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.

aquinteros,

expensive, and not worth the change from regular phones

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

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.

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.

Blackmist,

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

What could possibly go wrong?

Knightfall,
@Knightfall@lemmy.ca avatar

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.

to_urcite_ty_kokos,
@to_urcite_ty_kokos@lemmy.world avatar

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.

3migo,
@3migo@lemmy.world avatar

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.

candyman337,
@candyman337@lemmy.world avatar

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.

WereCat,

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

joel_feila,
@joel_feila@lemmy.world avatar

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.

Historical_General, (edited )
@Historical_General@lemmy.world avatar

I like the concept but I need durability.

grasshopper_mouse,
@grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.world avatar

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
hellishharlot,
  • I love the idea of how thin the galaxy fold’s outer screen is but the reality would likely be frustrating.
  • I have the pixel fold and it fits perfectly in my pockets, also a woman wearing women’s jeans. It’s for the iphone 5 vibe like that.
syrinori,

I have the fold 4 and ive come to really appreciate how one handable the small outside display is. You end up using it more than you would expect

hellishharlot,

The thinness sounds great it’s the height that concerns me. And you can’t have too small of an outer display and end up with a good inner display

miku,

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.

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