The Motorola RAZR is foldable, but it’s not the only new foldable tech phone. Prior to the launch of the RAZR, both Samsung and Huawei showcased their own foldable phones. With multiple foldable phones having now been announced, it seems like the age of the foldable screen is now here. The problem is, there’s a lot of hurdles for foldable phones to get over, including consistency.
Motorola’s new RAZR phone was announced last month confirming the return of the flip phone. Like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X, the RAZR comes with a screen that can be folded. This immediately opens up a number of new features and use cases with the most obvious being screen real estate. These devices are designed to be more productive but at the same time be as portable as their non-folding counterparts.
There are two main designs in use today. The first is a design that’s similar in size to a smartphone that can unfold into a larger tablet-like device. Next is a design that’s a little smaller than your average phone but it unfolds into a larger profile that’s comparable to modern smartphones. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X are both close in size to a smartphone and unfold into a tablet shape. For example, the Mate X has a 6.6 inch screen that unfolds into a larger 8 inch display. The Galaxy Fold has a 4.6 inch screen on the outside and a 7.3 screen becomes available when unfolded. The RAZR, on the other hand, comes with a 6.2 inch display when the device is unfolded and a much smaller 2.7 inch secondary display on the outside.
Different Foldable Designs, Different Drawbacks
Huawei’s use of a single screen is great for both folded and unfolded uses. When folded, the screen is just as useful, just smaller. This means users gets a unified experience regardless of whether the device is folded or not. The problem with this design is most of the screen always remains vulnerable to damage. When the Mate X is folded, a large portion of the display could encounter damage. Considering this is also part of the larger display, that means the larger display is also prone to breaking. If the Mate X is damaged while folded, its unfolded screen is also damaged.
Both Samsung and Motorola have opted for the two-screen approach which immediately removes many issues with the Mate X. If the outer screen is damaged, the Galaxy Fold and RAZR still have a screen available. However, the downside with two screens is that the outside screen isn’t as useful. In Samsung’s case, this not only means smaller size, but also lower resolution. Samsung and Motorola’s screens might be better protected than Huawei’s, but they are also less useful.
Issues Common to All Foldable Phones
Having a folding screen places additional pressure on the device, particularly the screen and the hinges. With each fold or unfold, these parts are put to more work and over time could be prone to failure. Samsung, Huawei and Motorola do claim to put their designs through rigorous testing, but real-world usage is another thing. Put simply, a foldable design adds yet another way a device can go wrong. Durability and reliability is one of the main concerns surrounding foldable phones today and the Galaxy Fold has already fallen foul to this issue. The initial version sent out to reviewers had to be recalled and the design adjusted to avoid a potential screen issue that rendered the device useless.
Are foldable phones game-changing or just a fad? Right now foldable phones are a bit of a gimmick but that could change. The companies currently investing in the technology do so with the belief these devices will become part the standard. These companies are also the same companies who tend to make the future a reality and with their backing it seems likely foldable phones are here to stay. In the long-term, foldable phones absolutely have the potential to be game-changing, they just need time to get over their initial design and manufacturing hurdles.
More: Moto Razr vs. Samsung Galaxy Fold: Can Flip Phones Make a Comeback?
