Being the age I am, I’m just old enough to remember flip-phones.
A relatively simple concept that has been on my mind lately for reasons I’ll get to. Widely considered obsolete unless you just want a cheap phone to make calls etc., these phones featured a screen on one side, a keypad on the other, with a hinge joint between the two.
The reason that this device has been dragged back to the front of my brain in recent weeks is because I am reminded of them every time I see this:
To be clear: I’m aware that this foldable iphone is not the first foldable modern smartphone (I know Samsung released them years ago also).
But I’m also left wondering: what is the point? I think I can perfectly understand the use of flip phones as they were when they were popular, but foldable phones I just can’t see the benefit. As far as I can see, these foldable type of phones offer little to no benefit that you couldn’t get from, say a regular iPhone or Samsung phone, in terms of the consumer and how they are used in general life. I get that the hardware/software may be different, but that’s not going to be a factor in most people’s daily lives (you’re not going to care about the type of core, or the screen resolution when you make a phone call, etc.) It seems like it’s more of a gimmick from the companies making them to try and make more sales, but even if that’s the case, the product must have something unique to offer, so what is it about foldable phones that are so unique besides the gimmick of folding?
It's not really a phone anymore. It's a portable pocket computer. Being able to unfold a larger screen makes sense for a portable pocket computer.
Yes, this is the answer and it's not that hard to understand.
What is hard to understand is the value proposition. Flips are more expensive for a lower spec device, and they're very unreliable--they're still breaking alot; wouldn't expect more than 2 years out of one.
For most people in the pocket computer market, their needs would be more economically served by a high end phone and a mid tablet, or a high end tablet and mid phone, both items having a naturally longer life than a flip, and will each be used less, and are individually replacable.
All-in-all, flip phones are a fine concept, but at their price point and longevity, they don't make a ton of sense for most people. Just easier to carry a tablet or put up with the smaller screen.
The hell are you talking about? They tend to have roughly the same technical specs as their single-screen counterparts, with the only exception being the camera because of physics.
First, I meant folds, not flips..
Second, you are right; I had some old but also specific information I was misapplying.
That said, it will always be true that you're paying more for the screen; if you want to pay the same price for a foldable, you're sacrificing on hardware..
Think of it this way, for a lot of people (myself included), a foldable serves as both a phone and a tablet. Most of the time a foldable is cheaper and more convenient than an equivalent phone and tablet combined.
I personally used to use a tablet 2-3 days per week. But it would be super annoying because I wasn't using it often enough to charge it every night like my phone, so about half the time the battery would be dead or low. Because of that I often also had to carry a power bank and charge cable around with the tablet.
Maybe you don't have a need to a tablet or you use one daily and don't have this problem. But for me a foldable is a really useful compromise
Yes, my original comment was agreeing that folds are pretty durn nifty.
As for your price considerations, you are leaving out longevity. A regular phone and tablet will last you many times longer than a fold. In the long run, it will be cheaper to have both.
I also specified that either the phone or the tablet be high spec. Just as you don't always need to have a big screen, you also don't always need to have the latest CPU and most RAM. Buying a high end tablet and a high end phone to replace a high end fold would be overkill.
BTW - I had that same exact problem with my tablet, which I used maybe once a week. Every time I'd pick it up, it would be dead or almost dead. What's killing your battery is the radios--wifi, bluetooth or whatever. I used to have a program to automatically kill those things, but then Samsung killed access (which why I will never buy another Samsung tablet again). I started trying to remember to turn on Airplane mode, but that didn't turn off wifi for some reason. Then I tried remembering to turn it off. But how do you confirm a tablet is off without turning it on? Maddening.
I'm using the tablet more frequently now, so it's not as bad, but I think its helped to leave Battery Saver on full time.
We're all waiting to see what Apple brings out. Perhaps they have come up with a reliable design. Perhaps it will be junk. In any case I agree that the price is not justified for most people today even if it robust and reliable. Personally, I almost never by expensive phones as my use is not very demanding.
