How does everyone here feel about foldable phones?

Foldable screens, to me, seem to be a recipe for disaster. Another point of failure.

Flip phones like from Star Trek are awesome though!

I don't trust it not to break.

Also they're wildly expensive.

Had a Z Fold 4 for a couple of months now and i dont ever want to go back. It feels great in the hand when closed and it is awesome to have a much larger screen available at any time. Crease isnt very noticable on it

Manufacturers are being forced to make their phones last longer with sensible things like replaceable batteries, so they're coming up with fresh designed obsolescence by adding things that will wear and tear to keep everyone spending $1-2k every couple of years.

I love foldable phones and can't wait for more manufacturers to hop on board. I have owned every iteration of the Samsung Z Fold series, Z Flip series, and Surface Duo series, and I am now rocking the Pixel Fold.

This form factor that Google adopted is the way to go. A shorter, wider aspect ratio on the outer display makes for an excellent phone experience while allowing you to unfold the device into a proper mini tablet in landscape orientation. I never enjoyed the narrow screen on the Z Fold lineup, so I opened the phone to do almost everything. With the Pixel Fold, I open the phone up only for specific things, such as showing someone else content on my phone, reading, or watching videos.

The biggest issue with foldables is that everyone seems to worry about the device's durability, which is understandable. I have never had an issue, and I don't baby foldable phones more than I would a standard slab. I also think the pricing of foldable is a massive turn-off for many folks. Last, many people either refuse to understand the "point" of foldable devices or simply don't. For example, with me saying that I use the Pixel Fold closed most of the time, some would say, "What's the point if you're not going to use the inner display?". The point with foldables is that you get options. You don't have to use the phone as a tablet 24/7. At that point, you might as well just get a small tablet. Foldables are supposed to give you a phone experience first while giving you instant access to a larger screen capable of light multitasking and better media consumption experiences than your traditional phone. The beauty of a folding device is that you get the best of both worlds all the time, and you decide how you want to divide your time between the outer and inner displays.

Long comment, but hey, I love foldables, and I will keep buying them. Unfortunately, I think it will take Apple releasing a foldable before they become mainstream :(

After my flip 3 broke not so positive.

Not interested in expensive gimmicks. How does it improve the experience? Now a phone that is a snap bracelet. Lives on my wrist. Sign me up.

Fold phones fix a problem I don't have. The tech is interesting, but irrelevant to me

Expensive, fragile and rather useless unless you plan to replace your computer and in that case you just made a bad decition. I think it's a very desperate attempt to hype yet another generation of smartphones no one needs with a gimmick becuase sales go down.

I definitely understand that there is a market for it, but personally I'm not interested. They're expensive, vulnerable, and I have no need for a screen like that. The high prices and vulnerability were excusable in the first few generations, but I feel like we should've advanced further by now. I wonder how many people really use one.

Just another possible point of failure with no real upside, beside the ability to slam it shut while on a call when angry like it is 2005 again.

Cosmetically the screen creases would anoy me.

Only use case I see valuable would be easier portability of larger screen formats. But I really never use a tablet to begin with.

I'm sure the tech will go towards better curved displays like monitors,tvs, and VR headset optics. Which are some things i maybe interested in using.

But at this point I feel it's more gimmick than anything.

Seem like one of the shitttiest ideas out there, done just for the sake of novelty. If you’re lucky you’ll get creases and bad touch responsiveness. If you’re not, it is the most obvious point of failure due to mechanical stress. I could perhaps get behind “rollable” screens or the like (no hard crease), if they prove reliable.

Edit: spelling

I've been using my Pixel Fold for almost 2 weeks, and I love it. Actually using the new Sync app to write this and it looks beautiful on the inner screen.

I have used the Fold3 since launch (still have it), an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and Galaxy s23U over this past year as well. The iPhone I used for a couple of months and face it to my wife. While I know I'm still in the honeymoon period, I really enjoy using my Pixel Fold.

The Pixel Fold is exactly what I wanted from a folding phone. When closed it's the perfect size for using it like a regular phone. I really liked the size of the Pixel 6a and iPhone Xs and the PF when closed is similar to those. Obviously, a little heavier and slightly thicker. Once you open it, you have a nice mini tablet for consuming media or running 2 apps together.

My battery life has been great, performance has been stellar, cameras are also fantastic. I wish more apps were optimized for the inner screen like Sync, but even if they're not I can rotate it or run 2 apps.

I know people worry about durability, for good reason, the Fold3 that I've had for almost 2 years has done great so far. I've had to get the inner screen protector replaced twice, but other than that it's still hanging in there.

It will be great when the prices start coming down. I think with Google and Motorola really moving into this class it will help drive the price down. It will be nice when more people have the option of foldables, it'll force developers to optimize for them.

As a woman with tiny pockets I'm considering switching from my (already small) S22 to a Flip-type foldable phone just to not have my phone poke into my hip bone every time I sit down.

Foldables are basically the opposite of what I want: a small slab flagship phone, maybe 5" would be ideal. I don't want it to become huge at any point.

All phones that cost that much are dumb. Just get a computer instead and your money goes a lot farther to get screens and computing power.

$200-300 is about all I'll be willing to spend for any phone. I don't care what the features are that the expensive phones have, unless it's got some kind of alien laser technology that can do stuff that computers can't. For my price range I can have a great Pixel with GrapheneOS and that's about all I want.

