Folding smart phones… why?

[Beowulf]

Why would any one want a folding smart phone that’s pretty much worse in every way?

With the Galaxy Z Flip/fold 3 craze going on right now, I can’t help but seriously ask WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT THIS?

 

[KrankyPants]

I do not like them. I do not think they will survive my real world use and I have heard you have to be very careful cleaning them. I get the whole reason why someone would want one for the tablet like experience, but I do not think I desire that enough to not carry my tablet and buy a folding device.

 

[Beowulf]

I kinda like the idea of it but with current tech I can’t see it being viable. Smaller battery, a visible crease on the screen plus possible cracking like in previous models.

I’m also an apple user so I wouldn’t switch, but if apple made one and if it was aesthetically pleasing then I might consider it.

 

[Beowulf]

So looking into the flip 3, I’m gonna go and get some hands on to see it for myself. I’m still a skeptic but most people seem to like it. I’ll change my vote from “No” to “maybe”

 

[Beowulf]

As current tech stands, I’ll say it’s a “no” for me. It’s really just a gimmick until the tech gets better. One thing that’s a turn off is there’s no real way to have a beefy Otterbox like on brick phones.

 

[sinceiwassmall]

The phones we’re carrying around in our pockets are already ridiculously expensive, and pretty vulnerable.

Now we’re supposed to want to walk everywhere carrying something twice as expensive and several times more likely to get damaged? For minimal extra usefulness? No thanks.

 

[Cottontail]

I voted no. Of course, technology is relentless in its pursuit of our money, and eventually somebody will (probably) make a folding phone that anybody would want. Right now, however, they're:

• Way too fragile. Something's always breaking, whether it's the hinge or the screens or the ports.
• Way too big. I'm not into the phablet form factor or anything approaching it, nor do I want a phone that's twice as thick. I want something that'll drop right into a pocket, even if I'm wearing relatively snug pants.
• Way too expensive. Especially considering the above two issues. Pay crazy-high prices for something that's bulky and fragile? Fuhgeddaboutit.

IMO.

 

[checkingoutall]

Why, or why do we need a new version of the original flip phone? The first one was used to call the ship and ask to be beamed up, then they created those that had just numbers on them for you to push, then they added a small screen, and now all they have done is added a second screen where your numbers that you need to dial with are simulated. Oh, I forgot, the one I think they called the Razor, and I thought there was another one that was made but in the fine print it could only be opened so many times before it might break. But what do I know, I am just an old man that just likes to make calls when I need to, lol

 

[theancientmariner]

The phones we’re carrying around in our pockets are already ridiculously expensive, and pretty vulnerable.

Now we’re supposed to want to walk everywhere carrying something twice as expensive and several times more likely to get damaged? For minimal extra usefulness? No thanks.

Exactly. All phones stop the same same thing. There's no reason to buy a $900 phone when you can buy one for $200 that dose the same thing

 

[CrazySmoker]

What about BW 6800 ?

 

[BrattyPrincessSophie]

I like the nostalgic flip phone feeling it has going for it, but the technology is way too new and expensive. I might bite once they can be made cheaply enough to produce budget Galaxy A models or maybe get a cheap refurb or second hand model later on down the line.

 

[Noodle]

Why would any one want a folding smart phone that’s pretty much worse in every way?

With the Galaxy Z Flip/fold 3 craze going on right now, I can’t help but seriously ask WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT THIS?

As an owner of a Fold 3 the real reason is just for the novelty of it without making it a big detriment to the Smartphone function. While the folding function has been great for ending calls and saving space in the pocket the real point of it is the "Rule of Cool".

Fold 3 in the long run is nothing more than a basic flaship level Smartphone barring the Cameras, a point that doesn't really affect me as i'm not much for taking photos, that just happens to fold in half. The only aspect that I consider worse than normal phones is you have to be extra careful with the inner screen as only the cover screens are glass but I'm overprotective of my gear as is so this is a non-issue to me.

Exactly. All phones stop the same same thing. There's no reason to buy a $900 phone when you can buy one for $200 that dose the same thing

Not necessarily there are always features that must be cut to lower the prices. While the majority will be the build quality even more useful futures like NFC will be cut under the $500 region. The real question is if you're willing to splurge for a metal+glass phone, plastic phone and/or certain features. If you're really just after a call/text function then the argument can be made that $200 is overkill and a simple $30/40 slide/flip phone is more than enough.

 

[theancientmariner]

As an owner of a Fold 3 the real reason is just for the novelty of it without making it a big detriment to the Smartphone function. While the folding function has been great for ending calls and saving space in the pocket the real point of it is the "Rule of Cool".

Fold 3 in the long run is nothing more than a basic flaship level Smartphone barring the Cameras, a point that doesn't really affect me as i'm not much for taking photos, that just happens to fold in half. The only aspect that I consider worse than normal phones is you have to be extra careful with the inner screen as only the cover screens are glass but I'm overprotective of my gear as is so this is a non-issue to me.


Not necessarily there are always features that must be cut to lower the prices. While the majority will be the build quality even more useful futures like NFC will be cut under the $500 region. The real question is if you're willing to splurge for a metal+glass phone, plastic phone and/or certain features. If you're really just after a call/text function then the argument can be made that $200 is overkill and a simple $30/40 slide/flip phone is more than enough.

That's about how much I spend on phones anyway, $200-250. I destroy my phones too much so I can't buy nice ones.