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?
Except that the bigger screen doesn’t offer more usability. It’s not the same productivity boost you get from say adding a second monitor or higher resolution screen to a desktop. For the most part the difference between my iPad and iPhone is the layout not the functionality.
I greatly disagree. If you do a significant amount of reading on your phone, it’s really useful to be able to have the larger screen for a slightly larger font (while still scrolling less) and hold it further away from your face.
Also, I’ve used the inner screen of my phone to have 2 separate apps running side-by-side, reading with one side and typing notes with the other, seamlessly. Just like I often do with a second/third monitor on a PC
Okay but you are still just describing the layout and I could have two apps running side by side on my OG Note in like 2011.
Except with the portability of a phone and screen real estate of a tablet.
Why does this need to be explained so many goddamned times?
With a crease down the middle and reduced battery life, oh and it’s not actually as big as a tablet….
Seriously… fuck off with the attitude.
You’ve clearly never used a foldable.
And you’re the one going out of your way to shit on other people’s tastse. Just let people get phones that fit their needs. It doesn’t affect you, so why throw a temper tantrum? Grow the fuck up
I stated my opinion in a public forum. If that shits on your tastes then that is your problem. You are the one throwing a tantrum because somebody disagrees with you. You literally weren’t required to reply to my opinion that was your choice.