Meet the Hisense A10: The Smartphone That Lets You Choose Between E-Ink and LCD

We’ve all seen smartphones with E-Ink displays popping up lately. While they are a dream for avid readers looking to save their eyes, they hit a snag: Android wasn’t built for those slow refresh rates. Sure, E-Ink tech is getting snappier by the day, but it’s still not quite the fluid experience we expect from a daily driver. Hisense thinks they’ve found a clever way around this with their upcoming device, the A10.

The Hisense A10 centers around a 6.13-inch E-Ink panel on the front, providing that familiar, paper-like reading experience found on devices like a Kindle. The genius—or perhaps just the bold—part of the design is what happens on the back. Hisense has developed a detachable LCD screen that magnetically snaps onto the rear of the phone, giving you a full-color, high-refresh experience whenever you need it.

While we don’t have all the nitty-gritty specs for this modular add-on just yet, we do know it will be sold as a separate accessory. It’s an intriguing approach to the “best of both worlds” dilemma.

What else do we know about the hardware?
While Hisense hasn’t pulled back the curtain entirely, the A10 is shaping up to be a modern powerhouse. It’s expected to launch with 5G connectivity, running the latest Android 16, and will be powered by an unspecified 4nm Snapdragon chipset.

Pricing is going to be the big question for potential early adopters. The base Hisense A10 is pegged at around CNY 4,000 (roughly $590). If you want that secondary LCD, be prepared to open your wallet; rumors suggest the screen attachment could cost as much as CNY 3,000 ($440). It’s a steep investment for the flexibility, but for power users who refuse to compromise on either reading comfort or media performance, it might just be the solution they’ve been waiting for.

This modular trend is starting to pick up steam. Just recently, Bigme jumped into the arena with their Hibreak Dual 2, which features a dual-screen setup out of the box—though their LCD is integrated and non-removable. Hisense is clearly betting that the freedom to take that screen off is the killer feature that will set them apart.