Mobile World Congress 2020 was cancelled due to the coronavirus, robbing vendors of one of the best launch events of the year.

It appears TCL was planning on unveiling a head-turning new smartphone design that doubles as a tablet. According to leaked photos provided to CNET by a trusted source, TCL’s design features a type of slide-out mechanism to transform a somewhat traditional looking smartphone into a tablet form factor.

The design is a major departure from foldable phones, such as those from Samsung and Motorola. Exactly how the mechanism works is unclear, but CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt makes the following observations:

Image Credit: CNET

“Poring over the photos, the design of this TCL concept phone appears to use one continuous display, with curved screens on either side. Between the center of the phone and the dual front-facing camera along the right side, there’s a break in the chassis where you can pull the two sides apart to expose the surplus screen. It’d be much like sliding back the sides of your dining room table to add a leaf that seats more guests.

“It isn’t clear exactly how the mechanism inside would work, but my best guess is that one portion of the flexible display bends or wraps behind the other. This might make the phone a little thicker than usual.”

Hopefully there will be an official announcement, along with specs and pricing, available soon. TCL’s innovative take on the design is likely to win a fair share of customers.

Image Credit: CNET