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Being the age I am, I’m just old enough to remember flip-phones.

A relatively simple concept that has been on my mind lately for reasons I’ll get to. Widely considered obsolete unless you just want a cheap phone to make calls etc., these phones featured a screen on one side, a keypad on the other, with a hinge joint between the two.

The reason that this device has been dragged back to the front of my brain in recent weeks is because I am reminded of them every time I see this:

To be clear: I’m aware that this foldable iphone is not the first foldable modern smartphone (I know Samsung released them years ago also).

But I’m also left wondering: what is the point? I think I can perfectly understand the use of flip phones as they were when they were popular, but foldable phones I just can’t see the benefit. As far as I can see, these foldable type of phones offer little to no benefit that you couldn’t get from, say a regular iPhone or Samsung phone, in terms of the consumer and how they are used in general life. I get that the hardware/software may be different, but that’s not going to be a factor in most people’s daily lives (you’re not going to care about the type of core, or the screen resolution when you make a phone call, etc.) It seems like it’s more of a gimmick from the companies making them to try and make more sales, but even if that’s the case, the product must have something unique to offer, so what is it about foldable phones that are so unique besides the gimmick of folding?

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[–] RoddyStiggs@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 minutes ago

Fits in my pocket

[–] bassgirl09@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

My motorola razr 2025 is a flip smart phone, and as a lady, it actually fits in the pockets of all my pants. My old non-flip phone did not fit in my pockets. It is common for ladies pockets (if pants even have them) to be less than 1/2 the size of pockets found in mens pants.

[–] LilB0kChoy@reddthat.com 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Solid reasoning but it does treat the symptom rather than the cause, so to speak.

[–] bassgirl09@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

I fully agree. However, most people who design women's clothing will continue to not put functional pockets in them because it does look good. So, I'll do all I can do is continue to buy from brands that actually have functional pockets. It is exhausting. I cannot tell you how many wonderful pants at a good price I have passed up due to either completely fake pockets or pockets so shallow they are only good for a tube of lip balm. My pocket problems aside, I agree that folding phones are quite gimmicky.

[–] LilB0kChoy@reddthat.com 1 points 2 hours ago

Agreed. I learned all about pockets (or lack thereof) early on when my wife and I were dating. I just wish women could have pockets so it didn’t dictate other parts of life as a result.

[–] pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 hours ago

Well I have one for the removable battery

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 4 points 8 hours ago
[–] weps@lemmy.world 6 points 11 hours ago

I often switch to my tablet for reading something on a bigger screen

If I wouldn't have a tablet, a folding phone would be able to provide the bigger screen.

[–] capital_sniff@lemmy.world 14 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

This is middle tech. It is like walking is to speed walking then running. One fold is proof of concept when we get to 3 or 4 folds that's where the magic happens. People watching a video without headphones out in public on a tiny screen, pretty annoying. We are three folds away from someone unfolding a 32" screen to watch their content anywhere also without headphones.

[–] weps@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago

new folding phone concept it's one screen but folds out 2 speakers

[–] lonefighter@sh.itjust.works 12 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I wish they'd bring back slider phones with physical keyboards. Pre-smartphone days I used to have a phone (I don't remember what it was) that was a full touch screen with a physical home and back button on the front and then you flipped it sideways and the back slid down and there was an entire physical keyboard for easy typing/texting. I'm not interested in a folding smartphone, but if they released a slider with an actual keyboard I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I loved that phone and I loved being able to type on the screen with a digital keyboard for quick stuff or flip the keyboard out and use actual keys when I wanted to type a novel of a text message.

[–] softwarist@programming.dev 1 points 11 minutes ago

My first smartphone was a Samsung Epic 4G. I still miss the keyboard sometimes…

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

They can squeeze out higher profit margins if they don’t have to make a physical model variation for each country/language. Think of the shareholders!

[–] Goodlucksil@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 12 hours ago

They don't have to sell multiple variations because they don't have to sell worldwide

[–] Zarobi@aussie.zone 5 points 17 hours ago
[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 10 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Well, if you're my friend's kid, the point is to make it super easy to accidentally shatter the screen when you close it.

