Foldable Phones: Should You Consider Them in Future?

The best of both worlds

Smartphones have come a long way. Flipping phones and 2-in-1 combos are just one of the latest offerings in the smartphone market.

This begs the question; should you buy a foldable phone? More so, a 2-in-1 style foldable that promises numerous benefits for an average writer.

P.S. That is if you have upwards of US $1500 you have lying around somewhere.

However, with clear information, comes good judgment and more informed decision-making.

If you have been musing about buying a 2-in-1 foldable, such as the Google Pixel Fold or the Samsung Fold 4, here are a few basics that might help.

The Google Foldable tops my list for its impressive design, Android support, and impeccable user experience. The device is expected to ship with Android 14.

However, there are tons of others you can select from including Samsung Fold 4, Oppo Find N, One Plus fold, Microsoft Surface Duo, Honor and Huawei.

One of their benefits is multitasking which is huge in foldables.

Simply being able to open your files on one tab while reviewing them on the next window is one of the multi-tasking advantages.

As a writer, the applications are unlimited. Think of reviewing your drafts and developing a mind map of your content on one tab as you read an article or watch a video on the other. Think of replying to numerous emails from the comfort of your lounge chair in two screens!

Without a doubt, your reading and gaming experience on a larger screen would be significantly improved in a foldable compared to a regular smartphone. The phones promise the best of both worlds — a tablet screen in a pocket-friendly compact size.

Reading that Kindle book on a tablet-sized screen without the hustle of carrying a large-sized device is unmatched. What’s more, the devices such as Samsung’s Fold 4 offer pen support, and you can highlight and doodle on your articles as you please.

The phone’s flex or table-top mode allows a user to view content such as a video on YouTube on the top half and control it in the bottom half!

Taking photos on a foldable phone is also better especially if you love selfies. The phones allow you to use clearer rear cameras due to the double-sided screens. This is important for influencers and users heavy on Instagram.

However, there’s a catch. A downside with owning these devices.

First, is their steep price. The Google Pixel Fold is expected to range from US $1800. For average use of your phone, this might be on the higher side.

The foldables are also bulky and may not fit easily in your pocket. This might lower their practicability as you have to carry the device in your hands or buy a sling bag to keep it.

A further shortcoming is their reliability. Since the devices rely on a hinge mechanism when opening them, they are limited by a set number of folds. Samsung Fold has at least 200,000 folds as the limit which allows them to be used for at least 5 years (100 folds per day).

The low reliability might also arise from the battery use daily. The large size of the screens which are bright drains the battery which implies that you may have to charge them more frequently.

The foldable phones, especially the 2-in-1 devices can provide diverse benefits for a user especially due to the larger display in a compact-sized device. Multi-tasking, reading, and gaming are just some of the enhanced experiences.

However, the ultimate decision to purchase the devices depends on you.

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