"It might be hard to believe, but foldable phones have already been around for the better part of a decade. Granted, the first one I saw back in 2019 - which actually predates Samsung's Galaxy Fold - was a cobbled-together mess. But since then, phone makers have been steadily iterating and tweaking their designs, and this year, manufacturers have finally addressed all the major issues about foldable phones except one: price."
"Let's go back to the OG Fold. Even though it was chunky and heavy, had a tiny exterior display and suffered from a hinge that let too much detritus inside (which is probably how The Verge's review unit got wrecked), it still showed so much promise. It was a true multitasker - a phone that could turn into a small tablet at a moment's notice. What's not to like?"
"From there, Samsung upgraded its foldables with water resistance and S Pen support on the Z Fold 3, followed by eliminating the gap between the two halves of a closed Z Fold 5. And as competition grew from OnePlus and Google (not to mention all the Chinese rivals like Oppo, Xiaomi and others), we saw design and software improvement across the category ."
Foldable phones have existed for nearly a decade and have progressed from flawed prototypes to refined products. Early models were chunky, fragile, and prone to hinge-related debris, but demonstrated notable multitasking potential by turning into small tablets. Manufacturers introduced water resistance, S Pen support, and tighter hinge tolerances across successive models. Competition from multiple brands drove design and software refinement throughout the category. In 2025, flagship foldables achieved improved dust and water protection, reducing concerns about hinge contamination and boosting overall handset usability. Price remains the single major obstacle to widespread consumer adoption.
Read at Engadget
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