Thinking about getting a foldable phone? Here’s how to decide if it’s worth it

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been six years since the first folding phones entered the market. It’s also probably safe to say that folding phones are the most exciting thing to happen to smartphones in the last six years.

However, the initial lineup of foldable smartphones, while exciting, still felt like experimental tech that needed some time to mature. We saw reports of the fragility of these folding displays, a lack of waterproofing — something we take for granted in our phones these days, poor battery life, plastic screens, and a general lack of features one would expect in a premium smartphone (a problem given the pricing of these devices).

Fast-forward to 2024 and things have changed. Folding phones are just as exciting and expensive as they were six years ago. However, technology has matured to the point where a folding phone can be a significant upgrade to existing smartphones in terms of both form factor and usability.

ALSO READ: Discover the world of foldable smartphones: Everything you need to know

You’re getting great displays, IP ratings for dust and water ingress, excellent cameras, and a lot more. It is therefore, a great time to think of getting a folding phone for yourself. And if you already are, here’s what you need to keep in mind before taking the plunge.

Types of foldable smartphones: Flip vs fold

There are primarily two types of folding phones you can get your hands on today. These types are exemplified by the Samsung Galaxy Flip and Samsung Galaxy Fold, so we’ll define these two designs as flip phones and folding phones.

Flip phones: Pros and cons

Flip phones are about the size of a regular smartphone when open, and about half the size when shut. Phones in this category include the Samsung Z Flip line, Motorola’s Razr series, and Oppo’s Find N3 Flip lineup. You buy these phones when you’re looking for something more compact than your current phone.

When folded, these phones are very thick — more than twice as thick as regular phones as they’re both folded and incorporate a thicker hinge — and can have lower battery life than expected owing to the hinge mechanism taking up more space.

Folding phones: Pros and cons

Folding phones, on the other hand, are the size of regular smartphones when closed, and the size of tablets when open. These are the phones to get when you want a tablet-sized device without the hassle of carrying both a smartphone and tablet with you wherever you go. We’d argue that these phones are better suited for power users owing to the form factor and use cases.

These phones are about twice the size of regular smartphones and as such, are bulkier and heavier, but also boast of massive screens and great battery life. They’re perfect for productivity — multitasking, gaming, and even for entertainment as they’re easy to prop up and you get a larger screen. Some great foldable phones to check out are the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and the OnePlus Open.

Today’s folding phones, while featuring more mature technology than the first generation of devices, are still much more fragile than regular smartphones. The simple fact is that the hinge adds a lot of complexity to the design, and, well, glass is simply not supposed to bend and unbend that way.

ALSO READ: Flip phones vs Foldable phones: What’s the difference?

As long as you’re comfortable with the fact that these phones are significantly more expensive than the average smartphone, relatively fragile, and more expensive to repair, a folding phone or flip phone is a great buy in 2024.