Previously on Lemmy:
Past Discussions:
Well, as promised, we are talking foldable this week. The excitement is palpable, and it looks like the rest of our mod team have already started the conversation here. Go check it out.
I honestly don’t know very much about foldable phones, so I’ll let the rest of our (very smart and knowledgeable) mod team handle this one this week. :)
Last thing for future reference at the end of the week, we also have a great thread discussing foldables here too, go check it out if you want more great discussions.
I’ve been using a Z Fold 4 for about a year, since launch. This is my first foldable, and it’d honestly be difficult for me to go back to a standard slab phone.
I love how multitasking is actually an enjoyable, functional experience on a foldable. I love having a large display for consuming content. The larger internal display really ups the threshold for “Okay, I need a computer for this”, since I can load desktop sites and it be usable.
Granted, it isn’t perfect. I do still have concerns about durability, despite the fact thaty Fold has taken a few nasty falls and come out unscathed, it is of course still possible to break. For the first time, I have insurance on a phone due to durability.
The outer display is functional, but it’s quite narrow. This leads to some apps not loading properly on the outer display, and a bit of a cramped keyboard. You do get used to it, but I’d prefer a larger external display like the wider display of the Pixel Fold.
The biggest short coming for foldables is apps. While most apps function just fine, some really don’t. Instagram is a great example of one that performs poorly on both the external and internal displays. Some apps have tablet interfaces that launch on the inner display, but most don’t. Most apps are just a blown up version of the standard phone interface. There are other weird app quirks like how my bank app will only let me use fingerprint to sign in when it’s launched on the external display, not the internal. The app situation I think will get better with time as foldables become more widespread, but it is a frustration for now.
The final shortcoming is the size and weight of these phones. With a case on, the Fold 4 is a pretty substantial phone on your pocket. It’s heavy, thick, and the first few weeks with it you’ll really notice the size and weight. Foldables are trending thinner and lighter, but more progress needs to be made here.
Anyways, all this to say - I ultimately love my foldable phone and have been very satisfied. It’s expensive, but if you have the means and the interest in one, I doubt you’d be disappointed. Just keep the shortcomings in mind.