Are foldables cool now?
Samsung released its first foldable phone in 2019, and it was the only company seriously pursuing the form factor for several years. Those early devices were clunky and more interesting as feats of engineering than as things you’d want to carry around all day, but little by little, foldable hardware improved until Apple could finally release the product it wanted. The iPhone Duo is not an island—it relies on many of the same components as other foldable phones, including Samsung displays.
The iPhone Duo may lead to wider foldables (and bigger hands, apparently).
Credit:
Apple
The Apple hype train is unstoppable, so increased interest in foldables was probably inevitable. Samsung expanded its foldable lineup with the non-Ultra model just in time, likely based on leaks of Apple’s device. But the wider form factor isn’t just a gimmick—it addresses several annoying issues with foldable phones. The main display is better for watching video with less wasted space. It’s also better for reading documents and using unoptimized apps (many of which are in the Play Store) in portrait orientation compared to square foldable screens. This is a positive change for foldable phones, and one we’ll probably see replicated by other OEMs in the coming months.
Regardless, foldable pricing is definitely not cool. It’s hard to justify spending $2,000 on a phone, but at the same time, all devices are getting more expensive. With recent price hikes, the top-end flat phones from Samsung, Google, and Apple are only a few hundred dollars away from their foldable options. Foldable prices have inched upward, too, but not by the same amount. Apple even managed an uncharacteristically competitive (for a foldable) price of $2,000 for the iPhone Duo. Samsung’s wide foldable is a little cheaper at $1,900, and it has been discounted at a few retailers since launch.