Foldable phones will remain niche products, unless Apple makes one

Join the discussion
Ilia Temelkov
Ilia Temelkov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 9mo ago

Today’s smartphones are the closest to perfection this concept could possibly go, except for one thing - their size. Our society is obsessed with screens, so having a big-screen smartphone is important for many people. However, the bigger the screen, the less comfortable the smartphone, specifically when used on the go. 


The solution is simple and already available - foldable smartphones. What’s left is for everyone to join the party and work hard on refining the concept.


Despite feeling like reinventing the wheel, both the clamshell and the book-style designs provide the comfort of a smaller device and the joy of a big screen. Whenever moving about your day, you can trust the smaller, less capable external screens for any task. However, when in a comfortable place, you can access greater productivity and convenience just by unfolding the bigger screen.


The few issues with the foldables are related to their price, durability and battery life. They all stem from the fact that relatively few companies put investments into the concept. Samsung is the clear leader in the field, followed by Motorola, Google, OnePlus, and a few others just joining the party. That means there’s a lot of room for improvement in a short time. It also means that the foldables passed through the phase of early adopter obscurity and are about to join the mainstream. 


What’s left before crossing the barrier to the mainstream is all about refinement. That’s why we need Apple to join the foldable market. Throughout its history, Apple was successful precisely in refining existing concepts so they get mainstream appeal. There were smartphones before the iPhone, smartwatches before the Apple Watch, and wireless earphones before the AirPods. But we all know when the masses started caring about these product categories.


Despite doubting itself, Apple could be the driving force propelling foldable smartphones into the mainstream. I also believe the next big thing in mobile tech is foldable smartphones. At least until we switch to implants, wearables or some other sci-fi-sounding type of devices.

Like
3
Quote
AltronLivez51
AltronLivez51
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵ilia.t said:

Today’s smartphones are the closest to perfection this concept could possibly go, except for one thing - their size. Our society is obsessed with screens, so having a big-screen smartphone is important for many people. However, the bigger the screen, the less comfortable the smartphone, specifically when used on the go. 


The solution is simple and already available - foldable smartphones. What’s left is for everyone to join the party and work hard on refining the concept.


Despite feeling like reinventing the wheel, both the clamshell and the book-style designs provide the comfort of a smaller device and the joy of a big screen. Whenever moving about your day, you can trust the smaller, less capable external screens for any task. However, when in a comfortable place, you can access greater productivity and convenience just by unfolding the bigger screen.


The few issues with the foldables are related to their price, durability and battery life. They all stem from the fact that relatively few companies put investments into the concept. Samsung is the clear leader in the field, followed by Motorola, Google, OnePlus, and a few others just joining the party. That means there’s a lot of room for improvement in a short time. It also means that the foldables passed through the phase of early adopter obscurity and are about to join the mainstream. 


What’s left before crossing the barrier to the mainstream is all about refinement. That’s why we need Apple to join the foldable market. Throughout its history, Apple was successful precisely in refining existing concepts so they get mainstream appeal. There were smartphones before the iPhone, smartwatches before the Apple Watch, and wireless earphones before the AirPods. But we all know when the masses started caring about these product categories.


Despite doubting itself, Apple could be the driving force propelling foldable smartphones into the mainstream. I also believe the next big thing in mobile tech is foldable smartphones. At least until we switch to implants, wearables or some other sci-fi-sounding type of devices.

False. They are not niche at all. They don't need to sell in the 100M mark.


Samsung has obviously sold the most. Apple isn't going ro make them sell any better. Apple will just sell their own because it's just gonna be an iPhone that folds and the ifans will just buy it because it's from Apple even though it won't be any better then a 1st gen device from any other oem.


No matter who makes it, it's gonna have the same flaws.


Apple isn't going to sell anymore of them than anyone else.


The biggest issue is price. For something so fragile it costs to much and offer zero benefits.


If someone makes a 7" tablet that opens to a 14" one that would be cool.


If Apple makes a folding phone tbey aren't going to sell anymore in the 1st year as anyone else has done. In fact they will sell less of them.


Apple is t the company that made smartphones a household name, Samsung did.


Apple jas and likely always will benefit feom stealing or using other people ideas an concepts.


Apple 1st folding phone if they make one, will be just like the 1st Apple Watch. A whole bunch of promises, but the result will be a product that is less as good as another oems 1st gen product where other oems are already far ahead.


Samsung is on their 6th gen product in this category. That's 6 years of experience and working out all the kinks. Now that they have been worked out and tbey have spent all the money, here comes Apple with their 1st gen version that will just steal what Samsung has already fixed in this form factor.


