Forget Gorilla Glass – E Ink displays could replace the backs of future phones

This might be the weirdest phone we’ve seen at MWC 2024

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

As much as it’s about smartphones, connectivity and networks,MWC 2024is also a bounty of weird and wonderful tech, especially from smaller brands, and one such example is the Infinix E-Color Shift phone.

Just a concept/prototype for now, but with real potential to become a real thing, the E-Color Shift phone makes use of E Ink Prism 3 tech to change the color and pattern of a phone’s back, either perpetually or at a user’s request.

Basically, it’s the answer to the question: “How can I constantly customize the back of my phone?” Now that’s not a question I’m sure a lot of people are asking, but it must be something that’s on Infinix’s mind.

And it’s actually pretty cool in real life. Seeing the phone’s back cycle through a series of colors and patterns when it’s on charge is oddly hypnotic, and acts to make the phone more of an ornament rather than just a slab of metal and glass. And when it’s disconnected from a power source it’ll settle on the pattern and colors that were last displayed – take a look at the TikTok below to see it in action.

Yet there’s more to the E-Color Shift phone’s capabilities than just some flashy patterns. Things like notifications and a clock can be displayed, turning the back of the phone into a form of basic always-on screen. But as E Ink is being used, this is likely to be more power-efficient than even the latest LTPO panels found in the screens of some of thebest phones, notably, theiPhone 15 ProandSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Now I don’t think having an E Ink rear panel is going to be a fixture on future phones, especially asI reckon more brands will adopt titanium and glass designs. But it could pave the way for more interesting charging cases, for example, and the E-Color Shift phone is at least trying to inject some creativity into a mobile tech segment that feels like it’s starting to plateau in terms of innovation and intriguing design.

More from MWC 2024

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

Roland Moore-Colyer is Managing Editor at TechRadar with a focus on phones and tablets, but a general interest in all things tech, especially those with a good story behind them. He can also be found writing about games, computers, and cars when the occasion arrives, and supports with the day-to-day running of TechRadar. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face and a nose for food markets.

How to lock apps on a Google Pixel phone

I’m a die-hard Apple fan, but even I’ll admit that the Google Pixel 9 Pro is the best-looking phone of the year

Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: A powerful and truly portable projector