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If this is named “tri-fold” after the number of panels (rather than the number of folds), then a two-panel phone with a single fold must be a “bi-fold”, so a regular phone with a single panel is just a “fold”.
 
In order to convey the importance of this story, could someone please explain if this is above or beneath the fold? Or maybe it's in between??? News is simply too complicated these days!
 
Without being cheeky that’s because you have grown up in a world before smartphones
Where as most individuals under 30 have a different mindset
You could very well be right. I grew up long before there was an Internet or any kind of cell phone for that matter. I once had a car phone in the 80’s. Since I’m not under 30, I couldn’t tell you what mindset people that age have regarding screen sizes.

I guess my main point is that with so many devices to choose from these days, I don’t see why more people aren’t using tablets or laptops at home rather than tiny cell phones. When out and about, i can understand it since most people aren’t going to be carrying around anything but a phone, but at home?
 
There's a lot to unfold here...


Interesting form factor, but boy people have a lower bar for ‘barely noticeable’ than me.

I’d like a foldable, but I can’t get past the creases at this point, or the plastic screens.

I wish they’d hurry up and invent folding glass.

I've been owning folds & flips since the 2. The folds you don't notice it at all (except maybe the 4 or 5, can't remember which) But the 2, 6,7 it's nearly invisible when just using the device regularly.

"so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
They ABSOLUTELY should. I've been waiting 7 years for this ever since LG showed off their rollable phone screens then exited the phone market... If Samsung and Huawei don't do it.... who else would? Certainly not apple.

Look I am kind of excited about the idea of a folding iPhone, but this…this is just…wrong.

why? A full 10 inch tablet... IN YOUR POCKET and not thicker than last year's fold 6...which is thinner than most leather bifold wallets. That is a technical and engineering marvel. Please don't tell me you're one of those people that would hinder progress in technology for the sake of... well what? what would be the reason this shouldn't exist exactly?

I will die on this hill. Folding phones are a gimmick, and by the 2030s, companies will start phasing them out. Too expensive for a phone, market share is almost nonexistent after 6 years, people start removing screens from their lives, inner screen will not be used after novelty wears off, watching videos is like watching videos on the Pro Max but with big black bezels, too many points of failure especially with a tri fold. Soon, companies will start a race on who can fold the screen the most, and I don't get why. There are other things they can improve and focus on.

More pixels are never a gimmick. People will always appreciate more screen real-estate People will always appreciate more portability. Thats always been a constant within the tech deltas.

still don't get it. Why should I buy such crap? I am using a premium product with solid and sturdy construction made of premium materials. It's robust enough, dust and water resistant and holds up very well in all situations while looking great. I would go mental if I switched to a hideous piece of crap that costs much higher price, has moving parts, plastic screen with an awful crease, complicated design and lots of things that can qu

This... sounds salty. Phones have ALWAYS had "moving parts" and that's never once been a problem. I think you're just used to slab phones... (or at least iPhones) When android came out, we had flip out keyboards, cameras, all sorts of transforming and fun form factors but now everyone just copies apple and we've lost physical keyboards, removable batteries, physical home buttons, and headphone jacks because of that... we need more innovation. MORE striking and bold creations, not more status quo.. it'll be 20 years soon and not much has changed, frankly we should be a lot further ahead.

The crease is literally invisible with any content on the screen. There's nothing "complicated" about the design... if you can't unfold a bifold pamphlet (or trifold for that matter) I don't think the pamphlet or phone is the problem, but it's user....unless...you're one of those "it's not cool until apple does it" types.

This is a bizarre sentiment to me.
I completely understand why someone would think a foldable phone is not worth the tradeoffs—I don't have one because the tradeoffs aren't worth it to me. But to not be able to understand why some people want them?

A larger screen space is usually a positive on a computing device. A smaller device is usually a positive, if it's something you carry on your person. A folding phone allows you to have a screen that has a bigger area than that of the minimum size of the device.

There are tradeoffs: the device is thicker/heavier than a phone that has a screen the same size as the outer screen. The device is significantly less durable. The inside screen is softer, and maybe not perfectly flat due to the crease.

I have a smaller car, and no desire for a big truck, but I understand why some people want or need trucks.

