Las Vegas, As foldable smartphones begin to gain popularity, global PC major Lenovo has gone a step further with unveiling the world’s first foldable PC ‘ThinkPad X1 Fold’ at the ‘CES 2020’ here, — the first fully functional PC with a folding OLED display that will turn the device into a big-screen phablet.
As the machine morphs through multiple modes — from a small footprint device into a fully flat 13.3-inch display — X1 Fold with optional 5G connectivity is set to deliver laptop efficiency with smartphone portability.
More than four years in development, ThinkPad X1 Fold with Windows 10 is expected to be available in mid-2020 with prices expected to start at $2,499. The Windows 10X version is expected to be available at a later date, the company said on Monday.
“Creating the world’s first foldable PC is a major engineering challenge, but Lenovo is more than up to the task,” said Christian Teismann, President, Commercial PC and Smart Device Business, Lenovo.
“Our legendary ThinkPad heritage has given us the foundation for progressive design over the years to now build an engineering masterpiece with X1 Fold, a new category of device that comes along once in a decade,” he added.
Built from a combination of lightweight alloys and carbon fiber and covered in a luxurious leather folio cover, the ‘always connected’ X1 Fold is powered by Intel Core Processors with Intel Hybrid Technology and will initially be available with Windows 10.
“The collaboration across our teams has been incredible, and the deep co-engineering work we’ve done at the platform level has clearly yielded beautiful results with this unique, foldable-screen PC,” said Gregory Bryant, Intel Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Client Computing Group.
Unfolded, the ‘X1 Fold’ is ideal for touch-heavy content consumption with 13.3-inches of OLED display real estate and weighing less than 1kg.
In landscape mode with the integrated kickstand in the leather folio case, users can review and annotate the latest presentation or use the Bluetooth Mini Fold Keyboard. When folded closed, the keyboard is stored and wirelessly charged inside the system and secured with magnets.
“In a more familiar laptop orientation, users can leverage two independent displays to optimize efficiency during certain multitasking activities. Participate in a video call on the upper screen while reviewing and editing a presentation on the lower screen,” said the company.
ThinkPad X1 Fold’s stand is expected to be available in the second half of 2020 and the pricing will be revealed closer to the launch date, the company added.