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CES is always the place to see eye-catching, fun, and slightly crazy new technology, and phone maker Tecno — although not actually attending the show this year — knows what it takes to grab our attention. I hasn’t teased a new phone, but a new battery cover for an existing phone. What makes it special are the hundreds of ultrathin optical fibers and mini-LEDs embedded in it to create a shimmering light show befitting of the show’s Las Vegas location.
Tecno calls the design “Starry Optical Fiber” and says that although it’s being showcased on the Tecno V Flip 2 compact folding phone, it’s suitable for all different kinds of handheld devices, including tablets. It has also preempted any questions about the impact on battery life, saying it has been designed with energy efficiency in mind and won’t compromise battery performance. That’s good to know, but what exactly is Starry Optical Fiber?
The battery cover contains 150 ultrathin optical fibers — each just 0.125mm in diameter — with 108 mini-LEDs secured on it, creating a fabric-like structure on the back of the phone. There are 30 different manufacturing techniques used in the making of Starry Optical Fiber panels, and the end result is a shimmering, luminescent light display on the back of your phone.
It’s all controlled by special software, and there are four different modes to activate: Tidal Waves, Rosy Sunset, Aurora, and Weekend Dusk. Each name helps us imagine the effect created by Tecno’s Starry Optical Fiber, and the company also teases that the lighting effects can be accompanied by matching sound effects. It’s not all visual either, as apparently, the layout of the fibers and LEDs helps with heat dissipation, too.
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Tecno’s using the Starry Optical Fiber cover to show off its Color, Materials, and Finish (CMF) expertise, something we’ve already noted when handling phones like the Phantom V Fold 2 and seeing the back of the Tecno Camon 30 Premier. It often uses technology trade shows to reveal concept phones and innovations, with many eventually making it to production.
While Starry Optical Fiber is a bit gimmicky, we still appreciate any and all efforts to make the phones we use every day look more exciting. Tecno has teased the technology during CES 2025, but will actually show it off at MWC 2025, the mobile-focused trade show taking place from March 3 in Barcelona, Spain.