The fold 7 weighs about the same or even less than some slab phones...plus.. slab phones from 5-6 years ago weighed more than a fold does today... We're we complaining about slab weights back then? The phones are much more durable now than the original fold 1. I'm not sure why people think that they aren't durable. My fold 6, I rocked completely caseless, took it to the beach in Miami... got sand ALL over it...

Had a mini heart attack because I thought i just destroyed my new phone, and I watched as the sand literally ejected itself like little pop-rocks out of the hinge as I opened the phone absentmindedly. It truly is a marvelous design. Even my fold 2 was waterproof despite the low rating.

People remember the disaster that was the fold 1, and don't realize that those issues were fixed literally by the time the fold 2 launched.

Erm….no. These things can be scratched with your fingernails…tablets aren’t going anywhere until the huge number of durability issues are gone

I'm "scratching" my screen with my fingernails as i type this... and as i do every single day because we humans have nails... There's not a single scratch on it... plus even if there was just get a new screen protector. I don't know where you guys get these rumors from but that's just not true. The fold 2-7 are as durable as any other slab phone (minus a few quality issues with the 4 from what I remember.)

at the current compromises foldables require (plastic screens, more prone to failure, worse battery life, super high price), I'm not sure I fault them.
They aren't "plastic" they have a breaking point. Not more prone to failure than any other phone when bent, stepped on, dropped, etc. Battery life is better than most phones in other folds... SAMSUNG's folds have poor battery life because they're still afraid of the note 7 fiasco, not because "it's a foldable".

I urge any of you to just jump into the foldable world to see how it truly changes every day life. It's so convenient reading digital restaurant menus and being able to help others that can't see well or that are elderly be able to order food. (I HATE digital only menus)

or just watching a film. There's a myth that the black bars shrinks the content down to the size of a normal slab phone/ this isn't true. You get nearly a centimeter (or more depending on the comparable phone) of video space.

The fold 2 is still my favorite, because when you unfold it's it's almost a pure rectangle. The fold 6/7 are almost perfect squares so it's awkward.

The Trifold will be a dream come true. a FULL theater experience at the correct aspect ratio, great for books, menus, and other things that you WISH you had a tablet for but can't bring a tablet because lets face it, i'm not shoving one in my pants nor am i digging for it in my bag while on a crowded subway.

pocket. unfold. thumb. done.

My only complaint is that Huawei has essentially 3 form factors and Samsung only has 2 : /

For those wondering about usability and productivity... when websites started supporting mobile devices and when google introduced desktop mode, I essentially stopped using laptops altogether. I would only use them for WORK work, games, and Editing documents like PDFs and whatnot. At some point my phone took over (circa 2012) I didn't even NOTICE it till i went shopping for a laptop in 2019 and realized what a waste of money it was. Samsung Dex also helps when I need those "desktop like" moments which is ever-so-rare.

anyway, thats my 2 cents. Your friendly neighborhood foldy troll
 
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You could very well be right. I grew up long before there was an Internet or any kind of cell phone for that matter. I once had a car phone in the 80’s. Since I’m not under 30, I couldn’t tell you what mindset people that age have regarding screen sizes.

I guess my main point is that with so many devices to choose from these days, I don’t see why more people aren’t using tablets or laptops at home rather than tiny cell phones. When out and about, i can understand it since most people aren’t going to be carrying around anything but a phone, but at home?
I suspect it’s to do with usability of it compared with a MacBook or windows laptop
Regarding a tablet it might come down to what’s the point in purchasing a 2nd device that does pretty much the same thing
Where as it’s easier to sell foldable’s because it 2 form factors in one because my mum has the fold 7 and she like the idea of using it as a normal phone when out and when home she opens it up for content
 
They are innovative regarding not having their phones fall apart.
Hmm I’ve seen few Galaxy Fold 7 reviews (especially JerryRigEverything) and it seems to be tough, quote: “idk what this hinge is made from but I cannot bend it!”.

But while hinge is hard enough, phone lacks proper waterproofing and dust resistance like regular phones. I really doubt Apple solves this issue because no folding phone still has it, probably cannot be done from standpoint of engineering
 
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[…]

For those wondering about usability and productivity... when websites started supporting mobile devices and when google introduced desktop mode, I essentially stopped using laptops altogether. I would only use them for WORK work, games, and Editing documents like PDFs and whatnot. At some point my phone took over (circa 2012) I didn't even NOTICE it till i went shopping for a laptop in 2019 and realized what a waste of money it was. Samsung Dex also helps when I need those "desktop like" moments which is ever-so-rare.

anyway, thats my 2 cents. Your friendly neighborhood foldy troll
My phone is a great consumption device. But when I need to get work done I turn to my desktop. Those 4k monitors, 128 gig memory help get work down as fast as possible. Laptops are a waste, I have two of them. But when I need my desktop I need it. An iPad won’t due.
 
