Alleged Leaked Images of Samsung's Clamshell-Style Galaxy Fold Appear Online

[Baymowe335]

Nothing wrong with pushing boundaries. That's technology for you. Although it does feel like we're missing a step in that direction. I thought the next "step" in foldables would look like what Microsoft is doing with 2 screens. The mobile phone design indeed has plateaued and we're in a weird transition where people are trying to come up with the next big thing.

This isn't really an example of pushing anything because just changing form factor for the sake of change isn't innovation. This is worse than what we have today.

 

[blcamp]

This seems nothing more than a solution in search of a problem, with which many multiples of the price will be charged and it's durability will be a fraction of the current products which don't have any problem.

Hard, non-folding pass.

 

[RedTheReader]

It is NOT an ipad Mini.
It has a ridiculous plastic display with an horrible line in the middle, and you have to take care not to scratch (or destroy) it while using.

It basically is a poor smartphone while closed, and a poor tablet when opened.
Worst of both worlds.

Oh, I agree that the Fold in its current implementation isn’t ready for prime time. That’s why I went with an iPhone this year instead of the Fold. But I was talking more on what you said about the concept:

Still not convinced foldable are really a good idea (they seem to be a solution to an non existent problem), but this one is much more useful than the first Fold joke, in my opinion.

You were criticizing the concept. I was pointing out how painfully obvious the problem you’re pretending doesn’t exist is: people want an iPad mini sized screen in their pockets, which can’t be achieved without a folding design. That’s not a gimmick, it’s a useful feature. Again, I’m not saying you should want it, I’m saying it doesn’t make sense to not acknowledge why someone else might.

 

[Puppuccino]

I don't see foldable phones ever taking off. At least foldable phones that are just touch screens.

I'm happy to eat my words in a few years time, but right now it seems so gimmicky. Like, we have super thin phones now and the foldable phones are chunkier to accommodate the foldability in them, we're going backwards.

I'm happy with my non-foldable two camera iPhone. Live and let live though, eh?

 

[Kardinal1911]

Meanwhile at Apple...

View attachment 883708

ACTUALLY NO! Not today at Apple

 

[alexandr]

i still think that apple is too smart to go down this road. at least until this direction produces some ok results.

 

[Mousse]

You were criticizing the concept. I was pointing out how painfully obvious the problem you’re pretending doesn’t exist is: people want an iPad mini sized screen in their pockets, which can’t be achieved without a folding design. That’s not a gimmick, it’s a useful feature. Again, I’m not saying you should want it, I’m saying it doesn’t make sense to not acknowledge why someone else might.

A foldable phone with a 8" screen, I want. A foldable phone with a 6" screen...why? I already carry around a 6" phone in my pocket, so why would I want a foldable 6" phone?

Call me when they come up with a phone with a mini-projector built in that I can use in a well lit room. I can brag about having a phone with a 100" screen.

 

[nt5672]

I guess there is a market for a small pocket sized phone like the SE after all, but Apple is too arrogant to listen to its customers. Now Apple will be shamed into releasing an SE sized phone.

All hail Apple the market follower.

 

[Mascots]

My thoughts exactly. I’d appreciate a foldable phone, with an oled touch-bar style ‘Today’ view when closed. I’d happily forgive the mm. thin break between the screens. Might also inspire some fresh UI that takes advantage of the spacing.

I agree but do you remember the notch? The lifting of the status items into the edges is about the simplest and best use of a cutout and even that was lambasted by pundits everywhere for no reason other than "they wanted more screen" and "hated compromise".

 

[tripleburst]

This isn't really an example of pushing anything because just changing form factor for the sake of change isn't innovation. This is worse than what we have today.

You don't see the benefit of having 2 screens? You don't see using your GPS on one screen and seeing your notifications (or other information) on the other? Or one screen the size of a Max but is actually pocketable? If done right, and when they're ready for primetime, I think these aren't trivial things to a lot of people.

The current phone design didn't arrive without detractors and yet here we are.

 

[Baymowe335]

You don't see the benefit of having 2 screens? You don't see using your GPS on one screen and seeing your notifications (or other information) on the other? Or one screen the size of a Max but is actually pocketable? If done right, and when they're ready for primetime, I think these aren't trivial things to a lot of people.

The current phone design didn't arrive without detractors and yet here we are.

In this form factor? No. It's terribly executed and creates all kinds of durability and usability problems. Any detractors of the current design form were just wrong.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

I guess there is a market for a small pocket sized phone like the SE after all, but Apple is too arrogant to listen to its customers. Now Apple will be shamed into releasing an SE sized phone.

All hail Apple the market follower.

Oh, you mean like THIS one?

iPhone SE: Feature List, Reviews, and Advice

The iPhone SE is Apple's prior-generation low-cost iPhone. It has been replaced by the iPhone 16e.

www.macrumors.com

 

[G5isAlive]

You can’t see a single case where an iPad mini sized screen is easier to make use of than an iPhone Max sized screen?

Really?

Yep. And in those cases I reach for my iPad mini. Usually casual light reading for short periods of time. And when I want to do more, then I reach for my iPad Pro.

There have been very few times when I wished the phone in my hand was twice the size.

And I can't imagine I want a floppy iPad creasing in the middle.

But, I do agree there will be some people that do not use their phones that often, and when they do its to make calls and dont mind the extra step of unfolding. So I think that design has merit in a niche world.

The day will come no doubt where I have a small device thats easy to carry that I can just pull out to receive and make calls, but when I want to read a book expands in some fashion and then is rigid but thin. Or it may be some pairing of a watch with glasses. That day is not today.

 

[I7guy]

You don't see the benefit of having 2 screens? You don't see using your GPS on one screen and seeing your notifications (or other information) on the other? Or one screen the size of a Max but is actually pocketable? If done right, and when they're ready for primetime, I think these aren't trivial things to a lot of people.

