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Foldable phones are coming

editor said:
It doesn't have to "enormous" but I imagine there's more than a few punters who's like a Galaxy Note sized screen in a package that's half the size.
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I would perhaps like this.

But it's not what we'll get. We'll get an IMAX sized screen in a package the size of a Galaxy Note.

No one wants to make small phones anymore :(
 
Fez909 said:
I would perhaps like this.

But it's not what we'll get. We'll get an IMAX sized screen in a package the size of a Galaxy Note.

No one wants to make small phones anymore :(
Click to expand...
Au contraire. The new Palm Android phone is a reportedly a real tiddler!

Sony make some small phones too.
 
It is in the most beautiful country on earth....

black-mountains-2.jpg






And a blinding area for mushroom picking...
 
Basically it's a hideous looking tablet that bends in the middle to make it look even more hideous, and it looks like you could bend it about 4 times before it becomes unusable. It's already looking worse for wear after a couple of bends.
What's wrong with just using a tablet that doesn't look hideous?
A classic example of 'just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should'.
 
editor said:
Foldy!

Click to expand...

Notable that for a first viable prototype they've taken the easy way out by making it fold out rather than in. It's an interesting first step, but I think the boffins will need to make one that folds closed like a book - more like the Samsung concept - before it'll generate much consumer excitement. Realistically it'll need to fold closed without the big curved edge in order to make a physically robust design. People stick their phones in their pockets, some even sit on them...:facepalm:

I can see a foldable tablet being viable much sooner - people already take a bit more care with tablets, they don't expect to be able to chuck them in a back pocket, they tend to get less physical abuse than phones.
 
On the basis of the above, yep, I can see it working. Finally bridging the gap between tablet and phone.

Will need to convince me on things like performance, design, battery life, storage, comparative cost, etc. but a tablet that you could pocket? And use as a phone? Yeah I'm down with that.
 
I think the proof will be ultimately in whether they look good enough.

Like many things, people will put up with less than perfect if the compromise is worth it. They will want to be hoping that enough people are happy enough not to have the latest OLED screen, if it means they can fold it out into a tablet size thing.
 
skyscraper101 said:
I think the proof will be ultimately in whether they look good enough.

Like many things, people will put up with less than perfect if the compromise is worth it. They will want to be hoping that enough people are happy enough not to have the latest OLED screen, if it means they can fold it out into a tablet size thing.
Click to expand...
Needs to do more than merely fold out though, it needs to become properly rigid. Look at how people use tablets - they hold them with one hand, usually vertically or at an obtuse angle, and expect the overall structure of the device to be self supporting. They don't treat them with kids gloves, gently lay them on a flat surface, etc. I think that's where the first gen foldables will struggle. What people really want is something that's a clam shell design, with the screen on the inside, that folds out flat & snaps into place to make a rigid, totally flat surface, then folds back effortlessly into a phone/phablet size, with the screen safely protected on the inside. That's probably a couple of generations away though.
 
cheesethief said:
Needs to do more than merely fold out though, it needs to become properly rigid. Look at how people use tablets - they hold them with one hand, usually vertically or at an obtuse angle, and expect the overall structure of the device to be self supporting. They don't treat them with kids gloves, gently lay them on a flat surface, etc. I think that's where the first gen foldables will struggle. What people really want is something that's a clam shell design, with the screen on the inside, that folds out flat & snaps into place to make a rigid, totally flat surface, then folds back effortlessly into a phone/phablet size, with the screen safely protected on the inside. That's probably a couple of generations away though.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think many people will forego a rigid screen if the advantages are being able to produce a more flexible magazine/paper experience. Something less rigid which will not smash as easily may even be preferable and people may be prepared to compromise on display quality for that. It's going to depend on what people want, ultimately.

But I'm betting that a tablet which can be folded into phone size portability will be a hit. Subject to battery, performance etc.
 
I'd also love a tablet size thing which can be folded or bent into a pocket size portability, and used like a phone. If my iPad Mini could do that I'd take it with me everywhere.
 
Main reasons I don't use my tablet out of home:

1. It's not a phone, so I still need to take my phone everywhere.
2. It's not fold-able so it's totally impractical for pocketing.

Solve those two issues with a nifty flexi screen device that doubles as both phone and tablet? Then it's shut up and take my money time.
 
skyscraper101 said:
Main reasons I don't use my tablet out of home:

1. It's not a phone, so I still need to take my phone everywhere.
2. It's not fold-able so it's totally impractical for pocketing.

Solve those two issues with a nifty flexi screen device that doubles as both phone and tablet? Then it's shut up and take my money time.
Click to expand...

Main reason I don't use my iPad at home anymore.

Current phone screen is better and good enough size.

Don't get me wrong, not against this idea, however i wouldn't want it anymore than twice the size of say an iPhone XS Max that folds into the size that device currently is, and can work happily from just that half without the need to be folded out at all. It still needs to fit in pocket and be small enough thickness to not be uncomfortable when sitting down.

I think we're still several if not 5-10 years away from that at the moment.

Roll out sounds cool, but imagine how annoying it would be to have to roll the screen out each time you want to use it.
 
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