To me they are necessary evil. I currently have Fold4 and use it as a replacement for my laptop since I have to be available 24/7 or close to that. I grew tired of lugging my laptop everywhere, which admittedly is very lightweight but charger, bag, accessories and the rest are not. So I decided to give Fold + bluetooth keyboard a shot at replacing my laptop which worked and I can get away with 85-90% of my work from my phone. Not as comfortable as laptop or desktop, but it'll do.

Biggest downsides are that I can't use my phone (easily) for navigation. One would think with such big screen that would be even easier, but naah. Mounting foldable phone is near impossible. It can be done in a car where you just buy tablet mount and you are good, but I don't drive a car.

For me it's been a game of tradeoffs. I gain some, lose some. At times it's awesome on other times it's annoying. Big screen and pen come very handy when signing documents for work or giving instructions to developers by drawing on screen shots. At the same time it's heavy and bulky. Note series from Samsung was pretty much spot on what I needed, but they turned that into S2x Ultra, which I think would be too big for me, but I might change my opinion.

Everything else am fine with and I can get use to weight and all. Samsung needs to do few things for me to be happy. Pen needs to fit in the phone itself, lugging it around as addon to your phone case is not an option. Make a slim case which grips corners only like they did with S7 Edge series, this would solve all of my mounts and protection problems. Weight loss would be welcome but I can live with that.

I'd rather have a hinged physical keyboard.

I use a Fold 4. I am autistic.

I went into it assuming I would hate the crease. But decided the upsides outweighed that potential downside. But over a year in now and I don't even hate the crease. Honestly the thing I find the most annoying would also be on most other phones; Fold 4 has an underscreen camera with lower pixel density in front of it. Bothers the shit out of me. I've taken to having a floating button for screenshots/video and place that button directly over the camera circle. So instead of whatever is in my game looking stupid and annoying in that spot, I can just pretend the icon for the camera button has a weird design.

The upside for me is having access to a nearly 4:3 aspect ratio. I do alot of emulation of older games, so it's nice to have them be full screen again. Also the charging speed is pretty nice, can have the phone completely full from empty in just under an hour at max charging speed. Which means the 25% to 75% time is just nuts. Can plug it in and not get bored just from watching the percentage tick up. Lol.

I don't really have much use for it in folded bar form though, using it like an actual phone is of course better in that shape, but I didn't buy this phone because of how often I make or receive traditional phone calls. So it's mostly just a fast, useful tablet that I can fold up and put in my pocket. Honestly if there was a version without the outside screen, I would probably get that one. The only thing I use the outside screen for is to hang up at the end of a call. And I'm sure there is an alternate option for that. Could just have a tiny little info screen that had hang-up and speaker buttons. But yeah, if the outside screen isn't costing much to include, then whatever, I could take it or leave it.

I have the hand strap case directly from Samsung, I definitely recommend it. It's got adhesive strips that stick to the phone, designed to be put on once and never removed. It doesn't need to be cleaned under. Basically as minimal as possible while having the grip to the phone necessary to trust that strap with your $2000 phones life. Although I didn't quite pay that much, I always look for an open box deal. I got it 40% off.

But yeah, the crease isn't really annoying at all. At it's worst, when looking at the phone from an uncentered angle, it is visibly darker along each side of the crease, but looking at it straight on, which you generally would be doing, you can't even tell it's there. You have to touch it to notice it, but it's smooth enough that it doesn't affect playing games or anything.

I was worried it was gonna be much worse when thinking about it before I got hands on. So when my sister got a used fold 3, I borrowed it for a couple hours to play some specific games I wanted to try out. And I wasn't worried anymore about spending so much for a fold 4.

The weight was an issue originally, took about 2 weeks to get used to it, and then about a month later I got the strap case and it would have solved it anyway. It's lighter than a hand-held gaming console, and I'm sure a few of us used to hold those for hours when we weren't as strong as we are now. The original issue was mostly when trying to hold it one-handed from one side of it. Or gripping accross the phone in folded out mode. I have decently big hands, smaller hands would have made it more than a 2 week issue. But yeah, if my hands were smaller, the problem would have remained until I got the strap case, then you hold the phone from it's center of weight and your hand is in a comfortable position while doing so. Or I just tuck one finger tip into the strap and two more on the outside of the strap and hold the phone from one side still. Comfortable and distributing the phones weight more evenly.

I'm still not sold on the displays. Every time I've seen one the promise has always been "the screen is better", but when eventually I get hands on with them all I see is a massive crease in the middle and I can't unsee it

Had the Razr 5g, got it new for $600 through a T-Mobile offer. Loved the OS, very similar to pixels. Loved how small it was in my pocket. It became super easy to use daily but.... On month 9 a line appeared on my display, that night my phones battery died and upon reboot whole inside screen was messed up. The phone other wise looks pristine, and I have a case that protects it. I never dropped it either. Their one year warranty conveniently does not cover the screen and repair was $950 through Motorola. After arguing the did issue a discount and the phone would cost $750 to repair...when you could get a brand new one on their site for $600 at the time. Ridiculous.

Never buying Motorola again. Might try the Samsung flip in a few years once the tech is solid and affordable.

Too expensive.

Dumb. But I also thought smartphones without keyboards were dumb and look where we are now.

What I want a phone to be:

• Thick with a (reasonable) bezel, so I can grab it easily and not activate the touchscreen at the edges of the screen
• Reasonably usable with one hand
• Sturdy, somewhat shock-proof and waterproof
• As serviceable / repairable as possible
• Long battery life (not use time, life of battery before it needs replacing)
• Built to last

Basically everything a foldable phone isn't.

