IFA 2023 has been and gone but the lingering memory of the tradeshow belongs to Honor and its ridiculous Magic V Purse which, despite its external display begging to be damaged, demonstrated that the brand was willing to push the envelope of foldable design. Sure, it’s basically just a foldable with an external folding display which has a pearl necklace attached, but in the right environment such as a tradeshow with elegant influencers and models in attendance it’s a sight to behold.
The Magic V Purse is less about the hardware within than it is about the attention it has garnered from the press and IFA attendees. It’s a statement of intent by Honor that says “Watch out Samsung, we aren’t afraid to switch things up and try something new”. It’s also another sign of Honor’s return to the mainstream smartphone market and its rising influence in a spere where competitors such as Oppo and its BKK stablemates are retreating from the European marketplace in recent months.
“HONOR’s foldable smartphones have come a long way, with each iteration showcasing remarkable advancements in design, functionality and durability,” said George Zhao, CEO of HONOR. “Not only that, but with our phone-to-purse concept brought to life through the HONOR V Purse, we are exploring sustainable solutions that leverage emerging foldable technology to empower creativity and shape tomorrow’s lifestyle.”
As mentioned before, the Magic V Purse is ridiculous. It’s by no means practical for everday usage, and it would probably be a godsend for pickpockets and muggers. But that’s ignoring the purpose of the Magic V Purse which is to get people talking – about Honor and the foldable segment in general. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a brand have fun with its phones, possibly since LG released the similarly ridiculous Wing, and surely it’s a good sign for the smartphone segment as a whole that Honor feels confident enough to exhibit the Magic V Purse in public at a major trade show such as IFA rather than hiding yet another concept phone in a cupboard somewhere in its HQ, never to be seen again.
Transforming from a foldable phpne into what Honor calls the “ultimate phy-gital fashion statement”, the Magic V Purse makes use of customizable Always-On-Displays and accessories such as feathers, chains, and tassles that react and sway with the handset’s motion. It’s customizable with different straps and chains which clip on to the hinge allowing the phone to be worn over the shoulder like a handbag or purse.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see the Magic V Purse released for general sale, but then it’s already served its purpose by getting sites such as TalkAndroid to comment on its appearance at IFA 2023 and it’s totally ridiculous design.
