What the fuck is the point of folding phones? Who is actually buying them? I’ve never seen someone with one. They’re expensive as hell, aren’t durable and have so many compromises. Why do they even exist? I would buy an iPhone over any folding phone, and I fucking hate iPhones and Apple.

>>106001368 (OP)
>What the fuck is the point of folding phones?
To make money for the manufacturer by selling units
>Who is actually buying them?
Women aka 50% of the population, because they fit in their cute little minimal purse.
>I’ve never seen someone with one.
The jokes write themselves

>>106001459
>Women
Every woman I know uses an iPhone, not a folding flip phone. And I have never seen a single person use a non-flip folding phone

>>106001368 (OP)
why hasn't apple made one? because they don't sell and they still have an ugly crease.

>>106001533
Apple is releasing one in 2026 and are trying to make one with no crease whatsoever

>>106001541
might. it's not out yet. they were making a car at one point. unreleased products don't count.

>>106001497
Wait until the iphone flip releases. They will all switch to that.

>>106001368 (OP)
Even if they were durable, have no crease, and arent stupid expensive, whats the point of having a ~8 inch square screen? Almost all video content is either wide or tall. Multitasking on phones or tablets is a pain in the ass, especially since mobile versions of websites are even more circumcised than the abysmal shit that UX pajeets get paid for. The only actual feaure is a Wii U tier "you can fold it 90° just in case you might want to for some reason"
Who uses a tablet so much that they need to pay twice the cost of a tablet for a shittier smaller tablet?

I've had mine a year and a half now, ama

>>106001709
Yeah I have a question: why are you retarded?

>>106001459
Haven't seen a single woman with a folding phone. Do you at least have some kind of statistics to back up your bullshit?

>>106001368 (OP)
Those massive phones that turn into tiny tablets are retarded to me
But a samsung flip kind of thing is literally the future, once it doesn't suck, aka apple makes one

>>106002026
It's nice for things like maps and furry porn

>>106001368 (OP)
>Who is actually buying them?
For me it was to read my Japanese porn comics

>>106001497
Let me guess, trans women are women

I live in the US and I’ve never seen a single person with a folding phone. Hell I rarely see folks using Android phones.

>>106001368 (OP)
>doesn't like a tablet that can fit in pocket.
In future, when they make a car or tv or something that can fit in your pocket, will you still complain that some 6 inch TINY screen is good enough?

You are shit, and so is your tiny baby screen.
You are a baby.

>>106002644
Enjoy your overpriced, easily breakable phone with terrible battery life and apps that don’t scale correctly

>>106002868
Only issue really is durability.

>>106001368 (OP)
I'd buy them if they weren't crazy expensive and I was willing to throw money at a few extra phones in case the first one shits the bed early, the extra reading space seems pretty nice

>>106001709
how fragile is it?
do you use their shitty cases?

>>106002085
you are right anon. the flip phones are comfy. they have some retro aesthetic on them

companies are perfecting the bendable display technology
there's no reason to buy one right now

>>106001368 (OP)
>What the fuck is the point of folding phones?
Smartphones have plateaued - folding is the attempt to introduce a new feature that can be upsold to increase shrinking profit margins of simple glass/plastic bricks that are 95 % the same across all manufacturers.

>>106001368 (OP)
Folding phones are cool. I love my folding phone. It lets me turn my phone into a mini-tablet. It's the first actual innovation in phones since phones have homogenized and became indistinguishable from each other. It got me excited about technology again.

>>106001368 (OP)
>punch hole
I liked Huawei's Mate X that had no selfie camera. If you folded it, one of the screens had a fuckhueg bezel with a camera, but the other screen, or the whole screen when unfolded had no selfie camera.

Of course it was kill as soon as they realized their mistake.

>get moto g 5g g g g5 5g
>screen develops lines after 5 years
>been avoiding folding screens as they are too fragile
>getting fucked either way
talk me out of getting the moto razr 5g
I had the og one as a teen and it's my fav phone

I always fold before wiping my ass

I think they're pretty cool. the obvious draw is the huge screen in a portable form.

are there strong car mounts you can use with the unfolded phone? how would they balance the weight if half of the back also has a screen?

>>106003597
>huge screen in a portable form
How far are we from this form factor?

