I believe in foldables. I believe they are what is coming next in terms of mass mobile technology: we just need to wait for the price to drop. The way tariffs and economic sanctions are flying around the world, it's going to be a substantial wait, but I'm sure it's worth it.
Foldables are so much more than a flashy, show-off technology. These are not just regular smartphones that can bend.
While a folding touchscreen is cool enough on its own, foldables – both flip style a.k.a. clamshells (think of the Galaxy Z Flip) and book style (Galaxy Z Fold) – are revolutionizing the technological landscape and can change the phone realm itself.
Flip phones, for example, offer incredible pocketability and portability. If you like large screens, but hate putting those in your pants' pockets, a clamshell-type of phone solves it for you. The flip phones bend vertically and – voilà – they take half the space. Sure, they get a bit thicker, but I find it easier to put a ~2cm thick square in my pocket, rather than a large slab phone, regardless of how thin it is.
Book style foldables fold horizontally – like a book, hence the term. While flip phones are great, book style foldables are all about the flagship experience. It's true that they can't 100% match "traditional" phones yet, but stunners like the new Oppo Find N5 prove that in some time, the gap will be closed and foldables will match slab phones in terms of performance, cameras, and battery.
These book style foldables are all about versatility – you have a large outer screen to perform daily tasks and a behemoth inner screen that brings the productivity multitasker out of you. With screens of ~8 inches in diagonal, this is essentially a mini tablet.
What sets flip and book style foldables apart in a big way is the outer screen. While clamshells do have an outer screen, it's somewhat limiting – you can't get the same usability with flip phones book style models offer. That's because flip phones have a much smaller top screen to interact with.
Soon, book style foldables might just face their first serious rival. It's going to be a family feud, since the rivalry is going to be between them and… flip phones.
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It's all thanks to Huawei.
Move away, Galaxy Z Fold 7!
The next Z Fold looks sleek nonetheless.
Galaxy Z series foldables are super popular – and that's only natural, since the Korean giant has been in the game for so many years now. It has experience and know-how.
It's not an exaggeration to say that everyone who is interested in foldables is currently waiting for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – Samsung's next flagship that should be here in the summer of 2025. Even those who do not plan on buying it (like yours truly) are waiting to see what Samsung will come up with this time around.
It could be said that the Galaxy Z Fold is the golden standard all other foldables are measured against. When talking about foldables, we comment on whether they're faster, larger, cheaper, slower, sturdier (and more) compared to the Galaxy Z Fold.
Obviously, this is applicable to book style foldables – flip phones (clamshells) can be compared to book style foldables as well, but the discussion revolves around "what's the difference between the two form factors and which one is better for you" type of questions.
However, we have a new cat in town that sits right between the book style form factor and the clamshell flip style.
As I hinted above, it's made by Huawei and… roll drums… it's called the Huawei Pura X.
This is the coolest flip phone this year!
– Our very own Rad, PhoneArena, April 2025
The Huawei Pura X has a unique horizontal flip design and wide 16:10 screen. It's a flip phone that unfolds into a book style-like device.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so take a look at it:
Image credit – PhoneArena
Whether you're reading articles, scrolling through social media, or typing messages, the wider display provides more breathing room, reducing the cramped feel typical of narrow phones. Watching videos is also a better experience – standard 16:9 content fits more naturally on the screen, even in portrait mode.
The spacious keyboard layout, even when held vertically, makes typing feel effortless and fast, almost reminiscent of using a small tablet. On top of that, the phone delivers surprisingly rich stereo sound and solid performance, giving it the feel of a premium productivity device in a compact, pocketable form.
Image credit – PhoneArena
It's got a stylish build, great stereo speakers, and smooth performance despite using Huawei’s own Kirin chip. However, it lacks Google services and is currently China-only. It costs around $1,000, so it's a premium phone, but it's way cheaper than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (starting at $1,799) and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (starting at $1,899).
And to me, that right there is the closest thing that comes to the term "perfect foldable". Call it a "flip", call it a "book style foldable" – it's all the same to me.
The fact is that it's compact enough when folded and large, practical and useful enough when unfolded.
The only major drawback that I can think of is that it this phone is on Huawei's Harmony Next OS, which means that it doesn't support Android and iOS apps that people outside China know, love and use. If the Pura X steps into the global market, it should launch with dual OS support to allow us Android apps at least.
It's all subjective, but…
Image credit – PhoneArena
There's a scene in "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood" (yeah, it's that kind of movie, if you're wondering) where a man approaches an attractive girl at a house party. Immediately, he pours a fountain of compliments on her – only to ask her to move away, so that he can take a peek at a much less attractive girl that stands behind the first one.
In other words, we all have a taste – and needs – of our own.
That's why traditional foldables will not vanish all of a sudden. Some will prefer a clamshell that unfolds from a square into a tall, candy bar-like handset, if that's what they're used to. Others will stick to their book style foldables as they have a fully functional large-sized outer screen to interact with – and a massive, unsurpassed in terms of versatility inner display.
I'm happy that the Huawei Pura X is here for people like me, who fancy the pocketability of the flip phone, but are after a larger inner screen.
All that remains is for other brands to adopt this form factor as well! This is the big question: will any other company risk it with a similar hybrid flip-book style foldable?
Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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