You give Apple to much credit. Every product they makes sucks compared to similar products from others at better pricing, flexibility and capability.


I won't ever buy any folding phone for myself. My wife wanted the Flip so I bought her the 5. I played with it for 5 mins and I was instantly board. The phone has awesome camera features, but it's basically just a base S that folds. Nothing special about them.


You gius have your heads so far up Apple's @$$ you think everything they do will be an I start hit, when facts shows it hasn't been.

Like
4
Quote
iphoneisboss
iphoneisboss
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵AltronLivez51 said:

False. They are not niche at all. They don't need to sell in the 100M mark.


Samsung has obviously sold the most. Apple isn't going ro make them sell any better. Apple will just sell their own because it's just gonna be an iPhone that folds and the ifans will just buy it because it's from Apple even though it won't be any better then a 1st gen device from any other oem.


No matter who makes it, it's gonna have the same flaws.


Apple isn't going to sell anymore of them than anyone else.


The biggest issue is price. For something so fragile it costs to much and offer zero benefits.


If someone makes a 7" tablet that opens to a 14" one that would be cool.


If Apple makes a folding phone tbey aren't going to sell anymore in the 1st year as anyone else has done. In fact they will sell less of them.


Apple is t the company that made smartphones a household name, Samsung did.


Apple jas and likely always will benefit feom stealing or using other people ideas an concepts.


Apple 1st folding phone if they make one, will be just like the 1st Apple Watch. A whole bunch of promises, but the result will be a product that is less as good as another oems 1st gen product where other oems are already far ahead.


Samsung is on their 6th gen product in this category. That's 6 years of experience and working out all the kinks. Now that they have been worked out and tbey have spent all the money, here comes Apple with their 1st gen version that will just steal what Samsung has already fixed in this form factor.


You give Apple to much credit. Every product they makes sucks compared to similar products from others at better pricing, flexibility and capability.


I won't ever buy any folding phone for myself. My wife wanted the Flip so I bought her the 5. I played with it for 5 mins and I was instantly board. The phone has awesome camera features, but it's basically just a base S that folds. Nothing special about them.


You gius have your heads so far up Apple's @$$ you think everything they do will be an I start hit, when facts shows it hasn't been.

Exactly, just like Apple didn’t sell any more watches than Samsung. Go away, nobody likes you. Nobody likes liars.

Like
2
Quote
AltronLivez51
AltronLivez51
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵iphoneisboss said:

Exactly, just like Apple didn’t sell any more watches than Samsung. Go away, nobody likes you. Nobody likes liars.

You sound so stupid. I never said the Apple Watch didn't sell more. The Apple Watch is also available as cheap as $200. A folding phone int gonna be $200.


The Galaxy Fold jas low sales because it cost $180]. Of Apple's is even more expensive, thst means their will be a lot of people who won't be able to buy it.


The Flip is $1000. Its a comparable price to many existing options including the iPhone.


The sales have increased ever year as they have gotten better. But this category has a cap on it.


Apple is good sell more of their product. Because all their product is being sold only to you. Apple has zero competition on iOS which means when you have 1B people using an iPhone, yoi can sell th3m the accessory that kbly works with it.


The rest of us have 100's of options to choose from, so thus no one company may always sell the most.


But yet with all this competition, Samsung is pretty much the top seller in any product selling running Android. They sell the most headphones that work with Android. Even Apple Beats loses here.


Samsung likely sells the kost watches that run Android since they sell the most phones.


I don't see how that is any different from Apple other than, Samsung actually has competitors that share the same software 🤔


You're so quick to talk shizzzzz. You are such a low-life.

Like
3
Quote
R1ftt
R1ftt
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

I mean, what? How many companies are making foldable phones now? 6? That's not a niche amount, at this point in time the CORRECT article to write is "Apple is missing out on a core market sector by ignore a huge portion of the phone market. They are no longer an innovative company, or worth the respect our website continues to give them, but we are so blind by our addiction that we ignore it for these pathetic pieces of rubbish"

Like
4
Quote
iphoneisboss
iphoneisboss
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵AltronLivez51 said:

You sound so stupid. I never said the Apple Watch didn't sell more. The Apple Watch is also available as cheap as $200. A folding phone int gonna be $200.


The Galaxy Fold jas low sales because it cost $180]. Of Apple's is even more expensive, thst means their will be a lot of people who won't be able to buy it.


The Flip is $1000. Its a comparable price to many existing options including the iPhone.