For this phone to succeed "a lot" of people are going to have to buy it.

The current phone design didn't arrive without detractors and yet here we are.

The "detractors" in your link were not the buying public, similar to a review of a movie or play that the critic got wrong and was a hit. In this case the buying public has to agree it's a concept it wants and the phone will go the distance without breaking.

 

[tripleburst]

In this form factor? No. It's terribly executed and creates all kinds of durability and usability problems. Any detractors of the current design form were just wrong.

I didn't say it was ready or executed correctly to usurp the current design. I'm just saying there's nothing inherently wrong in pushing for this design if done correctly. We are not there yet.

Yep hindsight is 20/20.

 

[BigBoy2018]

I will never understand why would anyone like to make a folding phone today.

Because it possible ... sort of. They’re just trying to come up with the next ‘big thing’.

 

[tripleburst]

For this phone to succeed "a lot" of people are going to have to buy it.

​

Well duh. But seriously, I wasn't talking about this particular phone, I was talking about the future and feasibility of this design. I think foldables aren't ready for the masses. The durability of it is still a big question mark. That's why I think dual screens need to step in first.

​

The "detractors" in your link were not the buying public, similar to a review of a movie or play that the critic got wrong and was a hit. In this case the buying public has to agree it's a concept it wants and the phone will go the distance without breaking.

I'd argue this board isn't representative of the buying public either.

 

[itsmilo]

People who don't have baggy pockets for the humongous phablets phones have turned into?


You mean working like the butterfly mechanism keyboards? 😜

Dunno. The XS Max fits perfectly fine in any of my pants, even „slim fit“ or shorts.

 

[BigBoy2018]

In this form factor? No. It's terribly executed and creates all kinds of durability and usability problems. Any detractors of the current design form were just wrong.

You crack me up baymowe. You rush to apple’s defense at the sniff of anything critical but then find a competitors product horrible before its even released.

Have you ever even considered aiming that critical eye at apple, at least occasionally?

 

[Baymowe335]

I didn't say it was ready or executed correctly to usurp the current design. I'm just saying there's nothing inherently wrong in pushing for this design if done correctly. We are not there yet.

Yep hindsight is 20/20.

That's the whole point though. It's silly to release something that sucks because it's different. Foldable screens have been around a while...but they haven't see a practical use case and releasing this doesn't push that forward.

The throwing stuff out to see if it sticks method isn't appealing to me. Release a product when it's ready. The iPhone was released and is essentially the same form factor now, with improvements of course...but it's basically the same thing even today. That means it was ready. It was great immediately.
[automerge]1576772835[/automerge]

You crack me up baymowe. You rush to apple’s defense at the sniff of anything critical but then find a competitors product horrible before its even released.

Where’s that critical eye when it comes to apple stuff?

Apple is literally the best at releasing products and features that are ready. Look at iPhone. Look at even something like FaceID. Competitors still haven't caught up to FaceID.

These products like the Galaxy Fold and Razr Fold are not doing anything besides creating more problems than before. Apple hasn't been perfect, but they don't just throw something out there just to change it up. When they make a change, the industry changes. Look at FaceID, Watch, AirPods, etc.

 

[I7guy]

Well duh. But seriously, I wasn't talking about this particular phone, I was talking about the future and feasibility of this design. I think foldables aren't ready for the masses. The durability of it is still a big question mark. That's why I think dual screens need to step in first.



I'd argue this board isn't representative of the buying public either.

Imo, this board is more representative of the real world than say, Steve Ballmer. But true about this board where at times it’s an echo chamber.

 

[Bandaman]

Clamshell makes sense, it's the most reasonable and sensible phone style. A shame Samsung keeps beating Apple to the punch these days.

Beating them to the punch at what? Their first folder is literally unusable because it's so fragile. And this new design makes no senes. It's cool Samsung is taking risks, but so far they've been big misses.

 

[samplez]

The amount of hate and jealousy in this thread just makes me lol.

 

[BigBoy2018]

Apple hasn't been perfect, but they don't just throw something out there just to change it up. When they make a change, the industry changes. Look at FaceID, Watch, AirPods, etc.

‘Apple hasnt been perfect’.

Ok, but maybe just my recollection but I cant recall ANYTHING you criticized apple for. But tbh, wouldnt bother to go through your posts to check, so maybe you were slightly displeased with one or two things in the past.

You’re basically saying that apple is the leader and innovator in everything they do: Hmmm, did the industry change to firewire ... or thunderbolt 1 or 2, when apple pushed it? Nope.
Was apple the ones who were at the forefront of the ‘big phone’ movement? Nope, they were about the last to join the club
Was apple right when they decreed in 2013 that the future of pro computer towers would be based on dual gpus?. Nope.
Is the apple tv the leader in streaming boxes? Hardly lol
The list goes on ...

 

[Baymowe335]

‘Apple hasnt been perfect’.

Ok, but maybe just my recollection but I cant recall ANYTHING you criticized apple for. But tbh, wouldnt bother to go through your posts to check, so maybe you were slightly displeased with one or two things in the past.

You’re basically saying that apple is the leader and innovator in everything they do: Hmmm, did the industry change to firewire when apple pushed it? Nope.
Was apple the ones who were at the forefront of the ‘big phone’ movement? Nope, they were about the last to join the club
Was apple right when they decreed in 2013 that pro computer towers would be based on dual gpus?. Nope.
The list goes on ...

I criticized Apple for the FaceTime Bug and said Federighi should be fired for it.

Let's zoom out. Face unlock, current mobile form factor, AirPods, no headphone jack, Apple Watch, Apple Pay, and many more are all being chased/copied by the industry and I things Apple popularized.