Technology continually reshapes the way we interact with the world – or in this case your smartphone. Foldable phones are increasingly gaining popularity, and it’s partly thanks to Samsung and the constant teasing. The company launched the first commercially available foldable phone in 2019. Since then, the Galaxy Fold is just one of many that have surfaced on the market, including bendable PCs like the ZenBook 17.
But what does this mean for the everyday user? You may have pricing, portability, and feature concerns among others. In this article, we explore what you should expect when the next generation of smartphones takes over the world.
What are foldable smartphones?
Foldable smartphones are phones that you can bend into two halves. Currently, they have two form factors; the Fold and Flip.
With Fold phones, the front cover features a screen that acts as a normal smartphone. When unfolded, they unveil two extra screens that expand up to seven inches and resemble a tablet. But this transition is not perfect. There’s a noticeable crease in the middle that indicates the hinge.
Flip phones are a blend of classic models and modern technology. They have a clamshell design and less noticeable hinge. The front cover also acts as a small screen that displays the time, among other functionality.
What you should expect from foldable smartphones
As foldables slowly become mainstream, they’ve aroused people’s curiosity. You may be hesitant to buy one in a rush, which is smart considering they’re relatively new on the market. You should know what you’re buying into, and if it’s worth it. Here are some of the things you should look forward to:
Price hikes
Foldable smartphones are more expensive than the regular ones, which is not surprising. With high-end technology comes high pricing, regardless of the device sharing similar features with other ranges. Most of them have OLED or AMOLED technology, which is nothing new. But the flexibility is to blame.
Foldable phones use plastic-based OLED, allowing the screens to bend without breaking. With glass OLEDs, there is rigidity and bend resistance. Also, traditional smartphones have an ideal screen size of 6 inches. With Fold screens, 6 inches is the starting point, and it’s all held together on a hinge that folds inwards, and outwards on some models.
Another cost influence is timing and Samsung’s domination of the phone market. Foldables are new concepts, and only a few manufacturers have mastered the art of their production. From an early age, Samsung has since been experimenting with curved edge designs on their phones and the Odyssey Ark monitor. So far, they’ve succeeded. Breaking the bendable designs into the competition is only further proof that they’re mad geniuses.
Although other tech giants are joining the train, some are struggling to make their mark. Oppo has already released its model, the Find N2 Flip, and it’s one of the strongest contenders to the Galaxy Fold.
Royole, a Chinese manufacturer, also released the FlexPai phone and it premiered months before Samsung’s model, but it’s only available in China currently. Other brands like LG and TCL showed promise of launching their models to the scene. But barely five minutes in, LG pulled out of the phone business and TCL faced high production costs thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Considering how expensive Samsung’s mid and “budget” range phones are, breaking the bank for a foldable smartphone is not out of the question. Here’s a tentative list of how much the best folding phones are selling for on Amazon:
Portability and versatility
Foldable smartphones are arguably portable. On one hand, you can still carry them around. A while back, you either had to choose a tablet or a smartphone on a tight budget – or just get both if your pocket allowed it. Now, you have a device that doubles as both.
There’s also the benefit of running the same content on both screens or using them for separate tasks. If you’re someone who’s frequently switching from tablet to phone and PC, this feature eliminates the need for an extra device. You can video call a friend on one screen while browsing the internet securely on another.
On the other hand, they’re thicker when you close them and less pocket-friendly. If you’re someone who holds their phone a lot, you will feel the weight after a long time.
Battery life’s surprisingly not better
With two-screens-in-one and a price tag putting flagships to shame, you’d expect to have double the battery life. Sadly, it’s not the case. Google’s Pixel Fold has a 4821mAh battery life, which is a relatively high capacity. The Oppo Find N2 Flip follows closely with a 4300 mAh battery, while Samsung’s Z Flip 4 has 3595mAh.
Tom’s Guide tested how different foldable smartphones fared against regular ones in terms of battery life. The results are disappointing as the iPhone 12 Pro Max lasts longer than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. The iPhone lasted 10 hours, while the Flip 3 survived for roughly 6 hours at a 60 Hz refresh rate. Battery life dropped to five hours and 43 minutes the higher the refresh rate went.
Delicate mechanisms
As if traditional smartphones aren’t fragile enough, the foldable models require extra care. Back then, your worst fear was dropping your phone and cracking the screen. Now, it’s a combination of many things. You don’t want to close the device too hard or overwork the hinges.
Lucky for you, there are many cases and screen guards for foldable displays to improve your device’s longevity. Samsung and other manufacturers are also taking steps to reduce replacement and repair prices for their customers. Although the rates don’t go that low, they’re something.
Let’s not forget screen bubbles, which is a big caveat for Sam Rutherford. His Samsung Z Fold 2 suffered from bubbles getting trapped under the inbuilt protector, causing a noticeable crease in the middle. Unlike your regular protectors, it’s not one he could just peel off and replace. He needed a trained technician, and the procedure would take about an hour.
What’s next?
Foldable smartphones are the future, but they’re still far from perfect. We hope for more to hit the market soon, and it looks like our wishes may come true. OnePlus has publicly announced that its first foldable smartphone is coming in the third-quarter of 2023. TCL has also released a prototype phone with dual hinges. The phone folds into three parts and has a zigzag design.
But not everyone is ready for this change. If you see foldable lineups as overkill, you can make do with budget-friendly options. There are way cheaper phones that perform incredibly, and you can get them for under $300 from Amazon and other notable stores.
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