Weekly poll: are you ready to buy your first foldable? And which way will it fold?
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- Anonymous
- skG
- 13 Mar 2023
The biggest problem right now with foldable smartphones is the aspect ratio and compatibility of apps with it.
- S
- Starboy
- 7kj
- 13 Mar 2023
I still have trust issues with the folding screen and have read too many bad reviews of screen issues to wait for the technology to catch up. Plus paying more to get inferior camera and features just to show off doesn't look like a vise decision.
- ?
- Anonymous
- gDf
- 13 Mar 2023
I calculated it:
The Galaxy Z Fold4's display is 183,2 cm².
The Galaxy S23 Ultra's display is 114,7 cm².
This leads us to:
114,7÷183,2≈62,6%
The foldable has just a 37,4% larger screen.
- ?
- Anonymous
- gDf
- 13 Mar 2023
why would i buy a phone with 1:1 aspect ratio and about 16mm thickness (folded)?
- z
- zodiacfml
- t7W
- 13 Mar 2023
I'd be interested if the folding screen comes for free or cost 10% more max with a similar spec phone.
I would use the bigger screen only when I'm at home when the phone is on a table but then I might still fold it in the bathroom and when I'm about to sleep.
- ?
- Anonymous
- KiW
- 13 Mar 2023
80% of people would only buy foldables if it's from Samsung. Thats the fact👍
- ?
- Anonymous
- KiW
- 13 Mar 2023
Anders, 12 Mar 2023Foldables are a gimmick and everyone knows it. They'll... moreThats what people said during the launch of original Galaxy fold in 2019.
Guess what? Now Samsung has highest marketshare worldwide, and will launch its 5th gen foldables in 2023👍
- ?
- Anonymous
- gCE
- 13 Mar 2023
I love foldable phones, since they're fabolous and innovative. Nonetheless, most probably, my next phone will be Galaxy S24 or S24 Ultra because I feel like I'm not ready for using a foldable smartphone. Yet, I really appreciate the effort for making foldables.
- YUKI93
- KZK
- 13 Mar 2023
PareoFAN, 13 Mar 2023Foldable are the solutions if you like to read webtoon/mang... more"...you won't go back once you try it out."
No thanks, I'm already out of it. Now I'm rocking my LG V50 with its detachable Dual Screen case, and I love the ability to read two different manga at the same time. Heck, I can even read manga while watching YouTube or Twitch without any interruption since both screens can work independently when connected to the phone. There's even a third-party "WideMode for LG" app that extends the touch console when using emulators.
- I
- Imperator Neubaticus
- XQZ
- 13 Mar 2023
Can't see myself going back to non-foldables now. The utility is just so significant and the difference a world apart. The price is probably the only real con now.
- YUKI93
- KZK
- 13 Mar 2023
alcatraz, 13 Mar 2023It's uncommon but I hope someone takes the chance to e... moreUnfolding to 18:9 means that you need two square screens. It's like using two Oppo Find N/N2 side by side since they got an almost-square screen.
- a
- alcatraz
- 0Aq
- 13 Mar 2023
Anonymous, 13 Mar 2023Mate X2That one is square like the rest.
The Xiaomi Alpha is the longest "square" and it's no wider than 4:3.
Between 4:3 and 21:9 there's nothing.
- a
- alcatraz
- 0Aq
- 13 Mar 2023
YUKI93, 13 Mar 2023Sorry, but I can only see that happens with the rollable sc... moreIt's uncommon but I hope someone takes the chance to explore the market. I bet it's because they're expensive and they don't want to risk taking a chance.
How about unfolding to 18:9 and have a larger screen (over 7in)?
21:9 isn't useful to me.
- P
- PareoFAN
- Kxj
- 13 Mar 2023
Foldable are the solutions if you like to read webtoon/manga/manhua on your screen but doesn't want to bring tablet everywhere. I kid you not it's a life changing experience and you won't go back once you try it out. I just wish there would be a cheaper variant like under $700 with middle range chipset and subpar camera where they can cut production cost.
