JerryRigEverything Disassembles LG’s Rollable Phone and Unrolls the Secrets From a Lost Prototype

Back in 2021, rumors circulated about a new LG phone with a screen that unfurled like a scroll, similar to a roll-up map rather than a fold. Interestingly, they had planned to release it that year, but LG decided to discontinue its entire mobile division. As a result, the idea fizzled, only to resurface recently with a prototype reaching Zack Nelson (of JerryRigEverything fame).

Zack Nelson began by looking at the exterior elements. In its compressed state, the screen measures around 6.8 inches diagonally. With a simple command, the display expands to 7.4 inches diagonally, thanks to the internal motors. It generates a rather mild buzzing noise, which is thankfully muffled by software that includes some great sound effects. Users can watch the item expand in size in real time and even get dynamic backgrounds that adapt on the fly.

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Nelson removed two Phillips head screws near the roller bit as he began to disassemble it. He applied heat to the back glass, and it popped straight off in one piece. With the glass removed, the side panel came away, and he discovered all these minuscule little hair-like things designed to keep dust from entering the flexy screen area. These tiny hairs are enclosed in a metal cage that protects the part that rolls up.

After that, Nelson proceeded on to check the actual roll component itself, which required him to retract it completely for some extra wiggle room to free it from the frame. He was surprised to see the screen curved around a pretty mild radius, compared to the other folding phones. Behind the screen, there are a series of elevated slats that rise upwards like escalator steps, helping to keep the entire structure flat and stable during expansion.

Other interesting features include little zipper-like linkages along the top and bottom margins of the screen. The sides have metal guides going along them to keep everything neat and tight. It all operates in tandem with two geared motors that communicate via a rack system. There are even three little spring-loaded arms that help keep the entire thing straight and smooth during extension, ensuring that it does not wobble or become stuck. LG stated that the entire system can withstand around 200,000 cycles, which is a significant number given the amount of stress placed on it.

Deeper inside the phone, you’ll find a battery rated a solid 4500 milliamp hours, as well as the usual suspects like a Snapdragon processor, 12 gigs of RAM, and 256 gigs of storage. The rear camera configuration includes a 64-megapixel primary sensor with optical stabilisation and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. On the back, you’ll find a power button that also serves as a fingerprint reader. All of the connection wires are arranged in a fairly straightforward manner that may be simply disassembled.

The screen has a plastic layer that may be scratched with a fingernail, similar to the flexible screens on other phones. When you roll it up, the active portion rests behind the rear glass, allowing you to quickly check alerts and even take selfies (with the main cameras). If anything gets in the way, the software will pause the roll and offer a friendly warning.