They seem extremely difficult to repair so it's a hard pass from me.

Love the idea. The durability vs price ratio has not yet put this tech into an actually realistic space yet. Too much money for something too easy to break.

My non-foldable phones seem to break often enough. For the price, I'm not willing to introduce another physical feature to my phone that can break. They are certainly cool though. I'd love to have one. Not willing to risk it for the price.

I think it’s one of the dumbest new “features” I’ve seen on a phone since… I actually can’t remember anything worse right now.

I'm interested but am waiting to let the technology mature some more, and let the price come down.

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Honestly, biggest deal breaker for me is the crease. When looking at it straight on, it's not the worst, but it's so jarring when you see it warp the screen and your finger runs across it. Not even to mention that it's bound to have a giant line or even a crack run down it the more you fold it. Sure the price tag is steep, but if they somehow manage to fix or improve that issue, I could see it as a viable option.

I think they're cool as a technical feat, but I'd be far too worried about breaking it to ever buy one. The fact that the crease is visible even on brand new devices looks like a disaster waiting to happen.

I went to the Samsung™ store and fondled their latest foldable phones lineup. Even on the demo models, you could clearly see the crease. It will only get worse as you use it. I think there is a market for folding phones but as separate screens, i.e. 2 or more panels side by side. If you gonna have a crease, might as well separate the screens.

I would absolutely love a folding phone but, can't justify the price these days. Someday for sure

Partner has the z flip4 and is very happy with it.

Although the folding mechanism on the first one seized up. When it was forced open, the pixels on the crease turned off.

Took it back to the retailer and they swapped it on the spot. They were out of 256GB versions, so they provided the 512GB one instead. As the price of them had dropped a lot since purchase, the store gave $250 cash back for the difference.

I tried the Fold3, and had it back under warranty 3 times, until Samsung opted to replace it. They replaced it with a Fold4 (which was nice) in beige (which wasn't nice).

So I sold it and got a Pixel 7 Pro, and I couldn't be happier.

Honestly, foldable screen tech still needs a lot more maturity, IMHO. It was actually a relief to switch back to a phone where my heart didn't miss a beat every time I opened it, or heard the creak/crack sound when closing it. It was honestly pretty stressful, wondering if each day was the day I'd join the long list of people with busted screens through no fault of their own.

foldables are really cool but pretty fragile

I think they'll be remembered a bit like 3D televisions in a few years... an interesting diversion, that ultimately went nowhere.

I have a Surface Duo 1 and I really think they got the form factor right, as opposed to the folding glass one-big-screen types. The SD also folds backwards so you don't need (to pay for) three screens. Also, most of the functionality of the Pixel Fold is shown off as multitasking two apps side by side, which is exactly the power user use case the SD was made for.

IMO two-screen side-by-side folders could be down to $1K at this point if they didn't all employ fragile bending glass and superfluous outer displays.

Also, I like the idea of a Flip... again, without a big outer display. Give me e-ink on the outside or something for the clock and message previews -- I'll open the phone if I need to anyway.

I like the idea, but they're way out of my price range and easier to break too.

Cool gimmick, but I’m gonna wait till all the kinks are worked out (or at least, all the major ones). Right now, I just don’t care enough to buy an unreliable phone with a hinge.

Mine broke too easily, and I made the mistake of buying the immature product used. Replacement parts were only $50 cheaper than buying another one used.

Bah. I just want one of these.

I like the concept, but I don't think we have endurable hardware for that yet... And I can't afford them anyway.

I just hope they don't end up like many of those interesting Android promises that go nowhere.

I used to have a clam phone when I was a kid and I love the idea of a foldable phone now.

But I wouldn't buy one any time soon - the idea of a hinged phone and screen just sounds far to vulnerable to wear and tear. As soon as you start adding moving parts you increase the risk of failure.

It's a great concept but at the moment it's a superfluous luxury and as they're so expensive then the cost of a breakage is just too much to tolerate. As the technology and manufacturing improves and/or becomes cheaper I might get one. But at present I don't want to risk buying a very expensive phone that could break in such a basic way as a hinged phone and folding screen could.

I am really interested in getting one, but I'm planning to hold off until the cameras improve and reach flagship levels. Right now, that's the only drawback, and the price of course.

I've gotten used to holding onto my phones longer and skipping several phone releases at a time (Nexus 6 > Pixel 2 XL > Pixel 6 XL) and I don't really feel like I can continue to do that with a foldable based on the durability questions from the main screen. The prospect of a smaller device in my pocket is the big factor in wanting one and every time a new flip device comes out I find myself doing the same research hoping there is a magic bullet that solves the screen durability or de-lamination issues.

I like glass screens with an anti-glare screen protector on it.

The foldables I've seen use glossy, soft plastic screens.

We're already off on a bad start.

These things are becoming softer, more fragile, and more disposable, all the while going up up up in price.

When I see a review for a device that can be permanently damaged with just a fingernail and is frail enough to snap in half if folded the wrong way - all the while costing way more than a regular phone, I don't know if I'd feel comfortable using it. I already get uncomfortable handing my "normal" phone to someone to see, especially a kid.

I'm so two minds about it. On one hand it's an incredibly stupid idea (reliability, extra screen/cameras, two batteries...), but at the same time it's really a marvel of technology and a real miracle that they actually make it work.

I can imagine a Razr in my distant future if Moto survives and doesn't get shittier. Altho I'll probably still prefer other aspects to a foldable screen.

Google's Pixel Fold is pretty much what I'd like to see in a folding phone, whereas Samsung's extremely tall aspect ratio is a bit too thin for one-handed use.

Other competitors have figured out the formula for something that works well open and closed, so for the Fold type devices I'd like to see Samsung improve on the design and squish it a little, especially because it is so thick when folded.

Flip-style devices on the other hand, those are immediately cool. If the Z Flip had similar cameras to the S23, I would have considered holding out for one. The battery life on the S23 is what won me over.

I've owned the Samsung fold2 & 3. Personally to me they are cool phones. However they just aren't made to last, and that's not the only problem. Realistically they are heavier, bulkier and have less specs than the top end smartphones. I found that each time I was holding it, I would rather be holding a normal phone just because my arms would get tired, it felt finicky to be holding such a large screen in public situations. It has its perks when sitting down in a plane, shopping mall, train. But again you could have an even larger screen and more power of you just brought a laptop. What makes me enjoy these products is the fact I've been dreaming about foldables since I was a kid, and that never disappears.

I do not have a need for so much real estate on my mobile device. Nor do I want to carry anything thicker than a phone in my pocket. I use my Galaxy S20 Ultra which serves me well on the go and I my laptop if I want to look at something on a larger screen while I am home.

I bought a Z Fold 2 in 2020 and still use it today. Battery life is great, screens are still great (both outer and inner). I always have a cheap case for it that covers the front screen. I have dropped it twice outside on the concrete ground and the cheap case broke, but NOT the phone, so I just bought another case each time--to me, that's what the cheap case is for. I really like it and will probably get another version at some point, but here are my main takeaways:

• Outer screen is very slim (think almost TV remote-sized). I have gotten used to it but God forbid you hand it to someone else to type on, they always say it's too small

• It's too long for my pockets, but I'm a woman that wears women's clothes, and our pockets are too damn small for anything, so I have to carry it in my purse

• The screen protectors it comes with do start to fray at the edges over time, but I have never had it bubble up at the folding point/crease on the inner screen

• If you are not known for being delicate with your phone, this is not the phone for you. If you work outdoors regularly, have a tendency to drop your phone regularly, etc, don't buy this

• It's expensive

• Not all apps are compatible with the big screen so sometimes you're stuck with the small screen view on the big inner screen

• Having a portable tablet is great! I got rid of my tablet when I bought this phone and have no regrets

• It's great for driving when using Google Maps or whichever driving app you choose. Having the big screen makes it so much easier to see the directions

• Any video looks better on the big screen

• I have used the big screen to view maps I downloaded for hiking

I like the concept but I need durability.

I am a marine scientist and need a phone that can perform in the field. I know the new foldables are water resistant, but I would be worried about salt and grit getting up in that hinge and messing stuff up. So I don't think they're for me, though I'd really like to have one. My Note 20 Ultra is too small to comfortably jot notes on honestly.

expensive, and not worth the change from regular phones

I have not personally used a phone with a folding screen, but I work in customer service and I know our tech team has replaced a lot of them where the screen gets a crease in the middle or comes unlamented.

Honestly though the foldables seem kind of pointless to me. It gives a slightly larger screen that's really of no use unless your phone is the only thing you use to watch movies/game on. It's really more of a status symbol than anything else.

I'm sure someone will eventually come up with a more useful and innovative way of using foldable screen technology, but this is not it.

Never used a foldable phone. Looks cool, but too bad its not dust resistant and the curved display is very weak against scratches. A hinge in a phone just further shorten it's lifespan. I wouldn't use them until it's not only water-resistant, but also dust proof, and the hinge better outlast the lifespan of the rest of the phone. Considering the high price and also comes with so much drawbacks, they aren't for the average person. It's a rich person's toy.

My gf wanted one because the flips fold down small, but if you ever go on eBay, you'll see the screens are pretty shitty still. Maybe we'll get her one in a few years from now when they've had time to really, truly iron out all the kinks.

I think they're a neat concept, but I'm also a device repair tech and they definitely seem to be more prone to damage. Had someone bring in a Z Flip 4 with the "glass" flaking away in the crease, have had people come in with snapped hinges or battery swelling popping one of the screens. The tech doesn't seem to be quite there yet imo.

I am currently using a Galaxy Fold 3.

I'm torn between "I can never go back to a normal phone this is amazing" and "this is fragile and has crap battery and a normal phone would be better".

Honestly im considering buying one Just for the gimkick factor alone. I do like phones that have some gimmick. About the actual usefulness of said gimmick. Well i bought note once for the gimmick alone. Have i ever used the pencil. Only for solving nonograms. Nothing more. Folding phones gimmick on the other hand seems to be way better than the note gimkick, particualry the fold series, flips are questionable alghtough arguably they Look more cool. But the durability of both seems sketchy at Best, especialy since my notę 4 is still used in my family by my grandma and it still feels snapy to use.

So would i buy one. Not really. The thing with my old note 4 was that i managed to buy it used for a very reasonable price and im not sure i would touch used folding phone with a 3 feet pole, and a full priced 1000$ phones are a scam as far as i am concerned. If you want fun gimmick i Would honestly recomend rog phone 6 instead ( cool, should be reasonably priced, fun aestethic ) or a hopefully soon to be fairphone 5 (i never thought i would call removable battery a gimmick but here we are in 2023) . But If you swim in money by any means buy a flip or fold,why not.

Flip phones have only one advantage - they are smaller in the pocket. Folds have advantage of turning into mini tablets, but huge downsides of battery life in this mode, and thickness in the pocket. Maybe in the future, if they manage to make them even thinner.

I'd love one. Preferably the opens-like-a-book style, not the vertical ribbon.

But I don't want to carry around something that costs that much. They're currently priced for someone with way more money.

If the price was max $1k, folding vertically and not a Samsung then I would get it. I got my self a tablet because I read and watch YouTube a lot. I rather have one device than two. So when I saw the new pixel did I get hyped then I saw the price...

Too breaky

(Context I uses to repair phones for everyone's favorite insurance company Asurion, so my perspective is more about the physical device and components)

I fucking hate them. Super fragile AND super expensive. Not to mention if you have one and the screen protector get damaged manufacturers warranty only covers 1 replacement. Fixing that inner screen out of pocket is around $600-$700 which at that point is just buying an entirely new note or S-series phone. The only nice thing I can say is that the 4 Gen flips and folds are a bit sturdier than the first generation, so they are improving over time. Maybe by the fold 7 it will be in a place where consumers can buy and repair them for reasonable prices, but right now I always advise people to stay away.

As someone who Had a Nintendo DS and 3DS it certainly seems like a cool idea but they also had the problem of the hinges breaking rendering them useless, this is much worse on the folding phones where the display itself bends in half and can literally wear out just from opening and closing, rendering the phone next to useless, the DS handheld gaming systems didn't even have that problem.

For that reason I really don't like them and can't really get behind them. I prefer my devices to last to obsolescence (a ripe old age) and be durable, folding screen phones are not that whatsoever. If I wanted a bigger screen I'd rather just have a bigger phone honestly, or be able to dock it in a laptop like enclosure.

I love the idea of them but not at that price point unfortunately

As with a lot of the negatives (including price), they will improve as time goes on,but to a large degree I see foldable as a fun engineering exercise to look at, but mostly pointless for the time being. I especially find it ridiculous when a foldable is 2x as thick as a regular phone and reviewers act like it's magically half the size when you close it. You're sacrificing height for thickness, but the volume is almost the exact same as a regular device.

As someone who loves the large screen of my tablet, I like the idea of a foldable, but they are a long way away from mass adoption.

I'm skeptical how well the screen holds up at the hinge, so I guess I'm not an early adopter. Show me one a year old that's had the same cheap screen protector on the entire time - if it still looks good I might consider it. Otherwise I don't see a reason to upgrade.

I use the Fold 4 and I love it. I don't think I could ever go back to using a nonfoldable. I never notice the crease during use unless I run my finger across it. In terms of durability, it's been great. I dropped my phone many times onto concrete and no issues at all. The only problem I have is with the screen protector for the folding screen. Mine is already peeling after around a year of use and it's a pain to get it replaced. You can't really do it yourself and you need to make an appointment at a repair shop to do it. At least it's free.

Like ‘fetch’ they’re never going to happen

My household has a couple folding phones. The pixel fold is great, the Samsung fold is too tall.

I like the idea of them, but I've yet to see it implemented in a way that I feel is necessarily helpful.

If they can somehow shove in an spen I'd be sold.

Damn spen has me hooked on Samsung. Its such a killer feature that is so underused by the masses.

Only yesterday did it bail me out of a password issue on my Jap PlayStation account via its translation feature. Totally seamless.

But yah, needs internal housing since I choose to not rock a case.

There could be some interesting designs, but to take advantage of that the UI would need to adapt, I think.

Today I'd rather have user-replaceable batteries and screens.

I like the concept but they're too expensive for me. About €2k for a fold and €1k for a flip is outside my (self-imposed) budget. I don't particularly wish to spend more than about €600.

Once they become more mainstream and affordable, I'll most definitely be checking one out.

They have a certain appeal to them. I'd love to try one out though and see how it appeals to me. Main thing that keeps me from getting one, is that I work in construction. Dust and debris getting inside the screen, then me closing it is just asking for scratches. Would a screen protector even be viable with the crease being in the middle?

Old school flip phones were feasible for situations like mine. But I'm not going back to T9 texting lol.

I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 after my Fold 3's inside screen protector separated. Luckily I bought it through T-Mobile and for an upgrade.

I like wowing people by using it like a regular phone and suddenly opening it up to a small tablet. Some people can't wait to get "the Apple version" but I'll let them wait wait for the future while I enjoy this phone.

I do switch between other Android "slab phones", but I guess I go back to a folding phone because I get to carry a small tablet with me without having a second device.

I want to try a flip style foldable. Maybe moto or Samsung's (good moto trade in when🙃). It's been a while since I've seen a phone and go damn, that's eye candy. There'll probably be funky quirks no doubt, but a modern flip phone just looks awesome.

A big breakable hinge on a delicate piece of electronics that you shove in your pocket.

What could possibly go wrong?

If it doesn't make a neat noise when I flip it open like a Star Trek communicator I'm not interested.

Love my z fold 4 a year in.

They are terrible, i would never buy one.

I would break it in less than a day in my work environment... Metal dust + anti-cut gloves... RIP the screen at least.

Got myself a Motorola Razr Plus a couple weeks ago after a few years of Pixel 3aXL. Really loving the phone so far. Using the outer screen when taking selfies, changing music while working out/on the go, and sending quick messages is great. Also purchased the two year insurance plan, a first for me but given potential durability concerns a no-brainer.

Was on the fence with Pixel Fold but really liking the smaller form factor of the "flip" style compared to "fold". Also not sure when I'd really use the tablet form.

Great to see more competition in this area. Long-standing companies making foldables like Samsung are going to need to step it up.

Written on Flip 4.

The compromises hit quite hard. Battery life sucks, screen brightness in sunshine is horrible, and photo quality is not that great (as expected). I still like the toy aspect of it, can lay it anywhere I want, software is also quite good (but definitely not perfect). Fit in pocket (man) is also not perfect (as now key are under it and not next to it). Overall, I still like it, but if I got the money back, I would go back to a normal phone.

Dreaming of Pixel Fold. AOSP Android is the only Android I will buy.

However, announced price of 1.9k eur (or 2500eur in e-shops) is something I would not spend on a freaking phone. Price has to go down...

I feel like it's a cool bit of tech, but not something I ever asked for in a phone or will ever have a practical use for.

The prospect of a tablet size screen folding up to fit in my pocket is appealing, but the durability and price aren't currently acceptable. I don't understand the appeal of flip type foldables at all.

I'm very interested in the ability to have a large screen when I need it. I am hesitant though. The prices are crazy, which isn't surprising for new tech. I'm also going to wait a bit and let them iron the kinks out before I consider buying one.

I'm also pretty rough on everything I own, so it's going to need to be as tough as a current slate phone before I look at them.

I've been eagerly watching the foldable space ever since the first Razr was announced, but never took the plunge because I felt the tech wasn't there yet. You would pay flagship prices for a fragile phone with bad specs.

Now I think they are finally good enough. My next one will probably be a Razr, I don't trust Samsung.

I've been using a Z Fold 4 for about a year, since launch. This is my first foldable, and it'd honestly be difficult for me to go back to a standard slab phone.

I love how multitasking is actually an enjoyable, functional experience on a foldable. I love having a large display for consuming content. The larger internal display really ups the threshold for "Okay, I need a computer for this", since I can load desktop sites and it be usable.

Granted, it isn't perfect. I do still have concerns about durability, despite the fact thaty Fold has taken a few nasty falls and come out unscathed, it is of course still possible to break. For the first time, I have insurance on a phone due to durability.

The outer display is functional, but it's quite narrow. This leads to some apps not loading properly on the outer display, and a bit of a cramped keyboard. You do get used to it, but I'd prefer a larger external display like the wider display of the Pixel Fold.

The biggest short coming for foldables is apps. While most apps function just fine, some really don't. Instagram is a great example of one that performs poorly on both the external and internal displays. Some apps have tablet interfaces that launch on the inner display, but most don't. Most apps are just a blown up version of the standard phone interface. There are other weird app quirks like how my bank app will only let me use fingerprint to sign in when it's launched on the external display, not the internal. The app situation I think will get better with time as foldables become more widespread, but it is a frustration for now.

The final shortcoming is the size and weight of these phones. With a case on, the Fold 4 is a pretty substantial phone on your pocket. It's heavy, thick, and the first few weeks with it you'll really notice the size and weight. Foldables are trending thinner and lighter, but more progress needs to be made here.

Anyways, all this to say - I ultimately love my foldable phone and have been very satisfied. It's expensive, but if you have the means and the interest in one, I doubt you'd be disappointed. Just keep the shortcomings in mind.

They protect one of their screens, thats nice. And for people that really really nned a very wide screen i can see tyem using it. As for me they are way expensive.

Don't really see the appeal tbh. More fragile, more expensive, and for what? A bigger phone? I have big hands, and my Pixel 4a is about the max size that's practical for me to use one handed.

I hopped off the "upgrade to a new phone every year or two" train about 6 years ago in favor of buying a cheaper phone outright and going prepaid. I don't see any need to drop $1k+ on a phone, especially for what I view as a gimmick

For my own tastes (and budget) the Fold form factor isn't too interesting to me. I like a more compact phone. So I was just looking into the Flip 5 as a possible purchase.

Unfortunately I saw the camera setup is worse than the base S23 on all fronts (main lens, no telephoto, selfie cam). I knew the battery would be a bit worse, but I'm not a heavy SOT so it didn't bother me.

Adding in at least a bit of deserved worrying over longevity and I decided to pass. I really thought this could be the year and if the camera array was a bit better I likely would have pulled the trigger.

I'm all about the side-folders (Z-Fold), the flip folders (Z-Flip) are cool but gimmicky. Never owned one, but probably will one day!

As soon as I realised that fold phones existed, I had to own one. My preferred phone is a phablet, but the size makes them non feasible for day to day use. Fold phones solve that problem nicely. I don't think I can go back.

I might buy a flip foldable in the future (so either the Samsung flip or the Motorola RAZR) because I like the idea of using my phone less if I can do at least some things on the outside screen + I like the idea of propping the phone up on itself for videos and photos. I really don't need a book type foldable, but the clamshell just has something to it... In the future.

Quite mixed on the idea of foldable phones.

On one hand, they're pretty cool and I especially the Z Flip/razr format for its nod to the flip phone era and the portability.

On the other, their durability is er...questionable and there's no telling if the screen will last as long as that of traditional smartphone's. Oh and plastic screen means scratch galore, too.

Also good idea with these post mods, I see a lot of high quality comment here! It's starting to feel like the Reddit of old times here, well without the toxicity I suppose.

Not a fan tbh.

The drawbacks outweigh the benefits for me.

More expensive, more fragile, smaller battery, and I don't really care to have a large screen on me at all times.

Love my Fold 4

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I think they seem like an interesting concept. After a bunch of work from different companies (mostly samsung to my knowledge) they are actually starting to seem viable well exept for the price. But i bet you that we will be getting foldable tablets that you can turn into large screens at some point.

With the release of the fold5 I was considering trading in my S22 Ultra to get one, but even with that and all the promotions, it would still cost more than 1k € that I'd have to pay up front, which I'd rather not do.

Personally I find the current range of phone options simply too huge. Having owned a Sony Z3 Compact followed by the XZ1 Compact, I didn't have many choices. I ended up with the Asus Zenfone 8.

I really like the formfactor of the Oppo find N where in it's folded form it's a really usable size and I can unfold it if I need a bigger screen. I don't mind the Samsung Flips or the Motorola Razrs but I think the outside screen can be bigger. There's a market for the Samsung Folds but it's not for me.

Tl;dr - my idea of a foldable should be a good sized phone which folds down to something very compact and pocketable.

I've had my zflip3 for a couple years now. Lots of people in the comments seem to be saying that they are fragile but I haven't had any problems with mine. Lots of drops off tables and flipping it open one handed. I really like how it fits in my pocket.

I love mine! Flip 4. But there are some areas that are lacking: camera and gaming capabilities mostly.

Also there's the whole durability issue.

EDIT: I thought it said affordable phones

I personally believe in getting the fastest new/used/refurbished phone you can get with the features you want and keep it as long as you can.

A cheap phone usually ends up being about the same performance as a 4-10 year old flagship and a lot more compromises in cameras, ram, storage, durability, etc.

I'm really leaning into buying a OnePlus Open when they come out, depending on price.

I currently have an iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is starting to act like a three-year-old phone.

With the price hikes, the iPhone 15 Pro Max could be within $100-$200 of the Open, if OnePlus decides to price the Open closer to the Oppo Find N2 rather than the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

So... $1,199 for an iPhone 15 Pro Max with an outdated screen, still no touchID, and no mute switch, or...

Possibly ~ $1,099 - $1,399 for a OnePlus Open for what will be the largest foldable on the market with the latest hinge tech, fingerprint scanner, and a mute switch.

I'll likely pick up a cheap Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic LTE to use until the Watch6 Classic comes down in price next year.

Just remembered one cool thing about the Nintendo DS. Thanks to its dual screens and the stylus there were lots of "games" that made it serve as an electronic Japanese dictionary and Kanji learning tool and many Japanese learners used it for that exact purpose (I bought mine just for Kirby Canvas Curse though 🙃):

There were also lots of games exploiting that setting and they offered unique gameplays that you couldn't find on other hardware.

What would be really cool is if we had a similar software offering on Android that exploits the foldable nature of those phones in a similar way to the Nintendo DS, that would definitely win me over.

I had the Razr 5G and now am on the Razr+ I love this phone and love the form factor! Even with heavy use I get a day out of my battery. But I am usually around some form of a charger or power so I don't worry about battery life.

I had to replace my 5G two times but those were all my fault. I practically threw my phone across a concrete floor two days into having it and shattered both the back and front glass. Honestly, it fared a lot better than my previous OnePlus (same fate). Inside screen was perfect. Same fate with the second (I'm a klutz and always have insurance).

With that said, the increased width on the Razr+ and vegan leather back have proved to be very easy to hold. The screen is recessed inside the frame of the phone so phantom touches on the aidesnor when opening are not really possible. I use my phone for work and am always flipping it open to take photos. This thing is covered in grease on the regular.

For those people who dig their nails into phones. Why? It's a flexible screen of course it's plastic.

I doubt I'll ever get a flip-free phone. Perfect form factor. Durable. And Motorola has been very supportive of all my phones the past two years.

I love the concept and idea of them and could see myself utilizing the ones that unfold into a tablet with the S-Pen. But the durability of those screens made me nervous.

I tried the Pixel Fold because I've been using their phones since the Nexus days. I went into it very skeptically... Meaning I made sure I was thoroughly aware of the return policy.

I'm sold. Weight doesn't bother me and the benefits of being able to swap into a screen with that much real estate for viewing, multitasking, playing games, etc far outweigh a little thickness and weight. It fits in my pocket way better than I imagined and the front screen is actually more functionally sized that my 7 Pro's due to how damned tall it is! If you're not hard on your phones (I don't imagine it takes a beating as well as a regular phone) then I suggest you give it a shot. I'm definitely never going back.

Since I need a phone that can withstand being dropped on concrete every other day and having tools, hammers, 4x2 offcuts dropped on it etc every so often I dont think a foldable is for me. My current phone has two screen protectors and a case and its still got a cracked screen

Never used one, (can't afford to right now), but I adore the idea of the smaller flip ones. I would definitely take one if they reduced the crease in the future, it's too noticeable right now.

Love the Flip and will likely never switch back to a candy bar. It's the new small phone, which barely exist nowadays

The passport foldable is fucking awesome imo, Regular phone screen on the outside, 7ish inch tablet on the inside, super awesome as an e-reader, for productivity, etc. And if the inside screen breaks, you will have a usable outside one.

That being said, I Def thing the tech has a ways to go, the soft screens we have today are flawed. I'd really rather see two screens where they are edgeless when the hinge is flat. We have curved screens, just curve two screens and don't use the part under the curve. Samsung was doing that for years to get edge to edge displays.

