Intel says foldable screen laptop PCs are coming to market in 2022
Foldable PCs are about to hit the market in a big way.
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What you need to know
Intel has today announced a new foldable display spec for its PC partners that will enable new and unique device form factors with foldable screens. Intel says the first foldable PCs adopting this new spec will begin shipping this year, opening the door to a flurry of new and unique Windows PCs.
Update Jan 5, 2021:ASUS has since announced its first foldable PC called theZenBoook 17 Fold.
Foldable screens enable a number of new form factors and postures, including laptop, tablet, tabletop, journal, and dual-angle devices. We’ve already seen Lenovo attempt a foldable Windows PC with theLenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, but that device was met with lacklustre reviews because of the underpowered chip and unoptimized Windows 10 OS.
This year, new Foldable PCs with Intel will be shipping onIntel’s Evo spec, which includesIntel 12th-gen chipsand focuses on being responsive, with instant wake, fast charging, and “real world” battery life. These new Foldable PCs will be in a much better place as a result, good news for Windows users looking for a new foldable PC.
That leaves Windows, which still isn’t in a great place regarding optimizations for foldable PCs. Perhaps we’ll hear more about support for foldable screens within Windows over the coming months. Microsoft is expected to ship the next major update forWindows 11in the second half of 2022, which may be where we see more support for foldable displays arrive.
The success of foldable PCs will depend heavily on how Windows adapts to support them. Without any optimizations, foldable PCs will never be truly useful. Microsoft will need to work on updating Windows 11 with the right optimizations to make use of the many new postures that are introduced when your screen can fold.
Intel has been working with Microsoft and Samsung for some time on foldable technology. The companies were rumored to be working together on something called the “Horseshoe Bend Project” as far back as 2020, which coveres 17-inch Foldable PC standards. It’s clear that “foldable” technology is a focal point for a number of these big tech companies.
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Microsoft had already attempted to ship a “foldable” PC, albeit with two screens instead of one foldable display, in 2020 with theSurface Neo. Unfortunately, that PC was canceled for a number of reasons. Perhaps Microsoft will try again with a single-screen foldable PC instead?
It’s clear that foldable screens are coming to the PC space soon. Intel anticipates more hardware makers will be announcing PCs with foldable displays this year, all powered by Intel chips. I’m curious to see if AMD and Qualcomm jump in on the foldable PC trend soon as well, as so far it seems to be just Intel pioneering this effort.
Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch onTwitterandThreads
