Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Good question. I don't understand this one at all. If you get a lot of messages, having to open something up to just to see if the notification is important would be a total pain. I'd also be afraid of getting one due to the failure rates of the constant folding.
If you read this whole thread there are reasons. And fwiw, I don't have to unfold my razr to check messages.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
I love that series. What I want most from those phones is when they just flick their phone screen onto another larger screen close to it. Why can't we have that yet? Seems like something that would be easily doable.

That exists and is called AirPlay Mirroring.

If you want the larger screen to be interactive, things like Samsung Dex exist.
 
hilariously it's almost always the same naysayers "who would ever want that!". and they always come out of the woodworks to say that when ever it's a non-apple product.

The Second apple announces the same thing

"Greatest invention ever!"


these forums are so fun to watch the flip flopping hypocritical comments by people who clearly don't evidence any critical thinking skills

Or maybe it’s that Apple waits until they find a way to do it well.
 
Or maybe it’s that Apple waits until they find a way to do it well.

yes, but that's a subjective opinion.

I can tell you there are things Apple has waited on that have NOT been done well. Also subjective.

simple fact of the matter is that these forums do have both Hate crews and fanboys. and both are hilarious because they don't seem to care about reality and make really stupid comments like we see in this thread
 
One of the things I don’t get about foldable phones is the aspect ratio. A phone with a traditional aspect ratio will unfold into a square…why would I want that? Alternatively, I think Samsung has a very narrow phone that unfolds into something closer to a traditional aspect ratio, but what’s the point of compromising the quality of the screen for something that offers nothing that a regular phone doesn’t do better?
 
Samsung is ramping up for 6-7 million this time around, that's getting close to Note sales. Granted it's still a niche product, and may always be a niche product like the Note series, but still enough to garner a profit and also advance a stale market.

Just curious... is that 6-7 million per quarter? Or per year?

Because Samsung sold 250 million smartphones in 2020.

Remember that the bulk of Samsung's smartphone sales are of the ~$250 variety.

So you're right... their (expensive) Folding phones will still be a niche for a while.

:)
 
One of the things I don’t get about foldable phones is the aspect ratio. A phone with a traditional aspect ratio will unfold into a square…why would I want that? Alternatively, I think Samsung has a very narrow phone that unfolds into something closer to a traditional aspect ratio, but what’s the point of compromising the quality of the screen for something that offers nothing that a regular phone doesn’t do better?

I didn't know that a "regular" phone can offer 7"+ dispalys in a device that's smaller.

that's the benefit. Having a pocketsized phone that if you need larger real-estate, can fold out into a 7-10" tablet.

Id consider it myself once they get refined. I'm a small phone fan, but do have times where you need the larger screen. I love my iPhone 12 MIni, but if I could magically unfold it from a 4.7" display to an 8" display (even squared) for those few times I'm in apinch, life would be easier.
 
Good question. I don't understand this one at all. If you get a lot of messages, having to open something up to just to see if the notification is important would be a total pain. I'd also be afraid of getting one due to the failure rates of the constant folding.
The Z fold has a fully functional screen on the outside, you don't have to open the phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
Not always #keyboardgate #touchbar #stupidmousechargingdesign #trashcanmacpro

I think the more accurate assessement would be

"Apple doesn't implement something until they can assure it works reasonably well and profitable"

I bet there are a lot of products that have gone through Apple's R&D that got nixed because it wasn't "profitable enough" or the margins weren't large enough so it was nixed. Even if it was something users would like.

(Remember the old Airport Extremes? there was allegedely near zero profit on those... yet they were generally loved as near zero touch apple compatible routers... why was it killed? Cause there's enough evidence that Apple bases sales direction on just how much profit margin they can earn)
 
  • Like
Reactions: icolove
I think the more accurate assessement would be

"Apple doesn't implement something until they can assure it works reasonably well and profitable"

I bet there are a lot of products that have gone through Apple's R&D that got nixed because it wasn't "profitable enough" or the margins weren't large enough so it was nixed. Even if it was something users would like.

