The Folding Future |
8/03/19
The folding phone wars are here. Samsung and Huawei recently unveiled their contributions to electronic origami. It seems 2019 will be the year of folding technology – but is any of it great design? How long until the masses have ditched their smartphone for a folding version?
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My design and tech subscriptions have been bombarding me with the latest press releases and a wealth of information on the latest innovation in consumer electronics. Just as yoga is becoming trendy and we're all becoming bendy, it appears our phones are too.
The first folding phone I saw was the Samsung Galaxy Fold. I was underwhelmed. It seems a bit thick and clumsy. Like two phones bound together. And we're so used screens filling every inch of our phones surface that the small display size on the folded phone feels pretty disappointing. |
The second press release, of the Huawei Mate X won hands down. Folding this way seems much more innovative. It uses one folding screen to create 3 display options, whereas the Samsung has a folding and standard screen to create 2 displays. The device is thinner, the screens bigger, it generally looks much nicer – and it looks more usable as a phone and tablet. But how on earth do you put a case on it? I’d be worried about protecting that screen!
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Of course without getting my hands on one of these bendy phones it’s hard to judge. I wonder if they feel as though they might snap in half. They’ll also require a whole new range of adapted apps.
This could be a change comparable to the first ever smartphones. For years new smartphone releases have consisted of slightly larger displays and better cameras; so to me this folding technology is exciting. In a plateauing smartphone market, it certainly offers an opportunity to reinvigorate the category…but do people really want them? I know plenty of people who often carry round an iPhone and iPad. I’m sure they’d be quick to jump on an iFold. But surely the functionality of an iPad Pro can’t be folded anytime soon? Apple definitely can’t ignore the foldable trend if they want to keep up their reputation as leaders in innovation. Especially as iPhone sales are being reported to slow. I don’t think anyone’s expecting high initial sales of foldable phones initially – partly due to the high prices. And I’m sure first generation owners will find their experience imperfect (much like the first generation smart phones). But I think flexible display technology is exciting stuff that will bring innovation to an area that’s been arguably unchanging in recent years. I wonder what other applications it might also be applied to. Will our TV’s fold away? |
Sources:
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/mwc-2019-foldable-phones-samsung-galaxy-fold-huawei-mate-x-bendy-screen-a8796111.html
https://www.t3.com/news/best-folding-phones
https://www.cultofmac.com/611052/apple-under-pressure-deliver-foldable-iphone-fast/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/mwc-2019-foldable-phones-samsung-galaxy-fold-huawei-mate-x-bendy-screen-a8796111.html
https://www.t3.com/news/best-folding-phones
https://www.cultofmac.com/611052/apple-under-pressure-deliver-foldable-iphone-fast/