>>106003031
I'm surprised anyone cares about the flip ones. They seem pointless compared to folding ones.

>>106003673
Women pants have tiny pockets (if at all) for some reason. So making it smaller makes sense for them. Men can usually fit their phones on their pockets, so flips folding down makes no sense for us, since we have storage space, so only unfolding into bigger makes sense. I imagine one that turns into a tablet sized would be useful for reading books/eromanga.

Just ordered a Z Fold7 and am going from an iPhone 16 Pro Max to that

Ask me anything

>>106001368 (OP)
On demand increase of screen real estate with minimal pocket space compromise is the point. Are you stupid?

>>106003690
What's your salary?

>>106003689
>I imagine one that turns into a tablet sized would be useful for reading books/eromanga.
That's exactly why I bought mine

>>106001368 (OP)
Because people want a bigger screen with the portability of a regular phone.
not that hard to understand? why are there so many luddites in this board? y

>>106003010
I don't use a case on it
For durability, I'd say it's not great, but I knew that going in and wanted to try something new. I've dropped it enough to scratch the metal on the case and it's been fine on the outside screen. The inside screen protector eventually came off so I've been using it raw for about six months now with a few light scratches. I've dropped it in the desert a ton and have heard horrible sounds from the hinge filled with dust unfolding. The inside screen also has a small black dot from where I put way too much pressure on it getting in and out of my friends Jeep multiple times while wasted.
Tldr; Outside screen is perfect, inside is a little knicked up
My girlfriend broke her inside screen while sleeping with it open and it fell and hit her bookshelf.

>>106001368 (OP)
They're really fucking cool and as soon as they can figure out the whole delicate inner screen thing the sooner I'll be using a folding phone again kek. Luckily I sold my OnePlus Open for like 30 dollars less than I paid and got a OnePlus 13 instead. It was dope, but the screen pealing after a year and having to ship it out for 4 fucking weeks to replace the screen protector so my 3 year warranty (with accidental) didn't get denied is nonsense. Doesn't matter who seems to tackle this problem they all have it. Otherwise it was great. I'm not someone who would justify buying a big phone (tablet) to go with my normal phone. But having a phone that can become a big phone (tablet) satisfies my need for a bigger screen when the occasion arises. I used it for everything, even remoting into my home network to control my NAS and game on my PC at work. I miss it but not having to worry about the delicate inner screen all the time.

>>106003673
They're fun. A much underlooked feature in a landscape of identical black bricks.

>>106004009
Okay, but other than 'look, different', what good is it? That sony one that had sliding gaming controllers had some use. If it's just useless gimmick, why not LG wing?

>>106001368 (OP)
Convenient multitasking.

>>106001696
Aspect ratio is the dumbest part of the book-fold phones. Flip phones I get for women and children who want something more comfortable in hands and pockets.
Tri folds seem cooler with a decent aspect ratio but $3k for a device that dies in <3 years is retarded.
>Who uses a tablet so much that they need to pay twice the cost of a tablet for a shittier smaller tablet
I would get a durable tri fold to replace my tablet. I put lineageos on a used s8+ and pretty much replaced my laptop with it. It's just too big to take with me everywhere but a folding tablet that fits in my pocket would be nice.

>>106004614
>Aspect ratio
This. Phones should be A6 and unfolds to A5.

>>106001368 (OP)
>what's the point of this thing that I don't like? who's buying things that I don't like?? why are companies making things that I DON'T LIKE???

>>106004668
>the entire world economy should reorganize into producing the things I like and providing my interests only.
>Disregard everything else.
Based.

>>106004691
it's absolutely based I agree, if you are under the age of 18 years old.

>>106004732
Yeah, I mean, suppose I want blue shirts, fuck green. I still think the economic machine would be better "oiled up" by producing green shirts to sell to whatever cog that likes them, so that these cogs can better make my blue shirts.

is it too hard for companies to make dual screen phones like pic related instead of shitty folds ?

