Discussion Do you have any genuine interest in foldable smartphones?

[Derachi]

I feel like every smartphone manufacturer outside of Apple (and I know they’re not gonna be far behind) is dipping their big expensive toes into foldable smartphones. But here’s my question:

Why?

I mean other than the obvious reason of “they need a reason to keep innovating to keep selling more and more expensive smartphones.” Sure, you can flip some of these flipperdoodles out and get a bigger screen, but is that really something people are itching to do that they’re willing to spend more on a phone that does it than it’d cost for them to just have a smartphone and a tablet? Because these foldy things are pricey

Like I won’t deny there’s cool tech there, and yeah, if you really sit and think about it there are some use-cases that can come to mind, but is that really something people are going to think of and think “yeah I’ll spend hundreds of extra dollars to make that happen?” Personally I just don’t see it. Especially if you consider that introducing moving parts is going to make these things considerably more fragile.

Anyway, what do you think? I think foldable smartphones are going to be like 3D TVs a decade ago: fancy, high-priced tech made by growth-hungry public companies who want to make up new “must-have” tech simply so they can continue to sell their highly expensive products and keep their stock price increasing. But maybe you’ve used one and have seen the light? Or maybe you think they’ll forever change the smartphone game? Let me know what you think!

 

[Tangerine_Cookie]

No, in fact I'm upgrading to a flip dumbphone when my current smartphone dies.

Flip screens aren't close to being ready for withstanding the daily mass market user abuse, not close to being cheap enough for that.

 

[Derachi]

No, in fact I'm upgrading to a flip dumbphone when my current smartphone dies.

Flip screens aren't close to being ready for withstanding the daily mass market user abuse, not close to being cheap enough for that.

I’ve met some people in the past few years who use flip phones and honestly

I have so much respect and admiration for that. I’m so tied to my smartphone and I hate it.

 

[Party Sklar]

Foldable smartphones are undeniably a cool tech but I still don’t get what are their point beyond that. Plus personally I’m a bit worried about their durability, even back in the day the flip phones were pretty fragile, and now doing that with a screen makes me anxious.

As smartphones become more and more sturdy and powerful, and people have therefore less incentives to change their phones every two years, it feels like a return to the end of the feature phone era, when every manufacturer tried (mostly awful) novelty designs.

 

[kvetcha]

smaller pocket imprint, tbh

 

[Brock Reiher]

I bought the newer flip and it was fun but definitely overpriced and stupid. Also it broke and they didn't want to honor the warrenty. I don't recommend it unless you want to waste money on something fun but stupid.

 

[Brofield]

I've only seen one in the wild, and A) the creased seam would drive me insane, and 2) I would fidget with flipping the screen so much the hinge wouldn't last me a year

I'd much prefer to see the flexible screen tech in super thin rollable TVs like that concept stand LG did a while back for CES

 

[Pierceyonder]

I have a friend that has one, and I got to check it out a bit. I think it's kinda neat, and I think the major benefit to it is how little space it takes up in your pocket/bag. It kinda rules on that front.

Hard to say whether that feature alone will be enough to make them the next big thing, but tech feels circular in this way sometimes so I wouldn't be surprised. I'd really like to see a return to physical, slide-in keyboards rather than digital ones.

 

[Deleted member 2]

 

[Deleted member 2]

smaller pocket imprint, tbh

smartphone SP

 

[freedomseekr]

No, and I'd rather smartphone makers focus less on such gimmicks, but things that are, in my opinion, actually useful and consumer-friendly, like repairability (even just being able to swap your own battery would be enough for me), longevity (keep these updates coming!) and general usability (USB-C and 3.5mm audio jacks please).

 

[Chie]

I don't see any value in it really. All it is is just another point of failure.

 

[Lord Azrael]

Yes. Bigger screen and built in screen protection due to the shell design. Just like the DS

 

[samouraï]

Ya cause I carry a dedicated music player so the more pocket space I have the better.