Hmm I’ve seen few Galaxy Fold 7 reviews (especially JerryRigEverything) and it seems to be tough, quote: “idk what this hinge is made from but I cannot bend it!”.

But while hinge is hard enough, phone lacks proper waterproofing and dust resistance like regular phones. I really doubt Apple solves this issue because no folding phone still has it, probably cannot be done from standpoint of engineering
This isn't true. Fold 7 has water and dustproofing. Maybe not quite to slap standards - can't quite recall the ipx or whatever number.
 
Tell me when I can fold a tablet into an origami swan.
1000007030.jpg

That's actually not far off from the first folding screen concept I remember seeing... Back in 2006.
 
My phone is a great consumption device. But when I need to get work done I turn to my desktop. Those 4k monitors, 128 gig memory help get work down as fast as possible. Laptops are a waste, I have two of them. But when I need my desktop I need it. An iPad won’t due.
Most individuals don’t need to get work done
That’s why individuals are wanting foldable phones because of the practicality of it
 
Hmm I’ve seen few Galaxy Fold 7 reviews (especially JerryRigEverything) and it seems to be tough, quote: “idk what this hinge is made from but I cannot bend it!”.

But while hinge is hard enough, phone lacks proper waterproofing and dust resistance like regular phones. I really doubt Apple solves this issue because no folding phone still has it, probably cannot be done from standpoint of engineering
This isn't true, it has water proof and dust resistance rating.. the Fold 1 didn't and fold 2 had extremely low ratings despite real world tests proving that it was durable.
 
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This isn't true. Fold 7 has water and dustproofing. Maybe not quite to slap standards - can't quite recall the ipx or whatever number.
It’s waterproof up to 1.5 meters now unless you do something silly like fall in a pool of water or take it into the ocean on your swim them I’m pretty sure you will be fine
 
In order to convey the importance of this story, could someone please explain if this is above or beneath the fold? Or maybe it's in between??? News is simply too complicated these days!
I suspect the line up would be something like this
Trifold
Fold
Flip
Ultra
Plus
Edge
Standard galaxy
Then you have the A series
 

The current version is now $2500.
well it's about 2800 now for latest one but i mean at launch and for 6 months at least it was priced around 4-5k and samsung fold will be like this at launch too but thats in china. the costs will likely be still very high in US for a global device. over 3k at least is my guess.
 
Most individuals don’t need to get work done? You have a citation for that or is it a generalized opinion based on anecdotal evidence.
There is a reason why most individuals now a days don’t use personal computers compared with smartphones and it’s why foldable & trifold smartphones are where the innovation is in mobile right now because that’s where the market is
 
I’ve had a foldable as my second device past two years and this year swapped to one as my primary, from my iPhone (been using iPhones since the original). I won’t go back to a traditional slab phone. The flexibility of having a large screen in a form factor comparable to a large slab style phone is wonderful. Multi tasking is far more functional. Actual useful ‘AI’ tools is icing on the cake.

The reaction I get from regular consumers watching me open my phone is always enjoyable. When I let them hold it and show just a few of the things it’s capable off, most express interest in trying one. It’s still early days for the foldable form factor as regular consumers are just starting to see them in real life.

I’m hoping the rumors that Apple has their version coming out next year are true because I still generally prefer iOS and I’d love to see Apple’s take on the foldable phone. Otherwise I won’t be switching back to iOS anytime soon.
I found it easy to criticize folding phones till I bought my Z Fold7. The experience has opened my mind up to the benefits of this form factor.

Formerly critical of the crease, it’s just different and no longer something even noticeable. The pros of this phone are many.

Because I have always carried an Android and iPhone for work requirements, I still get to use my iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The Z Fold7 isn't a substitute for either of my iPads either as they too have their own unique purposes.

I look forward to the Folding iPhone as my personal preference leans toward iOS.
 
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So, if bifold and trifold don't convince people to buy... how about a quadfold? Just keep going, eventually it'll sell
 
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