I think Apple is buying their screens from Samsung, so wear should be the same. And, Neo aside, Apple is not known for bringing costs down.
Which makes it frustrating that the tablet market is so tiny compared to the phone one. And many of them have worse specs than even entry-level smartphones (Samsung is still selling the S6 Lite, which has a paltry 4GB of RAM and can barely handle running a single heavy app without crashing).
And Samsung is really quite awful in terms of locking down the OS, second only to Apple, which really has some really good tablets; though it is so damn annoying that the mini has such extreme hardware. It's like they KNOW that's the form factor people want, so they make it as expensive as possible.
My daily drivers are a Pixel 7, a 10+ y-o gaming PC running linux, and a mid Galaxy Tab A, mostly for browsing. The Pixel downloads my torrents, and the gaming PC runs my media server and does some AI stuff.
I think I'm happier having several mid-range devices that are adequate for the task they are put to than having fewer devices that are more capable.
That's the reason I got a folding phone. I picked up a used OG Puxel Fold for around $300, installed GrapheneOS, and installed Termux. Unfolds into a large enough screen to make desktop PC application use work well. I regularly code on it and have Qt Creator and VSCode always available. I wish I could put postmarketOS or some other real Linux OS on it, but the screen makes it more viable than my actual Linux OnePlus 6 for desktop application use. It fits in my pocket too, which tablets do not.
Except that the bigger screen doesn’t offer more usability. It’s not the same productivity boost you get from say adding a second monitor or higher resolution screen to a desktop. For the most part the difference between my iPad and iPhone is the layout not the functionality.
I greatly disagree. If you do a significant amount of reading on your phone, it's really useful to be able to have the larger screen for a slightly larger font (while still scrolling less) and hold it further away from your face.
Also, I've used the inner screen of my phone to have 2 separate apps running side-by-side, reading with one side and typing notes with the other, seamlessly. Just like I often do with a second/third monitor on a PC
Okay but you are still just describing the layout and I could have two apps running side by side on my OG Note in like 2011.
Except with the portability of a phone and screen real estate of a tablet.
Why does this need to be explained so many goddamned times?
With a crease down the middle and reduced battery life, oh and it’s not actually as big as a tablet….
Seriously… fuck off with the attitude.
But if someone could simply buy a bigger phone that fits well in the pocket and is comfortable to carry around, that’s also cheaper and can do pretty much everything the foldable one can do in terms of function (which you can buy) why would you pay extra for one that folds, just because it folds?
I don't know about you, but I can't fit an iPad Mini in my pants pocket but I can absolutely fit a folded in half iPad mini in my pocket. That is the point of folding.
What Is an iPad mini? Is it a phone though? I thought it was a tablet? I meant more like the iPhone pro max line, or the Samsung equivalent
See my previous comment re: portable pocket computer
Well I was asking about phones in the post. See up top
What exactly are you not understanding about my previous comments?
iPads are not pocket computers. No iPad has ever been designed to fit in a pocket as like a phone, so I don’t understand how you’ve arrived at the comparison of a foldable phone to an iPad in terms of size and fitting it in your pocket when iPads are a tablet computer that are not designed to fit in a pocket. I’m not doubting that iPad minis are computers, they’re just not by nature portable pocket computers, so I don’t quite understand why you’re drawing the comparison given that nobody puts iPad minis in their pockets (and if they do they are using them wrong because as far as I’m aware, they’re not designed to do so)
It does seem like you’re being wilfully obtuse here but for the benefit of the doubt I think the point is that the folding phone gives you the screen real estate and added functionality of an iPad mini while still fitting in your pocket, so having the convenience of a phone. Of course nobody currently puts an iPad mini in their pocket, because nobody has pockets that big.
For avoidance of doubt, I am similarly of the opinion that foldable phones are stupid gimmicks, but then I said that about the iPhone 3 so what do I know.
