Flip and Fold Smartphones: For Better or for Worse?

From brick-like devices with physical keypads to today’s sleek and feature-packed touchscreen phones, technology has come a long way.

However, most modern smartphones follow the same design language while each year sees a slightly revised design and slightly improved displays, charging, cameras, and processors. Innovation has somewhat stagnated in recent years to say the very least.

However, in the past few years, a unique category of smartphones has taken the stage, aiming to redefine the limits of innovation and that is flip and folding smartphones. These devices hold the promise of exciting possibilities but also come with their fair share of compromises.

In this article, we’ll explore the key aspects of flip and folding smartphones, including their impact on form factor, camera sensor size, battery life, form factor, and the use of plastic screens. We will also consider the benefits and trade-offs of having one.

Benefits of Flip and Folding Smartphones

Form Factor Versatility

The difference between Flip and Folding devices is that in general when you hear the term “Flip” you may think of the old flip phones of yesteryear whereas today we have smartphones with a cover screen when closed where users can have access to certain widgets like calendars, music, timers, or notifications while being able to flip to reveal a much larger and taller smartphone that functions similarly to a regular smartphone today. This includes flip phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 11, the TECNO Phantom V Flip 5G 81, and the OPPO Find N3 Flip 27.

The term “Fold” among devices generally refers to a smartphone that can be unfolded to be a tablet-sized device. This gives the user practically a 2-in-1 device with a regular smartphone when folded and a much larger tablet when unfolded. Devices as such include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 11, vivo X Fold 2 32, Honor Magic Vs 35, and the Huawei Mate X3 20.

Novelty and Style

Flip and folding smartphones are quite head turners when taken out of your pocket, even today with most people still asking others how their flip or fold phone is. They grab attention and exude a futuristic vibe, making their users stand out in the crowd. Owning one of these devices gives a sense of being at the forefront of technology and innovation.

There’s also the novelty of using flip or fold devices, as flip devices give the user practically two smartphones. One is the smaller cover screen where they may check their notifications, music, schedule, or any other widget for quick tasks. The second is the actual larger smartphone when unfolded for when they need to use it as a regular smartphone when heading to a specific app, watching videos, or for better multitasking.

This in turn has created a new way of using smartphones, as one could have quick actions done on the cover screen while eliminating the distraction of other apps, and having the larger display unfolded gives you the ability to use a regular smartphone for better productivity and when you need to get more complex tasks done.

Enhanced Multitasking

Larger screens enable better multitasking, that’s one of the reasons we see smartphones get bigger and bigger. This gives one more real estate on the display with larger text, more things to see on a page, and the ability to run multiple apps side by side without having it be too small.

Flip and Fold devices do in fact give the user a larger screen to work with unfolded. As with flip devices unfolded, it gives users a regular smartphone experience, with their displays even being slightly taller than most smartphones, giving them even more space to work with and multitask.

While with folds, one may simply open it up to reveal a small tablet that gives the user more space to have multiple apps open or have apps that would normally feel cramped on a smartphone displayed on a tablet instead such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, videos, and maps.

Trade-Offs

Camera Sensor Size

One of the most significant trade-offs in flip and folding smartphones is the sacrifice of camera sensor size to accommodate the folding mechanism.

To create slim, foldable designs, manufacturers often opt for smaller camera sensors, which can affect image quality, especially in low-light conditions. Users who prioritize photography may find this compromise less appealing.

Battery Life

The folding mechanism, extra screen real estate, and smaller form factor leave less room for batteries. Consequently, flip and folding smartphones tend to have smaller battery capacities compared to their traditional counterparts.

This can lead to reduced battery life and the need for more frequent charging, which may not be ideal for power users.

Durability, Screen Material, Crease 

The biggest concern with foldable and flip devices is the durability of it. This is expected since users will be constantly folding and unfolding their devices.

Most flip and folding smartphones feature plastic screens and while this choice contributes to flexibility and durability, it comes with the trade-off of being more prone to scratches and damage than traditional glass displays.

Thickness / Thinness of the Device

In order to accommodate the folding mechanism and maintain a slim profile, flip and folding smartphones often end up being thicker when folded compared to traditional smartphones.

In spite of that, smartphones nowadays have gotten so thin that even when folded, you’ll barely even notice its size when folded up. Most foldable and flip devices are even thinner than most smartphones nowadays since they get more surface area to pack all their components.

The current flagship Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra currently measures 8.9mm thick and 234 grams in weight while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 measures just 6.9mm when unfolded and 15.1mm when folded all while weighing just 187 grams.

This makes foldables and flip phones just as portable and even more compact than most smartphones we see today. We might even add that we’d rather take the trade-off of having it just a little thicker when folded for the benefit of having a much smaller footprint when carrying.

Price Tag

Innovation often comes at a premium, and flip and folding smartphones are no exception. These devices tend to be more expensive than conventional smartphones.

But in recent years, flip devices in particular have been slowly matching up in price with most modern-day flagships all while giving one the benefit of being able to use their phone in a new, unique way.

Take the recently released TECNO Phantom V Flip 5G 30 that packs in a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Dimensity 8050 chipset, a 64MP main camera, 13MP ultra-wide, and 32MP front selfie camera, as well as a 4,000 mAh battery with 45W fast charging.

You also get the flippable form factor with its 1.32-inch circular AMOLED cover screen. All while only costing only PHP 29,999USD 511INR 43,337EUR 487CNY 3,723 with it going for even as low as PHP 23,999USD 409INR 34,669EUR 390CNY 2,978. This makes it a bargain considering you get a modern flip smartphone at an affordable price.

Conclusion

Flip and folding smartphones represent a fascinating intersection of design and technology, offering an array of advantages alongside some trade-offs.

The compact form factor, versatility, style quotient, and enhanced multitasking capabilities of these devices make them attractive to many users.

However, a few trade-offs in camera sensor size, battery life, screen material, device thickness, and the accompanying price tag may not suit everyone’s preferences and priorities.

In spite of those trade-offs, we’d say that a lot of those sacrifices have been much improved to the point where they’re no longer trade-offs.

As today’s foldable and flip devices have industry-standard cameras, battery life and charging, and their durability and hinge mechanisms being improved year over year, and as well as their price being much more appealing to buyers.

The decision to embrace a flip or folding smartphone ultimately comes down to individual needs and preferences. Those who crave the latest in tech and value the unique experience offered by these devices may find them worth the trade-offs.

Based on personal experience, ever since using a foldable smartphone, it’s rather difficult to think of ever switching back to a normal slab smartphone without the ability fold whatsoever.

There’s just something about flip and fold devices that feels just right once you’ve gotten the chance to use one for an extended period of time most especially due to their compact size and unique user experience that lets you rethink how you’d use it when folded and unfolded.

As foldable smartphone technology advances, it’s likely that these trade-offs will continue to diminish, and flip and folding smartphones will become even more appealing to a broader range of users.

For now, they still remain an exciting niche within the smartphone market, poised to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation.