How does everyone here feel about foldable phones?

Previously on Lemmy:

Past Discussions:

Well, as promised, we are talking foldable this week. The excitement is palpable, and it looks like the rest of our mod team have already started the conversation here. Go check it out.

I honestly don’t know very much about foldable phones, so I’ll let the rest of our (very smart and knowledgeable) mod team handle this one this week. :)

Last thing for future reference at the end of the week, we also have a great thread discussing foldables here too, go check it out if you want more great discussions.

Blackmist,

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

What could possibly go wrong?

TheHottub,
@TheHottub@lemmy.world avatar

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.

Furbag,

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.

NENathaniel,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

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

NENathaniel,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

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

aquinteros,

expensive, and not worth the change from regular phones

Chickens,

Love my z fold 4 a year in.

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

Anything particular you like about it?

pastel_de_airfryer,

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.

Android007,

deleted_by_author

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    DoakSteezy,

    You’re the first I’ve heard doing this, how does the interior screen work with Graphene? Are there any optimizations to take advantage of it? Or limitations (split screen apps?)? Sorry if these are dumb questions

    IGuessThisIsForNSFW,

    (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.

    pallettownbry, (edited )

    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 :(

    iamahab,

    Thank you, until your comment I was one of the “not understanding the point”-people

    pallettownbry,

    Glad I could help!

    absGeekNZ,
    @absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz avatar

    I have the Z Fold 4.

    It is great, I do open it to do most things. I don’t really agree with “why not just get a small tablet”…I can’t fold the tablet and put it comfortably in my pocket.

    I mainly use the outer display for my calculator app, podcasts and have the calendar schedule widget showing.

    pallettownbry,

    I was trying to explain that some people will expect us to use the phone open 100% of the time. Like there’s a reason they have a smaller screen on the front. I don’t always have two hands free to keep the device open, so for those folk I say just get a small tablet since you think it HAS to be used opened 100% of the time or else, “there’s no point in owning a foldable,” as they say.

    I agree with you.

    echodot,

    I have had a Z Fold 2 since release. It’s still my phone.

    Over the years that this thing has been in a desert, been dropped off tables on to hardwood floors, been in my pocket with keys, and has been in a humid bathroom with the shower on. This iteration has no official waterproof rating.

    It’s fine.

    The casing is a bit better than scratched but the inner display is still fine. I even removed the screen protector they tell you not to remove, because frankly it became a mess.

    The people who say they are fragile don’t know what they’re talking about but of course they don’t they don’t have one.

    The problem is if they do break Samsung terrible at customer service. They will eventually agreed to fix the phone but only after having to go back and forth with them for several weeks solid. But that would also be true of a slab phone from them.

    pallettownbry,

    I feel it! I take my fold (took my past folds) with me everywhere. No issues on any of the phones. In fact, the only issue I ever had was completely unrelated to foldables rather a defect. My vibration motor went out but it was an easy, FREE, warranty repair at a local shop. As you said, I think most people who complain about durability definitely don’t have the device or were one of the unfortunate few who have to deal with a defective unit – the ones who wake up to a big crack down the middle.

    HardlightCereal,

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

    echodot,

    They’re boring in the US because basically all you have is the Samsung fold and flip. and they haven’t really changed since the fold 2 and flip respectively.

    Although the pixel fold coming to the US (it may actually already be on) and that looks like an interesting device

    HardlightCereal,

    I’m not American

    UltraBlack,

    garbage idea. Putting unnecessary wear on screens. They just break too quickly and instead of making phones bigger every year you could start making them smaller again

    Rathernotsay,

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

    giantfloppycock,

    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.

    GunnarRunnar,

    Notch?

    snarf,
    @snarf@kbin.social avatar

    deleted_by_author

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    essteeyou,

    I can’t remember the last time I had that specific use-case though. So maybe it is great for that, and for you, but editing photos on the go is not worth another $1000 on top of the $1000 I spend on a non-folding phone.

    snarf,
    @snarf@kbin.social avatar

    Maybe not worth it for you, and that's fine!

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