A New Modular Approach to Mobile Displays
Hisense released the A10 Ultra, a smartphone featuring a detachable E Ink secondary screen. The device marks a departure from standard design trends that prioritize fixed, singular displays. The A10 Ultra uses a magnetic system to connect a 4.96-inch E Ink panel to the back of the phone, while a 6.13-inch color display remains on the front. Notebookcheck confirmed the launch on August 28, 2026.
Most manufacturers focus on increasing phone dimensions or folding mechanisms to improve utility. Hisense chose to separate tasks by display type. The E Ink screen provides an alternative for reading books or checking documents without drawing the heavy power required by traditional OLED technology. It includes a front light with 36 brightness and color levels for low-light use.
Technical Specifications and Market Positioning
The primary 6.13-inch display features a 1,648 x 824 resolution and 300 PPI. The device runs on a Qualcomm Q-6690 Dragonwing chip and operates on Android 16. Power management centers around a 4,000mAh battery supporting 18W wired and 15W wireless charging. A 48-megapixel main camera handles photography, accompanied by an 8-megapixel selfie sensor.
The product launch includes a standard model called the A10 Pro, which lacks the detachable rear screen. In China, the A10 Ultra is priced at $400. The A10 Pro variant starts at 2,799 yuan, or roughly $420, for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model. A higher-spec 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version costs 3,499 yuan, approximately $520. International market dates remain unannounced.
Broader Industry Implications
Designers often prioritize thinner profiles in the current smartphone market. Adding modular components creates complexity that contradicts these mainstream goals. Still, the A10 Ultra serves as a functional experiment for readers who currently carry both a smartphone and a dedicated e-reader. Combining these items into one chassis could change how mobile users perceive screen usage.
Whether this modular design gains traction with mass-market consumers is unclear. Hardware experiments like this suggest that phone makers are searching for ways to distinguish products beyond yearly internal spec bumps. Future mobile design might move toward specific modular hardware, allowing users to swap or attach components based on daily tasks. The industry is watching to see if this dual-screen configuration finds a permanent home in the competitive smartphone market.

