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.

DigDoug,

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.

rdeets,

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So… $1,199 for an iPhone 15 Pro Max with an outdated screen, still no touchID, and no mute switch, or…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

rexwave,
@rexwave@reddthat.com avatar

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.

buckykat,

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.

4onTheFloor,

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.

bufordt,
@bufordt@sh.itjust.works avatar

My wife has the Samsung Flip 4, and it’s pretty nice. The screen comes with a screen protector on it, and you have to replace it occasionally, because it will start to delaminate around the crease.

For my wife it was a way to have a phone that fit in a small purse without any issues. It works well in that scenario.

I don’t know how well it would hold up to significant dust and debris.

eric5949,

Typing this on my fold 3 right now.

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

How’s the experience?

eric5949,

I love it, never want to go back to a candybar. I was worried about the crease failing at first but I bought this phone used and have had it for about a year and so far it’s fine. You can’t really get the same media viewing or productivity experience on a regular phone.

erikriffle,
@erikriffle@mastodon.social avatar

@eric5949 @MargotRobbie honestly same. I can't do candybar phones anymore, the fold ruined them for me, it's just too amazing

Jarmer,

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.

Vince,

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.

Vince,

I’ve thought about it some more, and I think I’ve identified what I really want out of a foldable.

I want the promise of the one device to replace a phone, tablet, and laptop. Currently, were no where near that. Hardware wise I think we’re there, but software, we still have a long way to go to get all apps to support a tablet mode.

“Laptop” mode I haven’t even bothered trying for most things. It does work pretty well for work, using RDP, Teams, Outlook.

breakerfall,

I couldn’t wrap my head around paying premium for what’s basically the last gen processor. Pixel 8 will have Tensor 3. The Fold should have been priced accordingly. They used to purposely use the previous gen processors in the Nexus line to keep prices down.

Vince,

That’s fair, pretty good reason, especially for enthusiasts, to not want to buy it.

For me, I stopped being able to notice any significant lag on my phones 2-3 generations ago. I guess I don’t do anything that requires that much processing power on my phone anymore.

oldlamps,

That price tag though…

Holodeck_Moriarty,

I don’t trust it not to break.

Also they’re wildly expensive.

phx,

I felt the same but my wife got one over a year back and so far the only issue has been needing to replace the screen protector where it loses adhesion and starts to create a “bubble” towards the center of the device.

Bigger issue for me is that - unfolded - it’s a bit harder to protect with bumpers, and my experience with mechanical “clamshell” anything tends towards that part going over time

Aosih,

Do you really need a screen protector if the main screen is only ever exposed when you’re actively using it? I’d thought the main point of screen protectors is to prevent scratching against pocket fabric or keys, or accidental drops. Foldables also seem pretty fragile that dropping it is a game over regardless of a screen protector.

phx,

Well my wife did drop something on the phone once when it was open and I’m pretty sure the protector saved it :-)

thimantha,

The screen protector is mainly there because the inner-screen is either plastic or Ultra Thin Glass™, which makes the inner-screen extremely brittle, despite it being almost always covered.

L3s,
@L3s@lemmy.world avatar

My wife and I have had the Z-Fold3’s for a while now. Both of us have dropped it many times while open and folded. So far, there are no issues except for the screen protector adhesive one mentioned above.

My son(2.5) threw my wife’s across the room(hard flooring), and the phone was totally fine. In my experience, they’re not as fragile as most people think.

MeanEYE,
@MeanEYE@lemmy.world avatar

For my Fold4 Samsung will cover replacement of the inner screen almost for free. That said, I’ve had mine since the release and there’s been zero issues with it. My device is used daily as a primary driver and only thing I carry with me on travels. Laptop sits at home.

zikk_transport2,

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…

MargotRobbie,
@MargotRobbie@lemmy.world avatar

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.

CataclysmZA,
@CataclysmZA@lemmy.world avatar

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.

FlyingSquid,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Bah. I just want one of these.

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/a742542c-9d43-4d27-8d66-a6aca8f7db03.png

pgetsos,
@pgetsos@kbin.social avatar

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

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