This canceled LG Rollable smartphone highlights how far behind today’s designs feel. A newly surfaced teardown from JerryRigEverything shows the device wasn’t just experimental, it pushed further than what you can actually buy today.

The LG Rollable smartphone never reached store shelves, but it did make it into the hands of a few internal users. Now, a teardown video details how much engineering went into a phone that almost launched back in 2021.

LG

What stands out is how complete the concept feels. Even after five years, the hardware works, and the approach tackles problems foldables continue to face.

Inside the rollable mechanism

A closer look at the internals highlights a level of engineering that remains rare. Instead of a hinge, the LG Rollable smartphone relies on a motorized system to expand and retract its display, something no mainstream phone offers yet, unless Samsung quickly releases one.

At the core are two motors working with a spring-loaded structure made up of three arms.…