More than anything else, foldable phones are a reminder of when times were easier and screens were tougher. We would put our tiny flip phones in our pockets and go about our day without a care in the world.
The phones since then have gotten from being bigger and bulkier to trying to find a sweet spot where users can enjoy content on a larger screen and yet would not have to carry around a hefty device, worrying about where they can fit it so it does not scratch the display or, God forbid, fall and break.
That sweet spot appears to be the new generation of foldable phones. Samsung was the first mainstream brand to hit it with its $2,000 Galaxy Fold in 2019, to which reception was lukewarm. But Samsung has since ironed out all creases and started putting out increasingly better devices.
While the foldables hold that nostalgic value, their prices are still sky-rocketing, which is understandable given how the technology is relatively new. Remember how long it took for smartphones to reach where they are? From Android 2.3 Gingerbread to the upcoming Android 13, smartphones and the experience they give their users have come a long way. Everybody on the street has a smartphone in their hand and probably also a smartwatch on their wrists, which before 2012 barely existed.
While the prices of these gadgets were still within the reach of the common man, the foldables are sadly not. So, even though you love how big a screen the Samsung Z Fold 3 offers or how the Moto Razr 2022 reminds you of your first phone, should you really be considering buying one?
The International Data Corporation (IDC) said in a February report that the worldwide shipments of foldable phones, inclusive of both flip and fold form factors, reached a total of 7.1 million units out of 1.39 billion smartphones in 2021. A new forecast from IDC projects foldable phone shipments will reach 27.6 million units in 2025 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 69.9 percent from 2020 to 2025.
"Although foldables did not capture a significant share of the market with 7.1 million devices shipped in 2021, they made up a third of the premium ($1,000+) Android market. So, it will not be long before foldables, just like 5G, become a signature and expected feature of the premium Android market," said Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
The word “premium” is what strikes here. The people who can afford and have an eye for fancy things will not hesitate to pay the price, even if the device does not have that “premium” feel to it. A Galaxy Z Flip 3 is sure to head turns with its unique design, a major jump from its predecessors. It was a huge success among the audiences, it checked all the boxes that its competitors or even its predecessor could not, all of that with a price cut on top. A strategy Samsung used was to get the device in as many pockets as possible. And it worked!
“In 2021, Samsung shipped almost 10 million foldable smartphones worldwide, which is an industry increase of more than 300 percent from 2020”, TM Roh, President & Head of MX Business at Samsung, wrote in a blog post.
Don’t mistake us for a Samsung fan club. The Oppo Find N was launched in China in December 2021 and the first batch was sold out within five minutes of the device going live. The Moto Razr 5G also saw a similar response in the home country when it went live by selling out in just two minutes!
On the “flip” side (get it?), we have also seen devices like the Microsoft Surface Duo with incredible hardware but wonky software priced over $1,000. The market for foldable phones has just opened and the sky is the limit for brands that have been working on this technology for years. Perfecting that hinge, manufacturing foldable glass and display, optimising apps for better adaptability, and the list goes on.
The foldable devices are a premium possession right now, coming in the category of flagship devices, not costing any less than $1,000. And that crease in the middle that just sits there to remind you of the sum you paid to have a one-of-a-kind experience and ruin it.
You can either do a “Life is too short to not have a foldable device” or you can wait some more, like we have all been waiting for that transparent phone that we might never even see. The choice is yours.
Smartphone companies will continue to innovate and users will continue to reciprocate that innovation with sales, but only if it’s worth it. And the numbers speak for themselves.
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