Foldable phones are coming

[kabbes]

I’m not writing it off, of course, I’m just saying there’s absolutely no chance I’d personally be interested in this device as it’s currently designed.

 

[kabbes]

As I keep saying, the fact that these phones have screens that can literally bend in half kind of hints that we may be talking at odds when it comes to screens shattering on impact.

And as I also said, we haven't seen them out in the wild yet. I'm going to reserve judgement until I do.

Doesn’t stop the casing from getting fucked though, does it? Drop it onto concrete so that the corner strikes first and then we’ll see how robust it is.

 

[skyscraper101]

Doesn’t stop the casing from getting fucked though, does it? Drop it onto concrete so that the corner strikes first and then we’ll see how robust it is.

I'll be sure let you know as soon as they've overcome this most obvious of design flaws.

 

[editor]

Doesn’t stop the casing from getting fucked though, does it? Drop it onto concrete so that the corner strikes first and then we’ll see how robust it is.

Try this with 99% of current laptops, tablets, lenses, cameras etc. It's a pointless argument. If you're in the habit of dropping things all the time then buy rugged gear, although a lot of that won't help if you're dropping it on to concrete.

 

[kabbes]

I'll be sure let you know as soon as they've overcome this most obvious of design flaws.

Good luck with that, since phone designers seem to have decided they don’t care about it post Nokia 3310

 

[editor]

I’m not writing it off, of course, I’m just saying there’s absolutely no chance I’d personally be interested in this device as it’s currently designed.

Me neither, but a few versions down the line I may well be very interested. This is real innovation something that Samsung are getting rather good at (see: phablets/curved displays) even if v1 is a bit shonky.

 

[kabbes]

Try this with 99% of current laptops, tablets, lenses, cameras etc. It's a pointless argument. If you're in the habit of dropping things all the time then buy rugged gear, although a lot of that won't help if you're dropping it on to concrete.

I’m not in the habit of using laptops or cameras like I use my phone though. Tablet, yes, and that’s why it also has a case. But my phone gets pulled out of my pocket whilst I’m holding other things in the street, it sits in places it can be knocked, it gets juggled between my hands — its whole use is based around continually shifting places.

There’s no way a phone of mine isn’t being dropped and that seems to go for everyone else I see too.

 

[skyscraper101]

You make it sound like you are being forced to buy this thing. It's obviously not for you, that's fine. So continue to use something else. There's zillions of cheaper, case-friendly alternatives.

 

[editor]

I’m not in the habit of using laptops or cameras like I use my phone though. Tablet, yes, and that’s why it also has a case. But my phone gets pulled out of my pocket whilst I’m holding other things in the street, it sits in places it can be knocked, it gets juggled between my hands — its whole use is based around continually shifting places.

There’s no way a phone of mine isn’t being dropped and that seems to go for everyone else I see too.

Then it clearly isn't the device for you, just like most cameras as they're unlikely to survive drops onto concrete. But no problem as there's loads of conventional phones out there for you. Problem solved!

 

[kabbes]

Isn’t this pretty much what I’ve already said?

I’m not writing it off, of course, I’m just saying there’s absolutely no chance I’d personally be interested in this device as it’s currently designed.

Yep, that’s what I’ve said.

Isn’t the point of this thread to talk about the device?

 

[editor]

Isn’t this pretty much what I’ve already said?



Yep, that’s what I’ve said.

Isn’t the point of this thread to talk about the device?

I'm not sure there's much traction to be gained by you repeatedly saying that it's not a device that interests you or by constantly positing potential disastrous breakages that won't happen to you because you won't own the device (and we don't even know how fragile it will be anyway).

 

[kabbes]

I'm not sure there's much traction to be gained by you repeatedly saying that it's not a device that interests you or by constantly positing potential disastrous breakages that won't happen to you because you won't own the device (and we don't even know how fragile it will be anyway).

