Honor’s V Purse is a fashion-inspired foldable phone

V Purse is a new concept phone from Honor that asks “What if foldable devices were more like a fashion accessory?” The company showed the device during a presentation at IFA 2023 alongside the Honor Magic V2, the latest foldable phone announced in China earlier this year.

The V Purse is a showcase of what’s possible with foldable devices, and Honor hasn’t said whether it will be released as a product or not. Conversely, the company says that it plans to release the Magic V2 globally no later than the first quarter of next year. CNBC Reportsbut it has not yet officially announced prices outside China.

There are two key elements to the V Purse’s design. The first is a series of interchangeable straps and chains that clip onto the foldable device and allow it to be carried like a purse or handbag. The second is the way it uses its external screen to display a series of wallpapers designed to mimic different wallet styles. It’s basically the opposite approach to what Louis Vuitton did in 2019.

I will say that I think attachable straps aren’t a bad idea. Accessory manufacturers such as Bandolier It’s proven that a lot of people are interested in attaching it to their existing phone as a convenient way to carry it around – without having to buy a whole new phone.

There is a foldable V Purse screen on the unprotected part the outside Instead of the interior of the device is a bold choice. The fact that you’ll be able to see the screen at all times is obviously the whole point of the device; Honor wants to use it to show off always-on display designs. The company says it has worked with a series of fashion designers and artists to contribute different themes to the device, and said it wants to open the API in the future to allow anyone to create their own API. These designs can react to your touch as well as the movement of the phone.

The V Wallet has a small button to unlock the screen, and Honor says the device is less than 9mm thick when folded.

But the outward-facing screen comes with obvious trade-offs in terms of durability. Foldable phone screens are soft and fragile, which is why they are usually hidden securely inside devices. Honor’s former parent company, Huawei, placed its foldable displays on the outside for its early foldable phones, but quickly started putting them on the inside like everyone else. The risk of scratching or scuffing the sensitive screen is high, even if Honor says the V Purse hinge is rated to withstand the same 400,000 hits as the Magic V2.

However, these concerns are academic until Honor says it will sell the V Purse publicly. And given our experience with pre-concept devices like this one, we might be waiting a very long time.