Understanding Foldable Phones
What Are Foldable Phones?
Foldable phones are mobile devices with flexible displays that allow the screen to fold, offering a hybrid experience between a smartphone and a tablet. These devices aim to provide more screen real estate without increasing physical pocket size.
There are two primary form factors:
- Book-style: Opens like a book, revealing a larger internal screen. Typically folds vertically.
- Clamshell: Folds more like a traditional flip phone, compact when closed and expands to a standard smartphone size when opened.
Each type serves different user needs, with book-style models targeting multitasking and media consumption, while clamshell versions emphasize portability.
A Brief History of Foldables
Foldables have come a long way since their concept stage. Here’s a quick timeline:
- Early 2010s: Tech companies began experimenting with flexible OLED screens.
- 2018: First working prototypes were unveiled by brands like Royole and Samsung.
- 2019: Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X launched the first wave of consumer-ready foldables.
- 2020s: Improvements in hardware, durability, and design made foldables increasingly mainstream.
Today, major manufacturers continue refining these devices, integrating them into their flagship lineups.
Why Foldable Screens Matter
Foldable technology is about more than just a cool design. These devices aim to:
- Solve the tension between screen size and portability.
- Enable multitasking by allowing multiple apps on different parts of the screen.
- Offer new modes of interaction, like using one side as a keyboard or camera preview.
By merging the best of both smartphones and tablets, foldable phones are reshaping how users think about mobile computing and engagement.
As the technology matures, foldables could become the default device for users seeking versatility without carrying multiple gadgets.
Foldables aren’t a novelty anymore—they’re a serious part of the vlogger toolkit going into 2024. Three names dominate the space: Samsung, Google, and Motorola.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series remain the most polished all-rounders. The Fold is for power users who want a small tablet in their pocket. The Flip is compact, pocket-friendly, and still packs a punch, especially for front-camera content. Google’s Pixel Fold brought in a clean software experience with top-tier cameras, thanks to Tensor G2’s processing. Then there’s the Motorola Razr, which leans into nostalgia but with upgraded internals and a sharper outer screen that makes shooting on the fly easier than ever.
Display differences matter more than you’d think. Samsung uses UTG (ultra-thin glass), balancing durability with malleability. Motorola and some others still rely on plastic OLED, which shows more wear over time but is lighter. The hinge game also varies. Samsung’s hinge is tight but bulky. Google went for a wider bend radius, reducing the crease but making its fold a bit thicker.
Build quality and repairability are still mix-and-match. Samsung has improved water resistance, but cracked screens and hinge wear can still throw creators off their schedule. Motorola’s newer models are easier to service, while Google’s design focuses more on balance than field repair. The bottom line: foldable phones offer massive utility for vloggers, but they demand care—and some willingness to pay for repairs.
Is a Foldable Phone Right for You?
Foldable phones continue to generate buzz in 2024, but they aren’t for everyone. Understanding who benefits from this technology—and who might be better off sticking with a traditional device—can help you make a smart decision.
Who Benefits Most From Foldables?
Foldable phones offer unique advantages for specific user groups. Consider whether you fall into one of these categories:
- Creative Professionals: Designers, video editors, photographers, and multitaskers can benefit from the expanded screen space for productivity and previews.
- Content Consumers: Foldables are ideal for users who spend hours watching videos, reading articles, or browsing visually rich platforms.
- Tech Enthusiasts and Early Adopters: If you enjoy being on the cutting edge of mobile innovation, foldables are a conversation starter and a piece of the future in your pocket.
Potential Downsides to Keep in Mind
Foldables might look futuristic, but they come with some compromises. Make sure to weigh these before making the leap:
- Higher Cost: Foldable devices remain more expensive than most standard smartphones. You’re paying for innovation, not just specs.
- Thickness and Bulk: Many foldables are thicker and heavier when closed, which can affect portability and comfort.
- Accessory Limitations: Compatibility with cases, mounts, and third-party accessories is still limited compared to traditional models.
How to Decide if a Foldable Fits Your Lifestyle
Ask yourself the following before making a purchase:
- Do you regularly multitask on your phone or wish for a tablet-sized screen in your pocket?