>>106004879
No one wants those

>>106001368 (OP)
I'm glad these exist because now app developers will give a shit about the 1:1 aspect ratio on the unihertz titan series

If you run a business or look at lots of calendars and spreadsheets they are a godsend

women like the smol ones that fold

>>106001541
>and are trying to make one with no crease whatsoever
not gonna happen
and why would they care
they abandoned perfect design years ago

>>106003689
>So making it smaller makes sense for them.
i don't think this is really the point since they become thick bricks rather than tall candybars
maybe if they got really thin and when folded became the thickness of a standard phone like the new fold

>>106004879
that's a tablet

>>106004989
>f you run a business or look at lots of calendars and spreadsheets
this is what a laptop or computer are for

>>106006329
I was thinking about as small but thicc as a girl's compact.

>>106001459
>Women
I think youre confusing the fold with the flip

>>106001368 (OP)
Bring it to the beach, get sand in the hinge, it’s over.

>>106001368 (OP)
The real question is why do they have holes in they screens when there is always a screen on the back, under the main cam, so you don't have to open it to answer to texts and shit?

>>106001368 (OP)
do folding phones, like in the op, weigh as much as tablets?

>>106001368 (OP)
I think the foldables are supposed to subsidize the flexible screen tech.

Anyway, they'd make much more sense if jewgle had not handed over the security of android devices to mossad about 11 years ago and made android a replacement desktop os. Idk wtf jewgle was thinking but they STILL have not done this.

Ple has no reason to exist A company and I would bankrupt that fucking company if I had any power to. Arrest the executives and death row their asses

>>106001497
I have a note 3. It's been good to me for idk 4 years now

>>106001696
Maps are the number one favorite use for me

>>106002085
Unfortunately I think Apple's only going for the big ass phone-to-tablet form factor. At least for now.

Opened a folding/flipping phone once in a store and concluded the tech is not there yet.

>CREEAAAAAK

>>106001368 (OP)
I think the foldables are supposed to subsidize the flexible screen tech.

Anyway, they'd make much more sense if jewgle had not handed over the security of android devices to mossad about 11 years ago; stalling out smartphone advancement. Jewgle should have made android a replacement desktop os. Idk wtf jewgle was thinking but they STILL have not done this.

Where is the Epstein list with Donald trump's child pornography records?

ApPle has no reason to exist as a company and I would bankrupt that fucking company if I had any power to. Arrest the executives and death row their asses

>>106001368 (OP)
my friend has been using them since the fold 1 he reads a tonne of manga and seems to like it for that, i think the idea is kinda cool but i wish theyd make one where the folding screen is e ink and then normal phone screen on the outside that was you can get a nice ereader and phone in one

>>106006349
Those are for employees

>>106007296
Nah. Even the older chunky folds were significantly skinnier and lighter than any regular tablet on the market. And now with the new one they're literally no different than a regular phone.
>>106004095
Because there's less compromise. The flips are just regular phones that fold in half with some cutesey customisable cover screen. The Xperia play and Wing were far too chunky to get regular people interested.

>>106007525
E-ink screens are mechanical, not digital. Getting one to be foldable is probably impossible, at least for the foreseeable. We're only just now getting some kind of crappy washed out colour capability.

>>106001368 (OP)
Dual-screen/foldables aren’t worth it to me, mostly because of the aspect ratio. That said, I can still think of reasons people might go for them (some already mentioned ITT):

>space-saving
Women’s pockets are usually tiny, so flip phones actually fit. That said, most women carry bags anyway though, so it seems like a minor perk at best.
>novelty factor
Even though I don’t think it’s worth the trade-offs, it’s kinda cool that phones can fold now
>screen space is still more screen space
It’s not always useful screen space (especially for video/games), but extra real estate still feels better for reading, multitasking, etc.
>status-signalling
Normies mostly care about surface-level stuff. Folding phones have an obvious “this was expensive” flex that better specs can’t signal. Most people still think Android = poorfag unless it’s visibly flashy.
>niche work use
For salespeople or field reps, a folding phone can be whipped out to show clients a pitch, product photos, calendar, etc. Split-screen is also more usable on a bigger unfolded display.
>nostalgia factor
Some people just miss flip phones. The foldable Motorola Razr in particular was banking on that.
>cuteness
Some girls and troons just like kawaii pocket-sized shit, and flip foldables scratch that itch.
>e-reading (comics, manga, etc.)
Still not as good as a proper e-ink device or tablet, but more portable than those while offering a bigger screen than a standard phone.
>certain games
Most games won’t support the weird aspect ratios, but the few that do might benefit. Less screen gets blocked by your thumbs, and it’s great for DS/3DS emulation with dual screens.

