Teardown Exposes LG Rollable Phone's Mechanics

A YouTube teardown video released this week has provided the first detailed look inside LG's unreleased Rollable smartphone, a prototype developed in 2021 that expanded from a 6.8-inch display to 7.4 inches using a motorized mechanism. Zack Nelson, creator of the JerryRigEverything channel, obtained the working device, which LG had planned to launch before shutting down its mobile division that year, and carefully disassembled it to reveal its innovative internals.

The LG Rollable featured a flexible OLED screen that unrolled smoothly with a swipe, powered by two geared motors along an internal track. Spring-loaded arms, numbering three, maintained the panel's even alignment during expansion and contraction, while zipper-like teeth locked it into the frame. Dust-blocking bristles lined the housing to protect the rolled section, and the device played a musical chime to mask the motors' audible hum. When retracted, the extra screen portion tucked behind a transparent rear panel, functioning as a secondary display for widgets or camera previews. Software adapted in real time, resizing videos and animating wallpapers as the screen grew, offering a crease-free alternative to...