- Are you willing to invest in new tech and accept possible trade-offs in durability or accessory options?
- Does your workflow or entertainment consumption benefit from a larger, more versatile display?
If the answer to most of these is yes, a foldable phone might be a smart addition to your tech lineup. If not, you might be better off waiting for the technology to mature or prices to become more accessible.
Foldable devices aren’t just novelties anymore. In 2024, many of them go toe-to-toe with traditional flagships on raw performance. With high-end chipsets (think Snapdragon 8 Gen series or equivalent), loads of RAM, and crisp 120Hz displays, foldables can run demanding apps and edit 4K footage without breaking a sweat. The hardware gap is effectively closed.
Where foldables start to shine is multitasking. Split-screen setups, floating windows, and drag-and-drop support mean vlogging workflows—scripting, editing, replying to comments—get a productivity boost right out of the box. It’s not just about flashy screens that bend; it’s workflow flexibility in your pocket.
That said, software still plays catch-up. Not all apps are optimized for foldable layouts, and bugs can show up if you’re juggling too many tools. But the top platforms are adapting fast, and most creators can glide through daily tasks with ease.
Trade-offs remain. Battery life can dip a bit compared to slab-style phones, mostly because of dual displays and thinner frames. Cameras are solid, but only a few models match flagship-level shooters, especially in low light. Portability? Surprisingly good—but expect a thick fold in your pocket.
Bottom line: if you’re a mobile-first creator, foldables are more than ready. Just know what you’re trading for that extra screen real estate.
Foldables have come a long way from being just flashy tech demos. In 2024, they’re starting to blur the lines with tablets. Screens are bigger, hinges are smoother, and multitasking doesn’t feel like pulling teeth anymore. For vloggers, foldables offer the sweet spot: portability like a phone, screen real estate like a tablet. Shooting, editing, and posting all from one foldable device? Totally doable now.
The real kicker is how foldables pair with wearables—specifically smartwatches. Quick glances at scripts or notifications without breaking flow is a huge win for creators, especially during shoots or livestreams. Some creators even use smartwatches to control their cameras or cue content mid-recording. The ecosystem is getting tighter and smarter.
If you’re building out your mobile setup, foldables and smartwatches are a power combo worth testing. For an easy breakdown of smartwatch options, check out our comparison here: Best Smartwatches Compared for Fitness and Productivity.
Foldable phones used to be futuristic toys only diehard tech fans could stomach buying. The first wave came with jaw-dropping prices, fragile hinges, and sub-par cameras. Fast forward a few years and the picture has shifted. Prices are inching down, durability has improved, and specs are finally catching up to the premium price tags. It’s still not cheap, but early adopter tax isn’t what it used to be.
Now the question everyone’s asking: where are the mid-range foldables? The answer, for now, is mostly fantasy. A few brands are experimenting with lighter versions, but real affordability still takes a back seat to innovation. Making a bendable screen that doesn’t break takes R&D money. A lot of it.
But there’s more than foldables on the horizon. Manufacturers are hyping up the next wave — rollable displays that expand like scrolls, stretchables that flex beyond one axis, and hybrid designs that aim to blend tablet and phone like nothing before. Some of this is still stuck in concept labs, but prototypes are out there, and the message is clear: the form factor race is just beginning.
Looking to 2025 and beyond, manufacturers are placing bets on materials science and UI design keeping up with hardware leaps. The ones that win will be the ones that make this tech feel normal. Flexible is cool, but usable is king.
Foldable phones used to feel like a sci-fi flex—cool to look at but clunky in practice. That’s starting to change. The tech is maturing fast, and what was once a novelty is slowly becoming a legitimate choice for certain users. Creators who multitask on the go, power users who want tablet-like screens in their back pockets, or mobile editors needing more space to work—foldables start to make real sense for them.
Still, for the average vlogger or viewer, sticking with a solid traditional phone might be smarter—for now. Foldables are expensive, some apps don’t scale perfectly, and long-term durability is still a question mark. Think of it as the early days of electric cars: full of promise, but not quite mainstream.
If you’re curious, keep an eye on this space. Models are getting slimmer, hinge designs are improving, and costs are slowly coming down. Foldables might not be your next phone, but they could be the one after that.