grows for foldable displays that combine light form with functionality, once manufacturing hurdles are cleared. If the prototype matures, developers may craft apps that leverage the curl function for notifications, quick previews, or hands-free content access. The shift toward curved hardware could influence design standards, supply chains, and energy management as manufacturers pursue lighter, more adaptable screens. For now, the MorePhone serves as a bold case study—an example of how research in Ontario and display technology from the UK may converge to redefine the daily smartphone experience. The takeaway is not only about a new gadget but about the evolving relationship between people and their screens, where form and function meet in an entirely new way.