[–] ReconciliationTime22128@sh.itjust.works 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago

Yeah, I felt super bad cuz she had her own flip and it was a year or two old at that point, but her kid closed it on a small bit of something and that was enough, apparently.

Definitely doesn't make me want a foldable phone, I'm too damned forgetful and would absolutely fuck up my phone like that.

[–] siravious@lemmy.world 5 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

It’s so assholes on public transport or other public places with absolutely no sense of decency and narcissism that would rival the orange idiot can play videos, or music without headphones. Also, if you’re one of those people, fuck you

[–] Killer@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

But you don't need a folding phone for that?

[–] GatesMcBalmer@lemmy.world 97 points 1 day ago (35 children)

you’re not going to care about the type of core, or the screen resolution when you make a phone call...

It's not really a phone anymore. It's a portable pocket computer. Being able to unfold a larger screen makes sense for a portable pocket computer.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

Yes, this is the answer and it's not that hard to understand.

What is hard to understand is the value proposition. Flips are more expensive for a lower spec device, and they're very unreliable--they're still breaking alot; wouldn't expect more than 2 years out of one.

For most people in the pocket computer market, their needs would be more economically served by a high end phone and a mid tablet, or a high end tablet and mid phone, both items having a naturally longer life than a flip, and will each be used less, and are individually replacable.

All-in-all, flip phones are a fine concept, but at their price point and longevity, they don't make a ton of sense for most people. Just easier to carry a tablet or put up with the smaller screen.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 3 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

Flips are more expensive for a lower spec device

The hell are you talking about? They tend to have roughly the same technical specs as their single-screen counterparts, with the only exception being the camera because of physics.

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[–] TobuscusLover2001@lemmy.zip 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

As someone who's used one before. I can see the benefit. But in order to be useful, it would need to replace something. Right now, the main thing it replaces is tablets. Me personally, I dont care for tablets and its also why i dont like folding phones. Either I do whatever I need to do on my phone or my laptop.

But the more interesting idea is it replacing the laptop. The idea of a singular device being able to run both desktop and mobile apps, makes it a little more intriguing. The closest you can get to this right now is Samsung dex (and I think android 17?). Hopefully in the future though, Linux phones will become more stable and useable. That'd genuinely be amazing.

[–] WorldsDumbestMan@lemmy.today 2 points 15 hours ago

Now we need nuclear battery powered foldable phones.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 day ago (6 children)

It's a full color tablet that fits in your pocket. That comes with huge quality of life improvements displaying PDFs, e-books, comics, spreadsheets, charts, diagrams, videos, etc. Have you ever tried reading a PDF on a phone screen? It sucks.

I've had a fold for a couple years now, and I use the inner screen constantly. If you don't read as much as I do it's probably just a gimmick, but it's great for me.

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[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 43 points 1 day ago (2 children)

No point.

We basically hit the ceiling with phones ten years ago.

There's no way to improve them without a massive shift in technology [think the shift from prop planes to jets]

Now they have to come up with new gimmicks to convince people to upgrade.

It's like 1950's Detroit putting bigger and bigger fins on cars that were basically the same as the 1930's technology.

[–] Cheese_man@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's like oreos. These are the "double stuff" smartphones, haha.

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[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 14 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Bigger screen, smaller pocket size.

They also break easier so you have to buy more phones.

[–] philipp_@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Screen is always protected though and those screens were very easy to scratch.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 5 points 21 hours ago

They can be damaged by dirt getting in the hinge. Iirc, the Pixel fold is the least at risk at an IP68 rating, but other brands tend to be IP4X (the first number is how resistant to particles)

If a piece of sand gets caught in the hinge it can permanently cause the screen to bubble out.

For the record, I've had a Samsung Z Fold the past 2 years without much issue besides the cases and protectors always falling apart within a year. And I'm going to switch to a Pixel Fold soon for Graphene OS

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[–] whiteblacula@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The functionality of a tablet with the portability of a phone. Seems straightforward and practical to me idk

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