(Remember the old Airport Extremes? there was allegedely near zero profit on those... yet they were generally loved as near zero touch apple compatible routers... why was it killed? Cause there's enough evidence that Apple bases sales direction on just how much profit margin they can earn)

That's probably a huge part of it yes. Whereas Samsung can offset volume and margin challenges with OEM manufacturing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LordVic
Good question. I don't understand this one at all. If you get a lot of messages, having to open something up to just to see if the notification is important would be a total pain. I'd also be afraid of getting one due to the failure rates of the constant folding.
Why would you have to open it to see the notification? For the folding part these have been extensively tested, the Fold 1 can easily handle 120,000 folds, and that test was deemed to be much more brutal than what it would go through with a consumer. https://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-fold-folding-test-shows-durability-2019-10 Samsung's testing puts it closer to 200,000 folds, which makes sense because the former test is slamming the phone open and shut for hours at a time, which wouldn't be typical consumer behavior. The Fold 2 has many improvements to the hinges durability, and I'd expect the Fold 3 to further improve. But taking the lowest common denominator, the 120,000 figure, even at folding it 50-60 times it will still last you 5 years. Bless you if you keep your phone for 5 years, but mine will be long sold after 1 year. Even 30 folds/day is reasonable, that nets you 10 years.

Once again I wish some would stop extrapolating their opinion on the durability with the phone without most likely having ever even used it, it's quite durable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
That exists and is called AirPlay Mirroring.

If you want the larger screen to be interactive, things like Samsung Dex exist.

Oh I didn't realize that, so I can go into any strangers house and just flick my screen towards their TV and it would instantly start playing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: icolove
Just curious... is that 6-7 million per quarter? Or per year?

Because Samsung sold 250 million smartphones in 2020.

Remember that the bulk of Samsung's smartphone sales are of the ~$250 variety.

So you're right... their (expensive) Folding phones will still be a niche for a while.

:)

I believe that's per year, where the Note series is closer to 10 million. Their projected sales is an exponential increase of the previous generations so it shows a growing market. Again, as I said before, the foldable phone may well remain a niche market like the Note series. I still believe that shrinking phones will eventually supplant the market, but they may not be "foldable" phones. Nothing wrong with being niche, it still makes Samsung a profit, and at least they are trying to advance what is a pretty stale smartphone market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Michael Scrip
Oh I didn't realize that, so I can go into any strangers house and just flick my screen towards their TV and it would instantly start playing?
Will also depend on the TV and what it supports.

I think LG and Samsung's models since 2019 have now gotten built in airplay and AppleTV support. I've got it now on my Samsung TV, but never tried the "flick" method. just tap the "share" button and choose the TV I want to display on. (Similar behaviour to using chromecasts)

However, the TV based apps are a bit buggy and not all Apple streamign services seem to work. I cannot get Apple Music to stream to my TV. just shows a blank box instead of album art and won't start playback
 
Will also depend on the TV and what it supports.

I think LG and Samsung's models since 2019 have now gotten built in airplay and AppleTV support. I've got it now on my Samsung TV, but never tried the "flick" method. just tap the "share" button and choose the TV I want to display on. (Similar behaviour to using chromecasts)

However, the TV based apps are a bit buggy and not all Apple streamign services seem to work. I cannot get Apple Music to stream to my TV. just shows a blank box instead of album art and won't start playback

I was being facetious, for the record the original post was wishing functionality seen on The Expanse which is a sci fi series. I fully am aware of airplay, samsung dex, etc, I use Smart View with my Fold 2 and my LG TV's all the time. But the implementation is still clunky on all of those systems, definitely not like it's pictured in the referenced show. On the show you also have a fully gesture based system, no having to mess around with an external remote, or using the smartphone as a mouse/display.
 
I can tell you there are things Apple has waited on that have NOT been done well.

Yes, no doubt.

