Tecno Unveils Thinnest Tri-Fold Phone Concept: Phantom Ultimate G Fold

Most of the mobile phone players are showing their cards right now, and many are folding -- on purpose. Tecno is the latest phone-maker to show off a new foldable phone, but this one bends in a different way than some others: a three-screen tri-fold concept.

The Phantom Ultimate G Fold Concept follows in Tecno's tradition of showcasing its mobile design prowess. This one looks like a reworking of the Phantom Ultimate 2 the company previewed in August 2024 (and which has not shipped). As a tri-fold phone, Tecno's phone joins Huawei's Mate XT Ultimate, which is available now outside the US, and a rumored Samsung Galaxy G Fold that execs have hinted is coming later this year. (Meanwhile, at least one prominent phone-maker is sitting out the foldable game, but maybe not for long.)

Unlike the Mate XT Ultimate, which unfolds in a Z-pattern like an accordion, the three panels of the Phantom Ultimate G Fold Concept fold in on each other (hence the \"G\" moniker when you look at the phone from the bottom).

But just engineering a foldable phone isn't enough these days -- it has to be slim. And in this respect, Tecno is trying to thin the field. The Phantom Ultimate G Fold measures 3.49mm thick when unfolded, exposing a 9.49-inch display with \"minimal creasing,\" according to Tecno. By contrast, the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate is 3.6mm at its thinnest point, and Samsung's latest two-panel Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 4.2mm thick when unfolded.

When folded, Tecno's device measures 11.49mm, making it thinner than the Huawei's at 12.88mm but still chunky compared to non-folding phones like the iPhone 16 Pro (8.25mm) or the single-fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (8.9mm). But that's a trade-off to be expected.

Thinness by itself is impressive, but as we've learned, it needs to be backed up by stability. Tecno says the Phantom Ultimate G Fold includes a custom-engineered dual-hinge system that incorporates a waterdrop hinge anchoring the panel to the right to fold first, and a larger primary hinge holding the left panel. Thanks to a dual-cam design, that large hinge can be set in a partially folded configuration, presumably propping it up to do things like watch content or take video calls.

Other specs for the Phantom Ultimate G Fold are currently scarce, other than it will include an \"over 5,000-mAh\" battery. That's pretty good for most phones, but it's unclear how much power will be siphoned by that big 9.49-inch display in regular use. When looking at the Mate XT Ultimate last year, CNET's Sareena Dayaram felt that its 5,600-mAh battery could be an issue due to the large inner screen.

Tecno says it will include a \"high-performance chipset\" and a \"versatile triple-camera system,\" but did not supply further details. While the latest mobile silicon can handle multiple screens, we'll wait to see if the Ultimate G Fold can run apps well with its unique display system.

There's also no anticipated price or shipping target; Tecno expects to showcase it at Mobile World Congress 2026.