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Other A Foldable iPhone will Flop
- Thread starter Pbwallstreet
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I do agree with almost everything you just wrote here about AVP.
I’m also a tech nerd, had VR headset and after the novelty factor wore off (less than a week) I almost never touched it. My friend’s kids loved it when visiting me (that is until motion sickness set in).
I also would have agreed with you on foldables 4 or 5 years ago. But technology advanced a lot in the mean time and the drawback are much less now then say 2020.
And lets not forget that at the very beginning smartphones were a big compromise.
Bigger, much heavier and with significantly worse battery than the contemporary feature phones. And the OSes were absolutely rudimentary and a pain to use (just remembering Windows CE gives me headaches). But things were not standing still, the smartphone got more and more capable and although battery life and heft never challenged old phone (say Nokia 6310i) the benefit hugely outweighted the objective drawbacks and here we are almost everyone on this planet has one.
Almost everyone does have a smartphone, you’re right. This raises an important issue. It will be very difficult to unseat the traditional smartphone with a convertible design just like it’s difficult to unseat a desktop operating system and desktop or laptop computer with convertible versions. The reason is simple: there isn’t enough value to someone for a convertible device for them to bother.
I'll definitely buy an apple foldable, whether its first gen one is a different matter, most likely from 2nd gen onwards. Hope they can get a good IPXX rating like the new pixel fold
Totally agree. But 20 some years ago every one had a desktop and a dumb/feature phone. Today not so.
Lets agree that in the near future (3-5 years) foldables won’t be anything but a niche. Afterwards … who knows?
I think it depends upon whether or not folding screens are ever improved enough to be on par with our existing glass screens. The current screens are atrocious and will continue to be a non-starter for many.
Essentially you’re right. I won’t say that the screen is atrocious, I am a Galaxy Fold 4 owner but it is clear that there is a long(ish) way for the foldables to contest the position occupied by slab phones today. Will it ever happen? I honestly don’t know.
If Apple doesn’t release a fold this coming cycle I’m out. When androids start to look cool and Apple basically hasn’t done their typical “we’re not first, but we perfected it” move…..it may be time to go. Been hanging around for 17ish years. I don’t want to carry two devices when there are modern solutions
Good call. You should leave Apple now, why wait? Because you want things that look cool...
Can you DM at that point in the future when you buy a $2500 Apple Fold and then 2 months later realize that you don't use it unfolded and want to sell it? I'll offer you $173 for it at that point.
As we have now a competitor for AVP, the Samsung Galaxy XR, i think it will be a flop although it cost half the price of the AVP.
Never mentioned anything about “looking cool” for the sake of showing off. The conclusion of what I wrote, which is the last sentence. I’d like a device that is a hybrid of a small ipad and phone…..for function.
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There’s no way you’re not trolling at this point. I said it in my original post. “I don’t want to carry two devices.” Translation: I’d like to carry one.
Not trolling. Getting to the "Why" of something in product management is difficult but a central part of how products are developed.
I appreciate your position... you don't want to carry two devices. That's a valid use case on paper. I want to go further though. Why don't you want to carry two devices? I'll play this out...
I'm assuming you, the User, has a bag. And you carry other things in that bag. And you travel or commute or whatever. If you already have a bag with stuff in it, then it isn't an issue to have a thin slate device like an iPad in there.
But if say... you don't want to have a bag... then you have more of a use case when it comes to an all in one device...
But why do you want an "all in one device"? What is that doing for you? And when is it doing that for you?
For instance, let's assume that you want a larger screen to consume content (view social media posts, shop online...). And you also want to do productivity: create content for social media, or even create and edit documents and presentations and videos and images. Will a folded out smartphone serve these use cases for you in comparison to a dedicated tablet and/or dedicated smartphone?
Content creation, for instance, on a dedicated tablet will generally be better in many ways... particularly that it's an "all in one" device as a tablet and laptop with magic keyboard, multi-tasking operating system, precise 1 pixel input with trackpad, Pencil input and multi-touch... content creation is still possible on a smartphone but a larger screen is nice.
The folded out smartphone will not have many of the power features that the dedicated tablet will have. If you want a keyboard, mouse, etc. for it you will need to carry those completely separately. And the software will have some limitations due to screen size, power constraints, etc.
The screen will also be smaller than even the smallest iPad Mini, and its aspect ratio somewhat boxy.
One handed use is also generally not happening when the smartphone is folded out.
And then the Why... about why does a large screen smartphone needs to fold out... particularly as the web and mobile apps are mature in their design for a smartphone screen.
People gravitate to what is easy and efficient in many respects. Smartphones are easy and efficient. A folded out smartphone is going to have to compete with a dedicated smartphone for your attention and use as it will also have to compete with dedicated tablets. It has to be better in a number of ways or it won't get used much.
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I miss my folding phones, I have had a bunch of razrs and switched to the air this year. It does matter.. it folds in such a tiny space it us like a wallet and you can carry it much easier then it sticking out your back pocket. You never worry about it falling out your pocket like slab phones. I miss that.. I don’t miss the questionable durability though. Every one I have had has lasted about three years and something breaks.
Is there even demand for foldable phones away from the tech community? I never see anyone using one in public & I don’t know anyone who owns or even wants one, wether they use a Samsung, iPhone or whatever.
My experience as well. On paper, foldables have less than 2% global marketshare of the smartphone market. Actual usage stats (how many sold are sitting collecting dust) is difficult to come by.