Latest Foldable Smartphones Experiencing Failures and Durability Issues

[Neodym]

let’s make a folding car! Not that it would help anyone actually use their car, but I bet we could make one. Let’s do this!!

Actually there have been concepts and even prototypes iirc. The benefit would have been to save space when a car is parked in a crowded city, while offering more room when in use. But the added effort for the required mechanic seemed not to be worthwhile.
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Remember when the 3D display was trying to become a thing? And it didn't? I feel this is a similar attempt.

3D displays suffered from lack of truly 3D movies. Due to cost, film studios preferred a computer-generated 3D version (from a 2D source), so most 3D movies were underwhelming. Plus - some people reported problems with stereoscopic viewing, giving them headaches. Technology probably could've been developed further to minimize these problems, but no-one saw a point really, as there was nearly no (good) content.

After viewing few of the really good 3D movies, I would really love that technology make another attempt to establish itself in the mainstream, as it makes movies so much more immersive! It's like going from mono audio to stereo. Maybe in 10 years ...

 

[Michael Scrip]

Just had flashbacks of Steve saying this about 7” tablets.

Steve had a point, though.

Those 7" tablets had 16:9 screens. They were very narrow in portrait, and very short in landscape. It was the worst of both worlds.

But when Apple decided to enter the small tablet market... the iPad's 4:3 aspect ratio gave you more screen real estate in both orientations.

And let's not forget about tablet apps on Android. They were literally blown-up phone apps 99% of the time... especially back then.

I'm sure Android tablet apps are better today... but the narrow screen and lack of decent tablet apps made Steve's statement understandable at the time.

 

[Kabeyun]

Actually there have been concepts and even prototypes iirc. The benefit would have been to save space when a car is parked in a crowded city, while offering more room when in use. But the added effort for the required mechanic seemed not to be worthwhile.

Precisely my point, thanks. (Replace “car...parked...city” with “phone...put...pocket”.) And like foldy phone makers, these foldy car makers meant well and sort of had a reason.

 

[Phone Junky]

I have yet to see the fascination with a folding phone. What benefit does this offer me over a standard bar-style phone that we've seen since the original iPhone?

I dunno. Maybe since the phones now are huge compared to the original iPhone. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Winni]

I keep saying that these foldable phones are DOA. I don't understand why are companies chasing this nonsense. The idea is stupid, lets move on

Can we quote you when have purchased a foldable Apple iPhone in the future?

Because, as always, this is exactly what's going to happen: Apple doesn't have it now, so it must be useless technology. Then Apple licenses the technology (and claims that they have "totally invented" it), and all of a sudden everybody buys it and boasts it's the best thing since the invention of sliced bread.

I remember when Apple was publicy laughing at phones bigger than 3.5". Now look at what they sell you. And what you all buy - especially those who back then claimed they never wanted to use a large phone.

 

[TopherMan12]

Hmmm, so a protective plastic layer that cannot be removed. Got it. Thanks.

 

[Winni]

This design is being rushed and skipped the baby steps. The logical first step in the evolution of foldables should have been dual screens.

There is a company in Redmond, Washington - called Microsoft - who have actually announced - and shown! - one of those...

 

[TopherMan12]

There is a company in Redmond, Washington - called Microsoft - who have actually announced - and shown! - one of those...

Dual screen is better solution than foldable screen, imo. Just more practical and less risky. I'd be nervous every time I opened a foldable screen.

 

[davester]

Another Samsung uncooked dinner. Laughable!!!

 

[Fanboi4life]

The only people benefitting financially from the hype are the You Tube influencers trying to make foldable smartphones happen.

Not today Flossy Carter, not today...

 

[mattopotamus]

This design is being rushed and skipped the baby steps. The logical first step in the evolution of foldables should have been dual screens.

That is a good point. We already have glass backs, why not work on making the back a screen. Then again, I don't know how useful a back display would be. How many people would flip their phone to obtain information.

 

[cardfan]

Can we quote you when have purchased a foldable Apple iPhone in the future?

Because, as always, this is exactly what's going to happen: Apple doesn't have it now, so it must be useless technology. Then Apple licenses the technology (and claims that they have "totally invented" it), and all of a sudden everybody buys it and boasts it's the best thing since the invention of sliced bread.

I remember when Apple was publicy laughing at phones bigger than 3.5". Now look at what they sell you. And what you all buy - especially those who back then claimed they never wanted to use a large phone.

Apple wasn’t laughing. They simply couldn’t do it. iOS was pretty restrictive at first to 3.5” 3:2 aspect ratio. To go bigger instantly couldn’t be done really.

While a folding tablet could be interesting I don’t really need that in a phone. Durability remains number one. I remember the palm days still. Screen quality number two.

The Samsung flip lol phone was a joke from start without even seeing in person. Low specced. Low durability. Price tag out of sight. Looks like a makeup kit made for tweeners who can’t afford it.

