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?
It’s a full color tablet that fits in your pocket. That comes with huge quality of life improvements displaying PDFs, e-books, comics, spreadsheets, charts, diagrams, videos, etc. Have you ever tried reading a PDF on a phone screen? It sucks.
I’ve had a fold for a couple years now, and I use the inner screen constantly. If you don’t read as much as I do it’s probably just a gimmick, but it’s great for me.
The foldable screen was a game changer for me. Id never had a ebook reader before and now all of the sudden I can read a book at work on my breaks. But also the coolest part is getting into graphic novels and comics for the first time in my life. Life changing.
Yup, comics suck on a phone screen. I had been looking for a good color e-reader, and all things considered the portability of the fold made the decision pretty easy
Meh, people go on about productivity and whatnot but I don’t think that’s a good thing, if you need to work you use a computer, need to do both? Then use a laptop, people already have no boundaries between work and personal life, foldables are making it worse.
You could say the same thing about laptops, of having a desktop PC in your house.
How about be an adult and set some boundaries for yourself instead of pretending that since we have improved technology that you’re “enslaved” or something. “Woe is me, Apple hath made it too difficult to avoid my boss with this big luxurious screen!”
Nah, capitalism did that, sweetie. Your toxic boss did that. But you’re a grown up and you can assert yourself without being rude. Practice in front of the mirror if you have to, okay?
I didn’t say anything about work or productivity. Like it is useful for that, but it’s largely for leisure reading.