- ?
- Anonymous
- rJq
- 13 Mar 2023
sirol, 12 Mar 2023All vertically opening phones are very large even in closed... moreWhat you talking? Vertical foldables are the most compact phones available now. If you want a phone that vertically folds to iPhone 4, then that would look like a TV remote when unfolded. There won't be any use case for it to be unfolded.
- ?
- Anonymous
- 7vX
- 13 Mar 2023
Both vertical and horizontal are useless, one is too big to carry another is just normal bar phones size when unfolded. The one that make sense for me is Oppo landscape fold.
- YUKI93
- KZK
- 13 Mar 2023
alcatraz, 12 Mar 2023I'm waiting for one that unfolds to 16:9. Ultra lon... moreSorry, but I can only see that happens with the rollable screen. If you fold a square (1:1) screen in half, you only get two 18:9 screens. That is the same screen aspect ratio you got from phones like Google Pixel 2 XL/3, LG V30/V30S/V35, Sony Xperia XZ2/XZ2 Compact, and Nokia 9 PureView. To make a 16:9 main unfold screen, you need two 9:8 (1.125) screen, and I don't see anybody do that.
- YUKI93
- KZK
- 13 Mar 2023
I've been on the bandwagon before when the Samsung Galaxy Fold was launched. I sold it for an LG V50 with its detachable Dual Screen case and never looked back to this day. I take a dual display solution over a foldable screen all day long, especially when there are still lots of mobile apps that don't support screen splitting. Even Instagram doesn't support screen splitting, for crying out loud! That draws me to LG's detachable dual display flexibility, and I am happy with the switch. No more foldable screen smartphones for me ever again. If anything, I'm adding the LG V60 and the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 to my collection.
- Daemon Targaryen
- 4BT
- 13 Mar 2023
As Michael Fisher said in his S23 Ultra review, not everybody are ready for foldables. And not all foldables are ready for everybody. It's still a niche market that will continue to grow but will likely never overtake the slab design permanently.
I'm currently using a foldable as my daily driver: Motorola Razr 5G since Sept 2021. I personally love it next to my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. They might be thick and extremely tall when unfolded but they fit nicely in my pockets and in the palm of my hands when closed.
Is the clamshell form factor perfect? Not by a long shot. The bigger cover display of my Razr 5G is not perfect either. Understand that apps aren't usually written in landscape. I only have 6 apps from my Razr's cover display. Apps like YouTube, Netflix, and GMaps. Using the cover display for most apps is not ideal.
This is why don't expect a perfect experience when the Z Flip 5 gets a bigger outer display unless Samsung has options that CoverScreen OS has that can lock apps at portrait or landscape and has swipe up gestures to exit the app which the SamSprung app lacked.
I tend to use Pluto TV app a lot on my Flip 3 more than my Razr 5G mainly because Pluto or Tubi don't show up correctly on the Razr. It has an odd 4:3 aspect ratio from the pre-HD TV days. My Flip 3 even with the tiny 1.9" cover display tends to play most TV streaming apps perfectly.
Foldable flip phones still have a long way to go for their cover displays to ever be useful. The book-style foldables will always have it better since their cover display is like a regular rectangular slab. Now some have complained how flips can be annoying because you have to keep opening it up. I don't mind this because I grew up when flips were in their prime.
I don't understand people on Twitter needing to argue with Michael Fisher about how useless foldables are. To take Mike's side, should all phones look alike? Should all cars and homes look alike? We all have different wants and needs from things we use every day. There is still a ton of value in foldables. Let it mature. It's only been 4 years.
My next phone will probably be a foldable. Most likely the book-style since I'm perfectly content with my two clamshells. I'll be using my Razr 5G and Flip 3 until they break and I start seeing cracks on the crease. Rocking foldables since 2021 and will continue to support this immature tech. Just something different, ya know? Don't want to use slabs forever and ever.