Foldable phones are coming

[Dr. Furface]

This guy gets it



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

This guy gets it too

Some, such as Ben Wood, the chief of research at CCS Insight, see it as a “magnet for gadget lovers” that is “arguably a solution looking for a problem” – particularly as it costs more than twice as much as Samsung’s other new top-end phone the Galaxy S10+.

 

[editor]

This guy gets it too

Some, such as Ben Wood, the chief of research at CCS Insight, see it as a “magnet for gadget lovers” that is “arguably a solution looking for a problem” – particularly as it costs more than twice as much as Samsung’s other new top-end phone the Galaxy S10+.

So which bit of "magnet for gadget lovers" are you having trouble with?

 

[skyscraper101]

“arguably a solution looking for a problem”

I don't agree with that. The 'problem' is the trade off between portability and screen size. You can't pocket a tablet, so we've ended up with phablets, or carrying around two devices.

This just builds on that. People obviously still want larger screens judging by the amount of tablets I see out there. Imagine being able to fold them up, stick them in your jeans, and use them as a phone too. It's just made two popular products into one. Like the smartphone did to the pocket camera and the ipod. Sure let the early adopters pay the big bucks, but once the price comes down I am well on board.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Insane price but LOVE the look of this! Always wanted a foldable phone to replace my phone and tablet![emoji4]


.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Solution: two folds!

View attachment 155519

Yup love for three split phone/tablet in Westworld!


.

 

[skyscraper101]

 

[editor]

Cheap compared to the first mobile!

On September 21, 1983, Motorola made history when the FCC approved the 8000X, the world's first commercial portable cell phone. It cost consumers a whopping $3,995 at the time

 

[skyscraper101]

At least I’m encouraged that two of the biggest manufacturers are firmly committing to the folding phone concept. I feel it’ll be a while before I can afford one though.

 

[skyscraper101]

Looks very nice. Actually nicer than Samsung’s effort.

 

[editor]

Looks very nice. Actually nicer than Samsung’s effort.

That is pretty sensational.

This new video from Samsung is pretty impressive too:

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Looks very nice. Actually nicer than Samsung’s effort.

It folds the wrong way round

 

[editor]

It folds the wrong way round

I'm sure Apple will come up with something in a year or two that folds the right way for you.

As for me, I'd take either of these two phones. It's real innovation.

 

[skyscraper101]

I want both of them. Now.

Apparently the Mate X can charge from 0% to 85% in just 30 mins. Pretty incredible.

 

[8ball]

Cheap compared to the first mobile!

 

[8ball]

Yup love for three split phone/tablet in Westworld!
.

Do you have a pic or link to vid of that?

 

[editor]

And another

OPPO foldable smartphone prototype shown off | Pocketnow

 

[editor]

The early reviews of the Huawei Mate X suggest it might just deliver on its promise:

Moving parts scare us – especially when they’re in gadgets that cost over $2,000 – but Huawei wants us to rest easy.

The Mate X screen has endured 100,000 folds in lab-condition stress tests, and the company also showed us how a case it’s worked on should keep it protected; but most importantly, it feels like a solid bit of kit, despite how thin it is.

Here we have a well constructed, foldable phone, incredibly thin and with minimal bezel. What’s more, it features a design we can imagine pulling out of our pocket and turning into a tablet for some reading on the go, without looking ridiculous.

Of course, there are some red flags, specifically around durability and moving parts, and nothing will dispel these other than a month or two of real-world use.

But while Samsung’s Galaxy Fold looks like a V0 at the moment, the Huawei Mate X feels very much like a V1 – and most importantly, we could touch it.

Huawei Mate X hands on review | TechRadar
Huawei Mate X hands-on review
Huawei Mate X hands on: The most promising foldable phone yet

 

[8ball]

Huawei mate? Tha's a canny fern - giz a deek.

 

[cheesethief]

Foldable iPhone heating system could prevent damage in cold weather

Guess it won't be long before Apple jumps on the foldable bandwagon...

Seems they're patenting a heating system, presumably because they missed the boat for patenting the concept of "folding".

 

[donkyboy]

Looks very nice. Actually nicer than Samsung’s effort.

I notice how he folds and unfolds very carefully...doesn't fill one with great confidence.

 

[cybershot]

Apple Supplier Corning Working on Glass Display Solution for Foldable Phones

Apple most likely playing the long game here in order meet quality standards, as expected!

 

[editor]

Absolutely incredible

 

[editor]

The reviews are pretty solid



Galaxy Fold hands-on: I tried Samsung's foldable phone IRL and it was amazing

To me, the Fold’s usefulness as a one-handed phone seemed to take a back seat to its capabilities as a two-handed tablet. The question is: How many people really need an Android tablet with them at all times?

Samsung was right years ago about the trend toward larger-screen phones, which not that long ago we used to jokingly call “phablets.” The Fold combats the distressing trend of people needing handles, like those stick-on circular PopSockets, just to firmly grip their phones. If it catches on, the Fold could be the beginning of an era where big phones really are just tablets.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...-crease/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.62e5cd4d4e56

 

[editor]

The Galaxy Fold uses a sophisticated hinge mechanism to accommodate its folding capabilities. It looks incredibly cool, but it does raise a question regarding its durability.

Samsung's tested this hinge as much as possible to ensure it's as reliable as can be, and according to the company, it can be folded and unfolded a total of 200,000 times.

In other words, the hinge should be good for around five years

 

[dervish]

The hinge, does that also mean the screen won't wear out in the meantime?

 

[editor]

The hinge, does that also mean the screen won't wear out in the meantime?

I think they might have thought of that.

 

[dervish]

I think they might have thought of that.

You would hope so, but it's not much good 18 months in when the screen has a crack/line down it from repeated bending. If they knew the screen wouldn't deteriorate wouldn't they have made a big point of that as well?

 

[editor]

You would hope so, but it's not much good 18 months in when the screen has a crack/line down it from repeated bending. If they knew the screen wouldn't deteriorate wouldn't they have made a big point of that as well?

You don't think the screen was tested as well as the hinge when it was going through its 200,00 cycles?

 

[dervish]

I would hope that it was, but I would have thought that if they knew the screen was also going to last five years they would have made a deal out of it, it's been pointed out by many people that the repeated bending of the screen is something they are suspicious of being a weak point. As Samsung have only said the hinge I wonder how long the actual screen lasts.

 

[pesh]

The reviews are pretty solid

it's like a smart nine-bar