 

[chocolate_supra]

No, and I'd rather smartphone makers focus less on such gimmicks, but things that are, in my opinion, actually useful and consumer-friendly, like repairability (even just being able to swap your own battery would be enough for me), longevity (keep these updates coming!) and general usability (USB-C and 3.5mm audio jacks please).

I'd like all of these things and a slightly smaller chassis, please. My current phone is the smallest one I could find and I still can't use it one-handed like I could with my old Droid Mini. I get hand cramps trying to reach some parts of the screen with my thumb and it drives me crazy because I've had smartphones before that were comfy so I know it's possible but they just refuse to make them now. It's like with cars, everything's gotta be bigger and more complicated to the point where I honestly don't think I'll ever buy a new one.

 

[lexony]

I would be interested in a foldable Smartphone with two screens. A Smartphone Double Screen I guess. A DS.

 

[chocolate_supra]

I would be interested in a foldable Smartphone with two screens. A Smartphone Double Screen I guess. A DS.

This made me think of a foldable smartphone with a keyboard and other menu-y stuff on the bottom screen and the screen-screen on the top, but then that reminded me of my old Motorola Droid 2 that was basically this but a slider and the keyboard was physical, and now I just want that again.

 

[lexony]

This made me think of a foldable smartphone with a keyboard and other menu-y stuff on the bottom screen and the screen-screen on the top, but then that reminded me of my old Motorola Droid 2 that was basically this but a slider and the keyboard was physical, and now I just want that again.

Wtf I just looked it up, I think my younger sister had one. I‘ve to ask her if she still has it somewhere lying around. I want to see it now

 

[chocolate_supra]

Wtf I just looked it up, I think my younger sister had one. I‘ve to ask her if she still has it somewhere lying around. I want to see it now

I think I still have mine somewhere. I genuinely loved that thing and the only reason I upgraded from that to the Droid Mini was because it was so old that websites weren't working on it and my apps eventually stopped functioning due to the networks ending support for older versions of the apps. But I woulda hung onto it for years and years of that hadn't happened.

And then the same thing happened to my Droid Mini, which is why I got my current phone, a Pixel 2. And now that OS updates have stopped for this I'm worried I'll eventually be forced into upgrading again and I really don't wanna anymore

 

[xghost777]

I’m very content with the small iphone size wrapped in an Otter Box for heft/grip and not breaking if I drop it. Does everything I want.

I am interested in the AR thing Apple is working on. If it sucks / is gimmicky / too niche then whatever, but genuine new technology interests me more than these side steps like foldable phones.

 

[PixelKnight]

Honestly I don’t care, any more than I care about a fancy new grip on a screwdriver or a torch that’s slightly more powerful than the one I have. They are tools to me, the Swiss Army knife of electronic gadgets. whichever one is similar to or a mild upgrade of the one I’ve got already is just fine for me as it already does everything I need it to do at a convenient size. Every single one has a slightly better camera or different size or whatever but I’m sure I barely use them for more than a few percent of what they are capable of. I barely even download any new apps anymore.

 

[N 2 Deep]

Yes! It's one of my biggest wants from Apple

In the next 2-3 years if Apple doesn't introduce a foldable I might go back to Android for the first time since 2016

 

[Mekanos]

Foldable smartphones just feels like catering to nostalgia for people over 25 who actually remember foldable cellphones. I don't see the practical need for one.

 

[Shadow]

Good friend has a Fold and that seam... That bloody seam...

 

[Red Monster]

They don’t interest me in the slightest. I have an iPad if I want to use a bigger screen. Plus I’d be worried about the hinge breaking. And how can you ignore that seam?

 

[Harina]

I have the pro6 and my partner just got the zflip4, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. Doesn't help that Google's tech support is almost non existent when in comes to hardware compared to other brands, I've had my pro6 brick twice over mandatory updates forcing me to get a new phone, the second time meaning buying a brand new screen first for the trade because it had a slight nick in it.

Only problem is is her camera quality is not great, but I know the 22s are really good, hoping the next generation or so has improved significantly on that front.

I'm not really a fan of the hot dog one though.