Who knows. It could just be that Apple thinks this can’t be done well. And so far, they’d be right.

simple fact of the matter is that these forums do have both Hate crews and fanboys. and both are hilarious because they don't seem to care about reality and make really stupid comments like we see in this thread

You can just ignore them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NetMage
I bet MacRumors loves posting these types of stories because it definitely engages both the pro and against folding device folks. One thing I’ll comment on, that multiple people who have been pro-fold, is that just because Samsung (or Apple for that matter) can make something [like a foldable phone], doesn’t mean that they should.

You can currently buy a smart watch, smart phone, tablet, laptop and desktop, where each can do what the others can, just expanding on the scale and performance as you go up in size. So a folding phone is an alternative to a smart phone and tablet. It doesn’t address a Watch sized device, or a laptop or desktop sized display.

And it will work for people where a single device may be the only product they have. If you’re used to using an iPad Pro 12.9”, having a folding iPhone (or Samsung) that has a screen twice the size of the Pro Max, for example, would be less than half the size of the iPad Pro, so it’s really more of an iPhone / iPad mini device. How many iPad minis, or mini Android tablets are sold each year (I’m assuming it’s a really low number)? That should give you a good indication of why making a phone turn into a mini tablet isn’t a great idea, or at least an idea that will be embraced and used by the majority of consumers. It may be a great product for several sectors of industry, retail and healthcare, where that pocketable device can be expanded to show more data on-screen.

If someone, like me, currently uses an iPhone and a 12.9” iPad Pro, having a folding iPhone isn’t resolving any issue. What I’ve actually come to realize is that I’m spending far more time on my 12.9” iPad Pro and not on my iPhone Pro Max, and will downgrade to either a standard pro model or even the iPhone mini just to further minimize what gets stuffed into my pockets and used more as a phone and camera, than an everything internet device. At some point in the future, I can see getting rid of the iPhone altogether, and living / working using my Watch and iPad Pro, if Apple can make the Watch a better standalone product.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kc9hzn and icolove
it was just a retort to your comment that they don't always make the right call.
I bet MacRumors loves posting these types of stories because it definitely engages both the pro and against folding device folks. One thing I’ll comment on, that multiple people who have been pro-fold, is that just because Samsung (or Apple for that matter) can make something [like a foldable phone], doesn’t mean that they should.

You can currently buy a smart watch, smart phone, tablet, laptop and desktop, where each can do what the others can, just expanding on the scale and performance as you go up in size. So a folding phone is an alternative to a smart phone and tablet. It doesn’t address a Watch sized device, or a laptop or desktop sized display.

And it will work for people where a single device may be the only product they have. If you’re used to using an iPad Pro 12.9”, having a folding iPhone (or Samsung) that has a screen twice the size of the Pro Max, for example, would be less than half the size of the iPad Pro, so it’s really more of an iPhone / iPad mini device. How many iPad minis, or mini Android tablets are sold each year (I’m assuming it’s a really low number)? That should give you a good indication of why making a phone turn into a mini tablet isn’t a great idea, or at least an idea that will be embraced and used by the majority of consumers. It may be a great product for several sectors of industry, retail and healthcare, where that pocketable device can be expanded to show more data on-screen.

If someone, like me, currently uses an iPhone and a 12.9” iPad Pro, having a folding iPhone isn’t resolving any issue. What I’ve actually come to realize is that I’m spending far more time on my 12.9” iPad Pro and not on my iPhone Pro Max, and will downgrade to either a standard pro model or even the iPhone mini just to further minimize what gets stuffed into my pockets and used more as a phone and camera, than an everything internet device. At some point in the future, I can see getting rid of the iPhone altogether, and living / working using my Watch and iPad Pro, if Apple can make the Watch a better standalone product.

I use excel a lot and having a folding phone has been amazing. I love not having to bring a laptop everywhere I go... sure I can use Excel on a normal phone, but the experience with a folding phone is so much better (I also do a bunch of other things that the big screen makes much easier). It's not for everyone, but we do exist out there.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.