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The story may change over time, but I'm convinced this is interesting technology applied to the wrong use cases. The challenges of smartphones—size, weight, battery and so on—don't lend themselves well to folding. Laptops, tablets, and other larger devices, however, seem more interesting: a Surface that folds into a tiny tablet? That makes more sense than the detachable version on sale today.
And the laptop makers are working on this. Microsoft's 'Andromeda' project involves foldables. Apple's filing patents for laptop foldables. As is Samsung, and a whole array of manufacturers out there as well.
Foldables make more sense in the context of eliminating an awkward middle category. They're squarely aimed at removing the need to buy a tablet, even in the phone category, which is why a laptop that folds into a tablet would be so interesting (and perhaps a category redefining form factor).
What seems clear to me from the past month is the mental gymnastics required to sell foldable phones are ludicrous. Technology publications are loudly saying they're the future, doing the marketing for these companies because futuristic drives clicks, but still failing to find a use case.
Sure, they look cool, and that's what manufacturers are going for: wow the consumer with smoke and mirrors, and worry about the details later.
One thing is clear: buying this generation of foldable phones is a bad idea. It's one thing to bet on a first-generation iPhone, but this is a public beta test of hardware that you're paying for. Until the kinks are straightened out, it's worth sitting this one out for now.
📞 Foldables: right tech, wrong place
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