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.
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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 really need to go watch Star Trek. Seems popular here.
I’m personally loving how much Trek is on Lemmy. There’s even a star trek based instance.
Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks. Both amazing! Especially SNW. Absolutely loving this season, I honestly want to go back and rewatch all the current eps as they release.
“His Delta is also a communicator. You just tap it.”
“But flipping it open is the best part.”
Love it so much!!!
Original Recipe is still the best…
A foldable flip phone would be much better than most of the book type foldables that seem to be the trend :)
I don’t trust it not to break.
Also they’re wildly expensive.
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
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.
Well my wife did drop something on the phone once when it was open and I’m pretty sure the protector saved it :-)
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.
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.
My first thought exactly when I read the question. It’s just another point of failure for the phone, using people’s nostalgia for something that never was that great anyway
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
My husband has a zfold. Same feedback after a few months, but recently the screen has finally started having issues at the crease. He’s extremely careful with it, so this is definitely a phone thing and not just a use thing.
It’s probably something he’s already checked, but the screen protector ends up coming off inside the crease after a while. Have had to replace mine and my wife’s twice so far, but it’s an easy fix.
Oh good to know. There’s truly no telling if he checked that, so I will :p
Had one since launch, first foldable. Zero issues with the interior screen/crease. People need to remember you’ll hear about the issues, you won’t hear about people just enjoying their device normally.
I disagree with people who say the inside screen is useless. For one, I use it to share pics with family because it’s easier for multiple people to view. I also use it for watching videos, it’s quite nice.
I am also a remote sys admin. I use the inside screen for RDP/ssh sessions to remote machines for quick weekend maintenance. I will never go back.
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 :(
Thank you, until your comment I was one of the “not understanding the point”-people
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.
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.
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.
After my flip 3 broke not so positive.
Hi LJ!
And you probably cant get it repaired. As those are declared most of the time as “Prototype” or similar.
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Whenever you open and close the screen flickers. Half the time when you open it doesn’t realise…
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.
How does it improve the experience
On a Pixel Fold,
- I can browse two social media apps.
- I can play two idle games.
- I can play a game and watch a stream.
- I can play one game or use one app with a large screen.
I actually use the inside screen much more than I thought I would. Is it worth it? Probably not, but goddamn is it fun.
You can use a laptop or a tablet. A big phone doesn’t bring anything new to the table. It’s just a sub category. Most people don’t need a tablet a laptop a phone and a large phone. Some might get something from it.
Only situation I’d see would be watching on a larger screen and maybe gaming. However I’d never need that as I have a tv. So why would I use a small screen? I’m sure it’s fun but I can never see it as something worth dropping 2k on.
Gaming laptop or a TV for gaming on. I wouldn’t play on my phone as it’s just a massive downgrade. But each to their own. Now a screen projected on my glasses. Sure.
Why would you ever play two idle games ? Sounds like an awful thing to do.
All valid points (especially about the idle games, I probably need psychological help, lmao), except that I can now do all of those things with a single device that fits in my pocket. Of course I’d prefer to play games on a monitor or TV, but I don’t have those on the go. Except maybe a laptop, but that’s much less portable than a phone.
It’s not for everybody, that’s definitely true. But it works for me, much to my surprise.
They have much larger screens. I’m vision impaired, so any chance I get a larger screen I’ll take it.
that exists a laptop or tablet why make a huge phone
These are all different options on the sliding scale of portability vs usability/screen size. Folding phones lie between a slab phone and tablets on this scale. I’d say slab phones > folding phones > tablets > laptops > desktops etc… You also of course have further subdivisions such as the iPad mini vs the iPad.
This is like the people saying, at the launch of the iPad, that tablets would fail because laptops exist.
Just make a snappable smartwatch band.
No. That’s not what I want nor need.
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.
Then get FairPhone.
Sturdy, somewhat shock-proof and waterproof
As serviceable / repairable as possible
Yea those two are a bit tough to find together on a phone. I mean you have fairphones which are very repairable, but it’s only splash resistant, not submerge resistant.
But I found this phone called Nokia XR21 which is $499 and is has IP rating of IP68/IP69K and it’s build as a rugged phone which is very resistant to drops. 6.49 inch display and has a 3.5mm headphone jack! No removable battery tho. It has 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of monthly security updates. Personally this phone looks great to me, but this is a midrange and they don’t make flagships so I went with a Samsung Galaxy S23.
I have a Ulefone Armor 3W . It’s MIL-STD-810: built like a tank and waterproof. And that ain’t no marketing: I dropped that thing on the road while riding my bike so many times, and it just doesn’t care. And I use it regularly to take photos underwater. It’s fairly repairable too: it’s held together with a truckload of little Torx screws, but once they’re all out, the innards are easily accessible - and from what I can see, the battery easily replaceable.
My only problem with that thing is, it’s not deGoogled. And it’s Ulefone, so there’s a non-zero chance that it’s running Chinese spyware too.
So I retired it, much to my chagrin, and I’m currently rocking a Fairphone 4 running CalyxOS. I’m a bit more careful not to drop that one, and I can live without the waterproofness. Small price to pay to free myself from Google’s corporate surveillance to some extent.
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.
I miss the Galaxy mini series of phones. When picking my last phone size was a major consideration. I was a fervent Moto supporter but they just keep getting bigger and lag too far behind other flagship phones.
Whatever happened to tiny phones? There was a glorious moment when the future promised cool miniaturisation and then everyone wanted an HD TV in their pocket. Did non-tat (I know about the cheap prison phones) mini phones progress at all?
I appreciate a small phone as well. The S10e was a brilliant device. I’ve gone back to a bigger phone now as there isn’t really much of a choice.
You my friend are obviously not old enough to need reading glasses or progressives. There comes an age at which bigger screens are better. You will know one day :)
Is true, i don’t need reading glasses, and maybe one day I’d feel differently, but the OP asked for personal views on foldables, and at this moment in time, that is my view :)
Plus people of all ages did fine with smartphones with 3-5" screens for like a decade, including iPhones 1-5 i think.
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It’s cool technically and i love gadgets. But practically speaking, when unfolded, it’s too big, and when folded it’s too small (plus a waste of money if I’m not opening it to use, and thicc). Just a simple small slab would be so convenient.
The flip seems like all the ergonomic issues of a large phone, with the added hassle of needing to keep opening it. Still enjoy following the tech involved though.
I’m still rocking the OP5T+LOS20 and I’m not even shopping yet. It’s everything I need in a daily driver.
Mayyybe the Fairphone 5 if the specs are there at launch. I can afford to wait.
That’s awesome. I will need to find a new phone soon, and I’m dreading it.
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 replaced my tablet, I can’t replace my PC so easily lol
Now I always have my tablet with me in the form factor of a phone. I wouldn’t call foldables useless, I love multitasking and consuming media on a large screen!
I kind of never liked tablets ether tbh 😅
All I want is practicality and replaceable parts. Still waiting for a FairPhone like device to reach the US
I got my brother to buy one but can’t affort one myself, it’s damn cool tho, especially while I watch it with my broken Battery and charging port!
Precisely. Yet people are buying.
Too expensive.
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 of the like (no hard crease), if they prove reliable.
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’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.
Fold phones fix a problem I don’t have. The tech is interesting, but irrelevant to me
Niche
It is pretty cool looking though!
This is how I feel as well. They are cool and if someone gave me one I’d use it, but I’m not going to pay double to get one myself.
