Support NeoGAF

[-Arcadia-]

Cancel me on Twitter if old. I started to get recommendations for this, being completely unaware it existed (that foldable hype went away fast), and was kind of intrigued.

It looks like a nice refinement on what was kind of an escaped-from-the-lab mess last year, although prices are still so sky-high, I can’t imagine most people running out to buy one.

To be honest, I’m kind of surprised that they’re still going for a phone/tablet/all-in-one angle with this, and it lends a bit of clunk to the entire experience, with a weird second screen and bizarre ratio specifically for phone functionality. I almost think they’d be better off dumping the second screen, and just saying, hey, this is a tablet, and it fits in your pocket and can go wherever with you. Because it actually does look like a pretty awesome portable tablet. It’s all the compromise that makes the product look unattractive.

A couple of videos (featuring a possibly hungover Marques Brownlee):

 

[EverydayBeast]

Dusting off the foldable phones was an interesting move definitely appreciate iPhones more now

 

[Cunth]

I can’t get past screen crease

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

The phone/tablet hybrid design is genius. But then I also honestly miss the idea of being able to open up and close a handheld device (GBA SP, DS, 3DS etc). The screen crease of the foldable phones are noticeable but probably you will get used to it after a while anyway so it's not so bad.

 

[HoodWinked]

if i was rich i'd probably buy it

 

[MastAndo]

The tech seems to be improving, but the crease still being present kinda kills it. I'm also trying to figure out why I would need a giant square screen in my pocket.

 

[TaySan]

By the time my LG V40 bites the dust hopefully this technology will be fine-tuned and the crease will be non-existent. Cool stuff though and this is clearly an improvement over 1st gen.

 

[Zambatoh]

There's a lot of potential for new software to take advantage of this. Especially emulators since the buttons would no longer have to be over-layed on top of the games.

 

[highrider]

If Apple did some kind of knock off of this I’d get it, I edit video on my phone a lot.

 

[GymWolf]

I'm gonna be ready for when this sfuff is gonna be flawless and not early adopter stuff in around 15-20 years.

 

[Stiflers Mom]

Nice gadget.
Much too expensive though.

 

[GHG]

I'm gonna be ready for when this sfuff is gonna be flawless and not early adopter stuff in around 15-20 years.

It will be much quicker than that, this will have the kinks smoothed out and be affordable within the next 3-5 years.

 

[GeorgPrime]

Dont know whats the appeal of a foldable phone... will never get one.

 

[BeardGawd]

Surface Duo seems far more interesting and has more room to get work done.

 

[-Arcadia-]

It will be much quicker than that, this will have the kinks smoothed out and be affordable within the next 3-5 years.

I hope so. These are getting pretty cool looking, and for actual human prices, I’d be kind of interested.

Having something that portable, but unfolds into a real tablet for lunch break to Gaf on, or whatever, would be super convenient and awesome. Using my phone can be annoying for the simplest of things, and I just like to have space to breathe and do things.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

Wow thats a huge difference, Apple goes through like 3 generations of iphones to get this level of improvement.

 

[RNG]

Still don't like how it has a crease in the middle. Personally I prefer the Flip though and will probably get that in a few years once it improves more.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

These foldables are all kinds of awesome and I have no doubt that they represent the future.

I considered buying the new Fold 2 even with the extravagant price, just out of sheer coolness-futurism, but the fact a nail can permanently damage it worried me. To be fair I don't know if the nail scratch is just the screen protector or the screen, but since the screen protector is supposed to only be swapped out by samsung personnel, it's still a deterrent.

 

[DeafTourette]

By the time my LG V40 bites the dust hopefully this technology will be fine-tuned and the crease will be non-existent. Cool stuff though and this is clearly an improvement over 1st gen.

LG V40 owner here too! This phone is the bee's knees! The camera (especially manual) is just as good as the current crop!

 

[H-I-M]

Can't remember the last time we had a phone this exciting.

That front screen being an actual phone, makes it way more useful than the Surface Duo.

 

[H4ze]

I think foldables are a really cool idea, but I am too poor to be an early adopter, gotta wait till they are cheaper and better made

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Lemme fold the phone down into a small square tricorder sort of thing and we'll talk. Unfolding up into a bigger screen is pointless.

 

[-Arcadia-]

Lemme fold the phone down into a small square tricorder sort of thing and we'll talk. Unfolding up into a bigger screen is pointless.