Well don’t bother engaging with it then. I was happy to make my point and leave it there. If others choose to take issue with me about how these concerns are irrelevant and thus raise it into a discussion about the importance of such things, that’s hardly my fault.

 

[8ball]

Try this with 99% of current laptops, tablets, lenses, cameras etc. It's a pointless argument. If you're in the habit of dropping things all the time then buy rugged gear, although a lot of that won't help if you're dropping it on to concrete.

I think you're right in terms of cameras and laptops etc. but you can get some cases for phones which will protect them from some pretty extreme hamfistery (mine almost doubles the volume of the phone, but I'd have been through a lot of smartphones by now without it). I guess you'll just have to be more careful with these.

I'll be more interested to see how the screen does in terms of component durability, "rippling" and abrasion after a decent amount of use. Weirdly, when it comes to phones, the most expensive ones seem to get changed a lot due to being bought by easily-bored people with too much money, so long-term durability may be less of a problem.

Are there any "killer apps" specifically for this kind of tech?

 

[editor]

I think you're right in terms of cameras and laptops etc. but you can get some cases for phones which will protect them from some pretty extreme hamfistery (mine almost doubles the volume of the phone, but I'd have been through a lot of smartphones by now without it). I guess you'll just have to be more careful with these.

I'll be more interested to see how the screen does in terms of component durability, "rippling" and abrasion after a decent amount of use. Weirdly, when it comes to phones, the most expensive ones seem to get changed a lot due to being bought by easily-bored people with too much money, so long-term durability may be less of a problem.

Are there any "killer apps" specifically for this kind of tech?

A little map that folds out to a large tablet sized map would be killer enough!

 

[8ball]

A little map that folds out to a large tablet sized map would be killer enough!

Maybe for you, but the guys analysing the market potential of these things might have other ideas.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

What a heap of crap. It doesn’t even fold flat, there’s a great big gap at one end

 

[8ball]

What a heap of crap. It doesn’t even fold flat, there’s a great big gap at one end

Well, it’s hardly going to fold completely flat.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

I'd like a roll out one.

 

[8ball]

I'd like a roll out one.

Yeah, and I want a jetpack.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Yeah, and I want a jetpack.

Like this?

 

[8ball]

Like this?

No, like Iron Man!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Well, it’s hardly going to fold completely flat.

For the concept to work it kinda should though.

Look at it, the gap is bigger than each half is thick That’s an awful bit of design.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

No, like Iron Man!

£340,000 at Selfridges...

 

[AverageJoe]

I'm going to buy one.

And I have two Audis.

Cross thread cuntiness wins the day

 

[8ball]

For the concept to work it kinda should though.

Look at it, the gap is bigger than each half is thick That’s an awful bit of design.

View attachment 162582

Tempted to play Devil's Advocate, but yeah. It does look a bit crap.

 

[8ball]

£340,000 at Selfridges...

That's more like Poundland pig-iron man.

 

[skyscraper101]

The not folding flat thing, while not aesthetic perfection, is something I could live with.

 

[editor]

This guy gets it

Samsung has placed its stake in the ground with its Galaxy Fold smartphone-tablet folding phone that is spectacular in every way, even in price, and pitches itself years ahead of its arch-rival, Apple.

Nearly a decade in the making, everything about the Galaxy Fold shouts next generation. It has a standard 4.6in phone screen on the front, but open it up like a book and you reveal a single large 7.3in screen that literally folds in half. No lines, no wrinkles, no visible crinkles. It’s a level of luxury and innovation not seen before, and it comes with a truly eye-watering price tag of $2,000. But no one said breaking boundaries was cheap.

Samsung's $2,000 Galaxy Fold changes the smartphone game

 

[pesh]

‘The price is spectacular’
‘A level of luxury not seen before’
I wish I got it, there must be something wrong with me

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I’d love to have seen the reactions round here if Apple had released a folding phone that:

- Didn’t actually fold properly
- Had no headphone jack
- Cost 2000 pounds