Technically, all phones are foldable.

I've had the full three since launch and just pre-ordered my phone to five. For me the main draw was the fact that I wanted a tablet experience but I didn't want to have two devices to maintain and bounce back and forth between.

I've only broke a phone once in my life, and that was when I was being cocky with one of the older Motorola's that advertised it couldn't be cracked. I've dropped my fold three several times, breaking three cases as well as scuffing up my hinge. Still works perfectly fine. The crease never got any worse, and I barely notice it unless I'm in a room with very bright overhead lights, or if a UI element is directly on the crease. Most of the time my fingers rarely touch that part of the screen and I couldn't even tell there was a crease when I put 30 hours in remote play for the PS5.

I did get protection on my fold 3, it was significantly discounted during my pre-order. I also decided to do it this time around due to all the promotions and cash back resulting in it costing less than $5 a month.

I like the idea, but I don't like folding screens and the crease they all have. Just give a folding phone with two screens side by side! Like Microsoft Duo, but with working firmware.

Currently typing this on my Fold 4 that I've had since launch. I don't see myself ever going back to a normal slab style phone. I use it as a tablet that easily fits in my pocket, more often than not unfolding it for most uses. I also got a case that holds my stylus so I can draw on it when I want to. The stylus not being in the phone like in the S23 Ultra is my only complaint. Genuinely don't notice the crease at all during use.

Oh, and price, of course. They're so expensive. I got mine with a trade in and some heavy incentives, so I wound up with the phone, earbuds, and watch for ~$1300.

I'm curious but hesitant about full screen foldables. I've had my dual screen LG V60 for over 3 years now. I keep it in the dual screen case all the time and I use the 2nd screen daily. It's convenient to have the extra screen removable for repair/replace purposes and the mechanical gear is somewhat user accessible. I wish LG hadn't exited the mobile space.

That price tag though...

I think they are the obvious next step for mobile phones. But we are not there yet, where I would pull the trigger and buy one for me. I think they are too flimsy right now

Typing this on my fold 3 right now.

Foldable phones have the problem with the hinge and that the display is not very suited for constant folding. I would think those phones will even last half of a normal phones lifetime aka 2 years and thats profit for the Companies!

If Samsung had the ultra camera package, I would've kept the z fold 4 last year. I really liked the screen sizes (both inside and out). But until they give us a camera package that's equivalent of the s2*U of that same year, it's not worth it imo

I love my z fold 4. It has changed the way I use all my devices

I like them. I think they have great potential and make sense in certain use cases. My preference would be the flip/clamshell style because it makes the phone smaller and with a large outer display you don't have to open it as much.

For me the larger fold style is too big and heavy to use as phone. If it were a tablet that folded for travel or for easily storing in a drawer, that makes sense. Although I can understand if a traveling business man used a fold phone because in meetings and flights he they could use the bigger screen for work. But they probably also have a briefcase to carry it in.

Having said that, the current pricing is way, way too high. They would need to cost at least half or less for me to consider buying one. Around €350 for a flip and €700 for a fold seems about right to me.

I also think Motorola RAZR Ultra is the better folding phone at the moment as compared to the Flip 5, because the Samsung is very square and chunky, whereas the Moto is round and sleek.

I need one which comes with /e/OS or at least has proper support for it.

Also the Z Flip form-factor seems to be the only reasonable.

Love them, tried out the Z Flip 3, Oppo Find N, currently have the Pixel Fold.

I understand that it's not for everyone and I don't think it's a must buy for me, but I really like the form factor and I'm glad for the option.

I constantly drop my phone, the kid knocks it off the dinner table, it gets rained on, etc etc etc... I have an iphone 12 pro (coming up on three years old) with no screen protector, just a regular case (albeit a really good case: Peak Design) and it's still going strong to this day with zero malfunctions or visible wear even. I think I do need to replace the case. But anyway ... I don't think any kind of foldable / flippable phone could survive that kind of life.

I did say I will make fun of the Surface Duo 2 last week, but I don't want to be too mean about it, so... it doesn't have the crease problem, but I still don't know who would even want to buy such a phone.

I am very interested in the idea, especially expandable ones. But I hate the crease on the folding ones, I just see it constantly and can't stand it

I fucking love foldables and think everyone should have one. I truly believe they are the next step in phone technology and cannot wait for when they solve the crease "problem" so people can stop complaining about it. Also getting the price to $999 is pretty key too. Or apple jumping on board.

I had a Nokia 8110 and 7110 which had a sliding mechanism to get the mic closer to the mouth (and to look cool), that made (some) sence. Now, I don't see the advantage of a folding phone. Why make a phone shorter while making id thicker? I'm missing the 'small' 4" phones that looked like bricks compared to the old gsm models.

I really like the idea of of a flip smartphone, but I'm too careless with my phone to have a plastic screen instead of a glass one

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Neat but uninteresting to me.
But I like where it is going.

Writing this on a Fold 4 after coming from a history of Pixel devices.

Initially I loved the idea. So much room for activities with me at all times! A dream emulator machine and media consumption device! Look at all those power user multi-window layouts! SPen life! As time wears on though I find myself only relying on the inner screen for reading or long browser sessions. The SPen is in a drawer. I also dearly miss the Pixel-exclusive features. As a result, my next device will most likely be a Pixel 8/8 Pro coupled with an eink tablet.

For perspective, this was written on the front screen. I haven't cracked open the inner screen today.

I am completely apathetic about them. I think they're boring.