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World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia
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By no means Apple is so far perfect. But longevity wise, nobody beats Apple. Even after your iPhone being left out and cut off major updates, Apple still gives you minor security updates and improvements for the latest iOS it's available on.
So that's like 5-6 years of major iOS update along with 3-4 extra for minor patches. Not bad for vintage phones.
Agreed, its boring now with the releases "its the fastest, the most powerful iPhone ever", well of course it is, its the newest. Who is going to buy the newest iPhone if it's slower and not as powerful as the current release? I like my iPhone and Apple products overall but iPhone announcements are all about "new chip", more camera stuff and bigger screen.
These foldable devices reinforce the absurdity of the EU or other government entities telling tech what connection protocols, etc. should be used. Innovation of thin devices is now impaired by the EU's USB-C requirement.All those commenters here who cheered on the EU forcing corps to use USB-C should be ashamed of themselves. Innovation of thin devices is now impaired by the EU's USB-C requirement.
Often users do not want dramatic changes. E.g. photogs mostly hate it when Nikon moves around the controls on new models. I feel the same way about my phone as about my Nikons: do not change things unless you have a damn good reason. Boring is good.
Internet wags always want cutesey new changes but y'all are in the minority.
Despite the title of the article, this phone is not available in Europe. So there is no reason why it is obliged to use USB-C or one needs to assume USB-C limited its design.
I am not in favor of governments regulating tech like this EU example, but why do we need a port on a foldable phone?
I preordered the find n5 16/512gb model. Paid around $1300usd and will come with a free stylus. I’m used to the pro max so this being the first foldable to come close to its size and weight is what sealed the deal for me. The new Oppo watch has 5 day battery, blood pressure monitoring and a titanium bezel and is $250 with the phone.
An iPhone 14 Pro Max weighs 240g, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is only 2 grams lighter than the foldable N5! My Samsung Fold6 is also technically lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Most foldables nowadays, including the N5, use UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass).
The crease on my Fold6 is less noticeable than my previous Fold4, but it was never an issue even on the Fold4. I have been spoiled by the benefits of foldables and ditched my 12.9" M1 iPad Pro. I can't imagine going back to a regular slab phone again, it would feel so restrictive and limiting.
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The problem with the iPhone example was that Steve Jobs was replacing a cheaper product with a more expensive one (eg: moving iPod users to iPhones). It's easy to take the high road, when doing so costs you nothing.
The best example I can think of is that iPhones are now more durable, and generally just last longer.
Perhaps part of this is simply Apple's response to a very real phenomenon in the smartphone market - that people are generally holding on to their phones longer and not upgrading as often. iPhones are fairly durable, get 6 years of software updates, and it's now easier to have your battery replaced (further extending its longevity). Where people used to buy a new iPhone every 2 years like clockwork, it is not uncommon now to hold on to your iPhone for 3, 4, even 5 years.
So Apple is fine with selling fewer iPhones if it means retaining their existing user base (and because they have plenty of ways to monetise their user base). Ironically, Apple continues to be increasingly profitable despite this move towards cannibalising iPhone sales, so they clearly know something many other don't.
I don't know about you, but if I knew my folding phone was breaking every 2 years, why would I continue to buy one from the same manufacturer?
It could be one of 2 scenarios.
1) Apple really does plan to release a folding phone in the future, but feel it's not ready yet (eg: screen is still too fragile).
2) Apple really has no plans for one, because they don't believe it makes for a good user experience. There are plenty of things that they don't make which people want, and that's fine. Apple can't be everything to everybody. They pick and choose the experience they want users to have, and if you want something they can't or won't give, then it's just too bad.
It would be so funny if Apple actually released an iPhone without a charging port just to show a middle finger to the whole usb-c regulation.
I am not familiar with the exact wording of that ruling though. Does it state that all smartphones must have a charging port (that is also usb-c), or that the port is optional (just that it has to be usb-c if one is included?)
As long as the money equals the same as selling one iPad Pro and one iPhone Pro Max, Tim would do it. But to me that isn’t cannibalization at all. Tim has a duty to shareholders who he obviously sees and cares about far more than all the other stakeholders in the Apple ecosystem. Customers have been raked. Employees get the shaft. If you’re not an executive, you get a horrible deal. Suppliers get shaft. All the rest is marketing.
So where the money is that equals more money (in total profits) from less products Tim would go there. But to get $2,200 for a foldable iPad that works as an iPhone too is about where I see that number being. It’s not going to come in less than that. iPhone sales are down annually now.
To me the 16e isn’t a good buy unless someone wants specifically Apple Non Intelligence by ChatGPT, and they can’t afford $200 extra, I guess. I mean I don’t even think kids would want it due to the notch. No MagSafe? Missing cameras but I guess it does the blue bubbles.
I still believe the whole point people should have is longevity. This is strange coming from someone who had every iPhone model until 15 Pro Max. The thing is I am just done with Apple. I don’t want 40 devices that work great together from one company; I want my devices to work together in nonproprietary tech from any company I want to buy them from - this is anticompetitive and Tim’s AAPL is the focus of rob from the poor to ensure the wealthy get wealthier. I want one device that does it all. And Tim sure missed the mark with the Vision Pro. The problem there is the tech is not there yet. External battery packs and a heavy system that sits on face and etc. They should have been working on AI themselves as when Steve was alive they introduced Siri. They should fix that and worked on that. Instead it was Apple Car and Vision Pro that squandered billions. If they truly cared about privacy, ChatGPT wouldn’t be Apple Non Intelligence.
I couldn’t disagree more strongly with your thoughts about Tim Cook.
See my follow up post about cannibalization - the ROI turns around real quickly even at $2000. Which is why I think you’re wrong about Tim Cook - if all he cared about was profits they would have released a crappy foldable by now. I suspect Apple is leaving money on the table every year they don’t release a foldable.
I think normal users don’t care about the extra cameras and definitely don’t care about MagSafe. Do people like us who post on MacRumors care? Absolutely. But people my dad and brother who don’t care about tech would certainly want to save the $200.
I'll just leave this right here. From my Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
This was for testing purposes only of course. I typically average 1 to 1.5 hours of screen time per day.
Please post a redacted receipt for your pre-order purchase of the Find N5 for $1300 USD, from a legitimate seller.
An 11" or 13" iPad Pro is not fitting in my pants pocket, even if it could fold in half.
Then try tri-folding phone. Not from Apple, obviously. As usual, Apple is years behind other vendors.