Well. I actually have good news for you, lol. Motorola's new Razrs are exactly this.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Well. I actually have good news for you, lol. Motorola's new Razrs are exactly this.

Perfect, this is what I am looking for.

 

[thief183]

Can't wait to see the reaction when Apple will invent this.

Btw the Fold 2 is on another level vs the Fold 1, I got them both (I got a shop that sells also phones) and I'm impressed. Now I'm a person that after 4 years my Galaxy S8 is without a single sratch and I've never used a cover or screen protector so I'm not scared about the fragile screen.

 

[Tesseract]

Well. I actually have good news for you, lol. Motorola's new Razrs are exactly this.

trinity, halp

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Nintendo DS/3DS did it first.

 

[Setzer]

I have the Galaxy Fold 2 on pre-order. Pretty excited for it. I used the Fold 1 briefly and I will say the crease is hardly noticeable when using it. The only time you see it is when you hold the phone at an angle or use it outside.

I almost went with the Z Flip because I love the compact factor but spec wise it just wasn't worth what they're selling it for. No 120hz, no stereo speakers, and the outside screen when folded is too small and not as good as the one found on the new Motorola Razr.

 

[cryptoadam]

I still think the Huweii one that folds towards the outside is a better design. I was watching another reviewer and they made a good point that is that extra front screen that is really just a waste of screen and power.

Huweii's design only has one screen that folds out. Phone can be thinner and you don't need a batter powering a second screen since the whole phone is one screen.

 

[Fbh]

Yeah definitely seems much improved over the previous one. Specially the normal screen while folded which was laughable on the original one.
Give it a couple more iterations to perfect the tech, then a couple more to make it cheaper and it could be pretty cool

 

[Setzer]

I still think the Huweii one that folds towards the outside is a better design. I was watching another reviewer and they made a good point that is that extra front screen that is really just a waste of screen and power.

Huweii's design only has one screen that folds out. Phone can be thinner and you don't need a batter powering a second screen since the whole phone is one screen.

I saw that one and to me having the screen that folds out would make it more fragile. That foldable screen is pretty soft and more prone to getting scratched. Would not want to carry around that one in my pocket.

 

[cryptoadam]

I saw that one and to me having the screen that folds out would make it more fragile. That foldable screen is pretty soft and more prone to getting scratched. Would not want to carry around that one in my pocket.

Thats a good point. I also thought maybe it would be awkward having the screen on the front and back of the phone when folded.

I think both have their cons to them and the tech needs to get better as far as the screens go. Without having physically seen both I like the Mate design better, but that could change when actually having it in hand.

I am waiting for rollable phones. Being able to roll out a screen from a pen sized shape object will be the true game changer but thats probably a decade away.

 

[nkarafo]

There's a lot of potential for new software to take advantage of this. Especially emulators since the buttons would no longer have to be over-layed on top of the games.

Old games were 4:3. If anything, they should cover the whole screen now.

Also, playing anything with virtual buttons is ...bad.

 

[Setzer]

Old games were 4:3. If anything, they should cover the whole screen now.

Also, playing anything with virtual buttons is ...bad.

Here's a couple of videos showing the first Fold running emulators to play PS2 and GameCube games in 4:3:

 

[-Arcadia-]

Looks like Motorola has hit round 2 as well



A little less impressed on this than the Samsungs. It mostly seems like the same thing as last year. Still the coolest phone that I don’t know I’d actually want.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Looks like Motorola has hit round 2 as well



A little less impressed on this than the Samsungs. It mostly seems like the same thing as last year. Still the coolest phone that I don’t know I’d actually want.

Cool factor on the new razor 5g is through the roof. At 1400$ is the cheapest foldable as well.

 

[partime]

Dont know whats the appeal of a foldable phone... will never get one.

So the poor person sitting next to you can watch some porn as well. Gotta give a little love okay?

 

[-Arcadia-]

One last update (?), as I thought this was really awesome.



It’s very clearly not where it needs to be yet, and I question if I (this is just my personal opinion — I’m not a high-powered executive) really need more than one app at a time in my browsing, but it is really, really cool.

 

[GymWolf]

Yeah i don't know, when folded they are still pretty thick...

The point of these things is to have a tablet ready to use in your pocket...but these things are still too thick to even stay in a tight pocket like in jeans pants...

They have a loooong way to go before they can put a 10" tablet in your pocket with the same exact form factor of a slim smartphone, maybe not 20 years, but 10 for sure.

If this was on steam it would be an early access.