I just don’t think it’s worth the money. The average cost of the iPhone 18 pro max is around $1,300, and the average cost of the duo is closer to $2,000. I get that the price will drop for the duo, but right now, I just don’t see the point of spending $800 more on 1.5 inch extra screen width for a device that can’t functionally do much more that any other iPhone as far as I’m aware, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there. And to be clear: when I say functionally can’t do more, I mean in terms of the functionality of the phone (make calls, play games, browse the internet, etc.) rather than functionality in terms of folding.
If the doubt you have in your mind was about the value for money, then you asked the wrong question. And the reason this thread got so long is because you didn't clarify your doubt initially when it became obvious that there was a good reason to want a folding smartphone.
True, very true. However, I do think that the size links in with what I was eventually getting at with the cost, but yeah, I probably could’ve brought it up earlier.
Sure, and for the most part I totally agree, though in fairness greater screen real estate is extra functionality, and iPads can do things iPhones can’t.
But your question was what’s the point, and I think it’s been answered. Whether they offer value is another question, and I don’t think many people are disagreeing with you that no, they don’t really.
To be fair though, that’s because iPhones and iPads have different hardware and slightly different operating systems. iPad architecture is closer (but not extremely close) to pc type computers, it’s called IpadOS, whereas iPhones run on standard iOS which is less powerful.
Pro Max $1300 iPad mini $800
Total $2100
Hey I just saved $100 and I can carry my iPad mini with me all the time now.
You are so close! You see, there are people that would like to have an iPad mini in their pocket, but its too big. These are the people who want the folding iPhone. Check this out, when unfolded, the new iPhone has almost the same size screen as ...the iPad Mini!
I’m not saying you don’t have a point btw I get what you’re trying to say, I just don’t think it’s worth the money for the size difference to be honest. The average cost of the iPhone 18 pro max is around $1,300, and the average cost of the duo is closer to $2,000. I get that the price will drop for the duo, but right now, I just don’t see the point of spending $800 more on 1.5 inch extra screen width for a device that can’t functionally do much more that any other iPhone as far as I’m aware, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there.
The screen is the point.
It might seem like the iPhone 18 pro max is similar in size by the diagonal measurement. When measuring by area its not even close. The iPhone Duo has a screen area of 27.1"sq which is ~~almost double~~ 50% more than the iPhone 18 pro max screen area of 18.1"sq. That is a very substantial difference. Whether that is worth the price difference is up to the buyer of course, but you do get ~~almost twice as much~~ 50% more screen on the Duo.
Essentially, the Duo is better understood as a foldable iPad mini that feels and works like a phone when folded.
I agree with you otherwise, but have to point out that 27 is 50% more than 18, not "nearly double".
Good catch, thanks
The same could be said of the iPhone 18 pro max: it’s only like an inch and a bit less wide, so not that different really
And you were asking for honest opinions, but you turned around and started being hostile and making up bullshit arguments in the comments.
Face it, you didn't honestly want a cordial conversation. It's pretty clear you wanted an argument just to try to win against someone with a different opinion
Lots of tablets can be used as phones, if they have a baseband modem.
Yes but iPads run on IpadOS, where as iPhones run on standard IOS, which is less powerful.
If you want to move the goalpost, sure, but standard tablets don't fit in your pants pocket.
To be clear, I'd never spend that much money on a phone or tablet and it's fucked up that this is supposed to be the new standard iPhone.
I mean I suppose it’s possible that they could integrate the iPadOS into smartphones at some point, but we all know why they’re not going to do that…
What the actual fuck are you talking about?
That's an Apple problem. There's plenty of Android tablets that can be used as a phone
It’s the same thing with a different skin. It’s the hardware that’s powerful or not, not the software.
My fold is narrower and fits in my pocket better while also being more or less a tablet for work. No regular phone matches its functionality.
The size of screen you get from folding phones is on par with a small tablet and doesn't come close to fitting in pockets. And even if you could get a pocket that it could fit in, it'd be u comfortable at best and likely to be broken at worst. Folding phones get around both of those problems.
Having a folding phone is more like having a tablet with you all the time, except without the hassle of carrying an extra device around.