The sales have increased ever year as they have gotten better. But this category has a cap on it.


Apple is good sell more of their product. Because all their product is being sold only to you. Apple has zero competition on iOS which means when you have 1B people using an iPhone, yoi can sell th3m the accessory that kbly works with it.


The rest of us have 100's of options to choose from, so thus no one company may always sell the most.


But yet with all this competition, Samsung is pretty much the top seller in any product selling running Android. They sell the most headphones that work with Android. Even Apple Beats loses here.


Samsung likely sells the kost watches that run Android since they sell the most phones.


I don't see how that is any different from Apple other than, Samsung actually has competitors that share the same software 🤔


You're so quick to talk shizzzzz. You are such a low-life.

Samsung doesn’t innovate, all they do is steal the ideas of others. Also please slap yourself for making the ridiculous claim that Samsung has worked out the kinks of the fold. Good battery life? No. High end camera? No. Usable screen when not unfolded? No. Horrible cease still? Yes. Wickedly overpriced? Yes.

Like
1
Quote
MsPooks
MsPooks
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵iphoneisboss said:

Samsung doesn’t innovate, all they do is steal the ideas of others. Also please slap yourself for making the ridiculous claim that Samsung has worked out the kinks of the fold. Good battery life? No. High end camera? No. Usable screen when not unfolded? No. Horrible cease still? Yes. Wickedly overpriced? Yes.

It's ignorant, trollish, stupid, and objectively false, but you ARE entitled to your opinion. 🤣 It's obvious you're upset Apple hasn't (and can't) enter the foldables segment, but you need to take that up with them.

Like
3
Quote
MsPooks
MsPooks
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵ilia.t said:

Today’s smartphones are the closest to perfection this concept could possibly go, except for one thing - their size. Our society is obsessed with screens, so having a big-screen smartphone is important for many people. However, the bigger the screen, the less comfortable the smartphone, specifically when used on the go. 


The solution is simple and already available - foldable smartphones. What’s left is for everyone to join the party and work hard on refining the concept.


Despite feeling like reinventing the wheel, both the clamshell and the book-style designs provide the comfort of a smaller device and the joy of a big screen. Whenever moving about your day, you can trust the smaller, less capable external screens for any task. However, when in a comfortable place, you can access greater productivity and convenience just by unfolding the bigger screen.


The few issues with the foldables are related to their price, durability and battery life. They all stem from the fact that relatively few companies put investments into the concept. Samsung is the clear leader in the field, followed by Motorola, Google, OnePlus, and a few others just joining the party. That means there’s a lot of room for improvement in a short time. It also means that the foldables passed through the phase of early adopter obscurity and are about to join the mainstream. 


What’s left before crossing the barrier to the mainstream is all about refinement. That’s why we need Apple to join the foldable market. Throughout its history, Apple was successful precisely in refining existing concepts so they get mainstream appeal. There were smartphones before the iPhone, smartwatches before the Apple Watch, and wireless earphones before the AirPods. But we all know when the masses started caring about these product categories.


Despite doubting itself, Apple could be the driving force propelling foldable smartphones into the mainstream. I also believe the next big thing in mobile tech is foldable smartphones. At least until we switch to implants, wearables or some other sci-fi-sounding type of devices.

It's hard to argue that foldables aren't mainstream, when they're so ubiquitous that nobody is wowed by them any more. And as for "Apple refinement," have you seen the Vision monstrosity? Yeah, REAL slick!😂

Like
2
Quote
iphoneisboss
iphoneisboss
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵MsPooks said:

It's ignorant, trollish, stupid, and objectively false, but you ARE entitled to your opinion. 🤣 It's obvious you're upset Apple hasn't (and can't) enter the foldables segment, but you need to take that up with them.

You can believe all you want that Samsung is the inventor of everything. Although their folding phones are third rate, so I don’t get why you cheerlead for them so hard, but whatever floats your boat. Now go finger your crease. The one on your Samsung fold.

Like
1
Quote
MsPooks
MsPooks
Arena Master
• 9mo ago
↵iphoneisboss said:

You can believe all you want that Samsung is the inventor of everything. Although their folding phones are third rate, so I don’t get why you cheerlead for them so hard, but whatever floats your boat. Now go finger your crease. The one on your Samsung fold.

Weird. I didn't say Samsung is the inventor of everything. In fact, I never even said I THOUGHT Samsung is the inventor of everything.


You know who wrote that? You. It's called a Freudian Slip, honey. Because, deep down, you know; you know. 🤣

Like
2
Quote
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless