Honor’s New Concept Folding Phone Doubles as a Purse

Technology meets fashion with Honor's concept folding phone.

The China-based phone developer recently introduced its latest concept folding phone that is designed for users to wear like a handbag or a purse.

While it may look like a purse/handbag, users can't actually put anything in it unless they want to damage the phone.

Fashion Meets Tech... Sort Of

Honor's concept folding phone, the V Purse, brings something unique to the smartphone industry. The company's presentation of the phone during this year's IFA stated that it is a foldable smartphone with a series of interchangeable, detachable straps and chains that clip onto both ends of the foldable, per The Verge.

Because of this feature, users can carry the phone like a purse or handbag. Its outward-facing always-on display shows a series of wallpapers designed to mimic different purse styles.

Because this display is always on, the V Purse allows users to change purse styles to match their get-up anytime.

Unfortunately, all always-on displays consume battery charge, and the V Purse's is no exception. According to a CNET report, Honor can't give a straight answer when asked about the folding phone's battery size.

Instead, Honor said that the V Purse's focus is on how it folds and that it's a wearable device, not the hardware supporting its features.

Battery charge drain isn't the only problem the V Purse's outward-facing always-on display presents. Having such a display elevates the risk of dropping and smashing it if it's hanging by the user's side, destroying the purse-like illusion the V Purse maintains.

Speaking of the phone's fancy features, the previously mentioned ones aren't the only ones the phone comes with. Users that touch the camera charm will have it serve up the camera app while touching the music note charm will have it display the phone's default music player.

As it is a folding phone that doubles as a purse mimic, the V Purse has a small button to unclip and unfold its display, allowing it to function like a normal smartphone. Interestingly, the V Purse is less than 9mm thick when folded.

Demand For A Purse-like Folding Phone

While the V Purse may sound decadently fashionable, it is unclear if there is demand for such a phone. Honor stated in its presentation that its V Purse concept folding phone demonstrates what's possible for folding devices.

A report from CNBC reveals that the company could release something similar to the V Purse in the future, though such a phone will never be released in such a form. However, the V Purse succeeds in what Honor has designed it to do: to show that Honor is a high-end smartphone maker capable of innovating and competing in the premium end of the smartphone market alongside Apple and Samsung.

However, Honor will soon sell the phone it presented alongside its V Purse, the Mahgic V2, which it introduced in China earlier this year and is set to be released worldwide no later than Q1 2024.