> whether foldables will become mainstream anytime soon? Unfortunately, the answer is no,

Why unfortunately? They are not a particularly good idea. I wouldn't buy one until someone can prove to me that the screen will be in the same state after ten thousand folds (in cold weather, with bits of grit wedged in the fold - as you'd get in your pocket) as it is when new.

Even then, what really is the point? It takes longer to access whatever you want to do and a screen that is twice the size is still pretty dam' small, yet with a greater area uses more power. And since it isn't as if the battery would fold, that will be constrained in size.

I have a dual-screen, foldable phone with dual sim, dual battery, dual everything.

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I've just taped two ordinary smartphones together along one edge :-)

I noticed that you duct any shame by going AC!

I don't get the foldable thing, it's a solution looking for a problem. I like my devices toughned too, rubber armour, screen protector, oh and not a high price point in case the aforementioned don't save the device when once of my dogs sees a squirrel while I am holding it.

I've had the Galaxy Z Fold 3 for over a year now and it's one of the best phone I have used.

I haven't had any issues with the phone other than the battery not being as long lasting as I'd like. I would describe the phone more of a mini tablet that becomes a phone.

The funny thing is the phone looks and feels bulky at first but after a while you get use to it.

Also having the larger screen space to browse web and read is amazing. On that it is extremely comfortable for me to hold while in bed.

I do have one complaint, there are not a lot of decent accessory for the phone. Which is offset by Samsung actually giving you a free case, stylus and one of their fast chargers if you show proof of purchase.

But I think people should go with what is comfortable for them, I don't keep my phone in my pocket (had my favourite Note10 pick pocketed).

Fuck all apparently

Popal thinks foldables could do better if they fall to around $400 – the sweet spot for mainstream affordability. But he doesn’t want it to happen.

So, just like more memory, faster chips and high resolution screens: the technology goes mainstream once the relevant economies of scale drive prices down.

There are compelling reasons for and against foldable screens and problems still to resolve but at some point they may will probably become "normal".

As for why Apple doesn't have them yet, that's as much to do with constrained supply as anything else, because a foldable I-Pad mini sounds like a slam dunk to me. Think of how slow Apple was to adopt NFC or wireless charging…

Why do you think a foldable ipad is desirable? I have a Lenovo tablet, and at no point using it, have I ever thought 'I wish I could fold this in half', so what benefit do you see?

Foldables are about as useful as a phone covered in Swarovski crystals. Shiny and sparkly, but they just add bling and cost a small fortune. If that's your thing, then good for you, but don't expect it to become mainstream at any price. I will never want a shiny, sparkly phone, not will I ever want a foldable, but then I am an olde codger who couldn't give a flying **** about what my phone (Poco X4) says about me. It does it's various jobs adequately.

I just don't see the point. The original flip phones made some sense because when open they were still easy to hold in one hand. But foldables seem to be just going from 'a bit combersome' to 'unpleasantly large'. I could see the value of a tablet that can fold small enough to fit in my pocket but a phone that unfolds enough to be awkward to hold but yet still has a small screen that makes me squint has no value.

There are two foldable phones form Samsung atm.

The Fold and Flip. The fold has a screen on the front you can use to access all of the functionalities of the phone without unfolding. It is a weird aspect ratio and other than websites displaying a bit weird majority of the apps I have tried work. You can also easily switch from using the front screen to tablet mode without any issues.

As for the flip however, there is a small touch screen on the front but to use the phone you need to open the phone up. My sister has the flip and really likes it.

Apple created foldables in 2024. This article is just plain wrong.

The V3 series was one of the best flip-phones out there. Now I realise that things have moved on with touch screens and all that crap but at the end of the day it robust, usable and lasted forever. My wife had a pink one that was about 5 years old when she finally destroyed it (broke the hinge on one side).

With all the touch screen stuff foldable more of less works to make a smaller form factor with a big screen. A flip with two screens of heaven forbid a keyboard and a screen.,

All this is driven by this obsession that the only thing that matters is the size of the screen. With each increase in size & resolution the text gets ever smaller so old farts like me need to change glasses to use them.