When it comes to tri-fold phones, it’s a different story. They can open up to proper tablet size and handle 16:9 content better. If the price drops and durability improves, I’d probably grab one. Feels more like you’re getting two devices in one instead of a novelty gimmick.

>>106006349
And my fold has saved me having to boot one up more times I can count when I get someone at 10pm messaging me saying they need me to sign off on some spreadsheet or other, or when I can't use a computer anyway because the company cheaped out post-covid and equipped us with fucking Surface Go tablets with keyboard cases.

Every single folding phone has a measured screen latency that puts the phone close or often above the 100 ms range in total e2e.
Not so serious people buy those.

>>106008019
nah they showed off foldable e ink a couple years ago at a tech show there are devices with it also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3YQQQY2FZs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50AUG3iEqUs

im not fussed about color just think itd be nice to have an ereader and phone in one

>>106007357
you aren't a woman though

>>106001368 (OP)

I do a lot of reading on my phone, including dense technical literature. And my eyesight is poor.

Being able to have the option for a bigger screen when desired is really nice.

I paid $400 for a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, don't regret it at all.

It's basically just a regular phone you have the option of doubling the screen size of, at-will?

>>106008444

Oh, also Samsung DeX is the tits if you're a software wagie.

I have Viture Pro XR glasses I can plug into it via USB-C and use it as a full PC with a huge monitor taking up my entire screen of vision.

just another tech trend. folding sheet of display was and is never a good idea.

A folding sheet of display is an excellent idea, and honestly it's a shame all the use cases are currently limited to just phones.
I want stuff like a regular sized tablet that folds up to a smaller footprint for transport, monitors that unfold to a different aspect ratio like an ultrawide or 4:3, extending a 1440p work monitor out to be a 4k tv, that sort of stuff.
Curved edges to remove bezels is also another thing that was squandered on phones. Put that on a monitor instead.

>>106003673
ALL folding phones are pointless
they ALL lack an sd card slot so theyre ALL GAY AND FAKE
t. razr 2024 owner

>>106003935
>carl had fun
>being jewed with no sd card
>guy who likes music

>>106008303
give me a phone with two e ink screens seaparated by a bezel

>>106008039
imagine working at 10pm

>>106009132
most phones lack sd cards
it sucks

>>106009118
>I want stuff like a regular sized tablet that folds up to a smaller footprint for transport
The "trifold" phones are the closest thing. Huawei has one, Samsung and Xiaomi are working on one too. The current ones with just one fold have a weird aspect ratio when unfolded, but these ones seem like a good phone/tablet hybrid.

>>106007258
So they can spy on you.
>inb4 tinhat
It's about demoralozation at this point. They don't need to see your face 247, but they want to feel like you are being watched.

>>106009277
Healthcare. People don't stop being sick and injured after 5pm.

>>106001368 (OP)
I got a z flip 4 for $300. It fits in my pocket better and it feels cool to flip it closed when im done

>>106008308
It fits better in my pocket than a normal phone because it has a narrower footprint. Idk about why you would want this for a purse. You may as well just get an xl iphone as a woman

>>106001368 (OP)
My problem with the flip or foldable phones is that they are the wrong kind of "folding". I want a phone that folds like a blanket or a napkin. When I want to watch football with the boys in the "man cave" just unfold it to the max beach blanket size and hang it on the wall. When I am with the missus but dont want her to notice me checking my fantasy football league stats, have it folded to the size of a napkin. When I am feeling patriotic or political and want to offend my neighbors, unfold it to the size of flag and strap that baby to my truck for all to see while I make a drive to the local bucees.

>>106001497
I've seen someone using one, dude was a total fag.

i have seen one they really do fold into regular phones

>>106001368 (OP)
>Why do they even exist?
I like my OnePlus Open for remoting into my PC at home while I'm at work or whatever. It's so much better than hauling around a big tablet or using a cramped candy bar phone screen.

>>106001696
That, and once you pass a certain threshold they tend to smack you in the face when you're lying on your back in bed browsing and get a little tired.