That’s not say apple doesn’t have their head up their you know what. The services push is degrading experience. iOS is turning into adware. It’s not nearly as bad as a Samsung bloatware special but not good.

 

[Digital Skunk]

It's a nice concept tech. It's nice to think about having a small device that can become a mini-tablet, and I was surprised and excited to see it out so soon.

But even with the first models last year I was skeptical if it would truly take off. The rebirth of the flip phone is about 90% of where I see this being useful.

All in all, I'm glad someone is at least ironing out the wrinkles so that the next generation of models will be better.

 

[Seuck]

Are we facing a case where "a very small percentage" of foldable phones got broken?

 

[IIGS User]

Gimmick.

Big Fruit should focus on evolving their current line up and software software SOFTWARE.

Smart phones are reaching the point of commoditization. The software will be what sets Apple apart.

 

[WSFerige]

When a napkin unfolds into a TV, I'm sure we'll all be astounded. In the mean time, this is a completely unnecessary feature being implemented for the sake of implementing something new.

 

[akbarali.ch]

Foldable phones are change for the sake of change. It doesn’t add ease of use or anything of value.

What you saying is true for this form factor, but I don't think it's true for Galaxy Fold. Galaxy Fold is a truly useful device, a must-have (obviously not the current iterations/generation, it needs to mature). There are so many instances where I wished the screen was big enough. For e.g, while opening a pdf/docs sent by clients which sometimes have large document size, panning left/right is pain, while going over the photos I took last night, want to view/sort/delete unwanted while I'm traveling, while having a video chat with family.......on and on, usefulness list is way too long. I wish Apple's version of Galaxy fold is rock solid.....and is reasonably priced.
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For Samsung this is not first Gen

Don't get confused with generation of the phone with generation of the Folding display. The phone tech of these foldable are several generations old, but the display tech is still gen1 or maybe lower as these are not working at all, so at max, we can call them prototype 1.

Edit -- When i said several generation old, i meant phone tech have past several generations/iteration. I didn't mean to say this phone has several generation old tech inside.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Even if they functioned perfectly, it's a stupid and useless idea.

 

[Justanotherfanboy]

3D displays suffered from lack of truly 3D movies. Due to cost, film studios preferred a computer-generated 3D version (from a 2D source), so most 3D movies were underwhelming. Plus - some people reported problems with stereoscopic viewing, giving them headaches. Technology probably could've been developed further to minimize these problems, but no-one saw a point really, as there was nearly no (good) content.

After viewing few of the really good 3D movies, I would really love that technology make another attempt to establish itself in the mainstream, as it makes movies so much more immersive! It's like going from mono audio to stereo. Maybe in 10 years ...

Lol, I’ve never heard this ridiculous bs line of nonsense excuse for the failure of consumer 3D before!
Is this the new hubris those foolish enough to throw money at this fad are now espousing? Wow. How sad & embarrassingly cringe-worthy.
For those interested in a less fantasy-driven take on the situation; 3D televisions failed because the tech was TERRIBLE. There were 2 competing technologies that were hyper-confusing to consumers. It wasn’t even like each company chose a path- some companies were trying both. Active 3D required gimmicky $100 pairs of battery powered clunky glasses to be worn, as they “flickered” on your face. They dimmed the overall picture. Passive 3D halved the 1080p signal, as each eye got a 1/2 resolution image on its “turn” to see.
It was an ungainly mess w/ a high price tag & issues that were never bothered to be addressed, because it was such a money pit.
To be clear: the failure of this fad to take off can NOT be punted off on the studios. It had nothing to do with not enough 3D content being available.

 

[adamski23]

Disappointing - I was hoping these were ready for prime time and successful. I'm still holding out hope that apple will one day release their variant to add to the iphone line.

 

[5232152]

So, a cutting edge product has failures? Obviously. And I am happy that Samsung, unlike Apple, actually dare to take risks. Apple is turning into a boring money machine that just don't care about moving boundaries.

 

[Fender2112]

I hope this fad soon passes.
Foldable screens - it's just not right.

I can't think of any man-made material that doesn't crease, break or other deform when folded.

 

[Jim Lahey]

Passive 3D halved the 1080p signal...

Which became a non-issue when 4K upscaling and video processing was able to make the image as sharp as 1080p. 4K OLED passive 3D, with the right content, is glorious. Virtually full brightness, zero flicker and zero cross-talk. With a touch of added motion interpolation if desired, the 3D image from the very last 4K OLED sets was very, very good. It's just a shame that so few consumers ever saw it.

I do agree that active and early passive sucked, but it's a little more nuanced than you believe.

 

[paulypants]

"Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD."

 

[xgman]

I think this whole folding idea needs to go to the back of the rack and move on... At least with regard to folding the screen itself. Some things are just not meant to be.