Foldables are getting better, but just aren’t there…yet [Video]

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is one of the best foldables I’ve ever used, but it still suffers from the same problems most people have. Are we ever going to get a foldable that doesn’t compromise? I’m not so sure.

Whether you agree with me or not, according to all the sales figures folding phones of all shapes and sizes remain a niche product. The obvious tidbits are that the pricing and the utility are the biggest problems facing these products. We have the opportunity to test drive lots of different pieces of technology and while  I haven’t used every single foldable, it’s immediately obvious they just aren’t quite there – and I’m wondering if we ever will be.

There’s more to it than just the exorbitant price tags and with the very impressive Galaxy Z Fold 7 as a backdrop, it’s an interesting time for the burgeoning lineup of flips and folds. The “slabphone” market has stagnated a little. We’re getting very incremental gains year over year.

Conversely, foldables have come a long way in a short period. Bigger displays, less noticeable creases, better cameras, that’s all looks great on paper. Let’s get into the specifics, though, because the upgrades hide some of the major negatives and why I think lots of you don’t care all that much about a form factor that every brand seems to want us to adopt.

How durable is “enough” for a phone?

The biggest outright concern with any piece of technology of this type is how well a Galaxy Fold, Honor Magic V or OnePlus Open will withstand everyday usage. A flat screen is easier to maintain, harder to damage just from “normal” usage, and in many cases easier to protect.

A mechanism can fail in a folding screen, the flexible glass is softer than regular glass so is prone to nicks, scuffs, and dings. You can close the two halves of the screen and trap things in-between and crack the panel.

Companies like Samsung are having to tell us how many folds the screen is rated for. Which in isolation, seems pretty odd for something that is with you every single day of your life. There’s also the lack of protection against the elements. So, dust and water protection isn’t something many folding phones are able to offer.

My biggest gripe with some foldables is the prominent display crease. It’s not just a potential weak point; you can’t unsee it once you notice it. It’s an unavoidable key aspect of these types of devices. You will probably have to deal with the crease until we get a breakthrough in flexible screen technology. Some OEMs are doing better than others, but it’s a tough pill for many people to swallow.

The best photos are not in your range

If you are expected to pay over $1200 for a device, it almost stands to reason that you should get the best camera system regardless of specific form factor constraints. Whether it’s a knock-on effect courtesy of the lack of space inside, we have yet to see a single foldable phone come with an elite or “flagship-level” camera system.

The best cameras on the market leave foldable cameras in the dust. In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the setup is comparable to many of the best midrange phones in the Galaxy lineup. You are losing out on a fundamental component of a “great” phone simply because the device has a large internal panel.

Sure, you can use the rear camera as a defacto selfie system, which is impressive. The question is whether the uptick in pricing means you’re happy to take such a noticeable downgrade. In most cases, it’s not really all that welcome.

Brands like Honor are trying to improve the situation, but you get a phone with a major bulge at the rear that renders the thinness moot.

Big screen = bad lifespan

If we try and boil down a foldable to it’s base ingredients, it’s effectively two halves of a regular phone stuck together. The inner screen is the glue that holds it all together. That is oversimplification but if that is true you’d expect a phone of this type of come with a massive internal battery or multiple batteries, right? Not exactly.

Physically, there isn’t quite as much room for big internal cells. Usually, there is a split battery, and the capacity is ordinarily much smaller than that of a regular phone. Two thin slivers of phone don’t quite equate to one thicker brick or slab, and so you end up with small batteries sapping at a very power-hungry inner screen.

There is no foldable on the market that can match the lifespan of the best flagship phones. You are effectively taking a hit in lifespan – and therefore productivity – for a two-in-one form factor. It’s confusing given the attempted “professional use case” application that people tout as a reason to buy a folding phone.

Do you actually benefit from the form factor?

I think the term “multitasking” has lost some of it’s weight in recent years. The idea that an ordinary person needs to run two mobile apps side by side simultaneously really isn’t all that common. Think about it for a second. Save YouTube, Netflix or another video service, you can’t always effectively or efficiently run two apps side by side on a screen with a square aspect ratio.

Yes, lots of people love this. At times, I love this, but there is a key reason why most tablets adhere to the 16:9 or elongated 16:10 aspect ratios. The shape and size are just easier to play with and have more scope for “true” multitasking. 1:1 is fine. In most cases, it’ll get the job done, but it’s just not as nice to experience. I get that this is a major nitpick, we haven’t yet seen anyone except Huawei – and we know what happened to that brand – try and make a tri-fold.

Take for example YouTube. In full screen, yes, you get a larger video. The black borders ruin the immersion. Side-by-side with another app it’s fantastic. So it’s about finding the optimum usage to get the most out of the inner screen experience.

Chrome is another example. Yes, webpages look great. The problem is that even with a larger screen you’re still using the mobile browser sans extensions, with all the problems that sometimes come with mobile webpages. Here’s hoping that Google’s greater emphasis and work on the dedicated desktop mode might enhance the foldable screen experience.

If we get triple folding phones that start ot truly ape a dedicated tablet, then we might have something to really sink our teeth into when it comes to real productivity in your pocket. As it stands, you kind of get a halfway house that might only be useful to specific people. If you’re one of those people, that is fantastic. If not, then it feels like you have to find a way to maximize the inner screen experience beyond a small selection of apps.

The overall value proposition…or lack thereof

When all of those compromises are folded into the mix, it’s easy to see why a folding phone just isn’t worth it for practically 99% of the tech-buying public.

Let’s look at the math of Samsung’s most recent release:

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1999.99 off-plan. This is almost the same price as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, priced at around $1299.99, paired with the Galaxy Watch 8 at $379.99, and a Tab S10 FE at $499.99. Do you get as much utility for the same price – approx $2179.97 vs. $1999.99? Absolutely not.

Do you benefit from the ability to have 2-in-1 form factor? Absolutely.

That said, it’s not all roses when you start to dial down into the details. Does this mean foldables are a waste of time? Obviously not and while this comes across as a very negative piece it’s really refreshing to see brands try and push the boundaries with each new update.

The thing is, if such expensive trinkets surround you, your perception can be clouded. There are lots of times when I try to ground myself and ask the non-techie people in my life about their usage habits. Out of touch or otherwise, in isolation, a product can be cool to exciting, but looking at the bigger picture, it’s a strange micro-market that makes less sense to most people the more you analyze all the angles.

Would I recommend a foldable phone? Absolutely not and I expect that to remain the same for a few years to come.

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