Folds Have Problems.. Here’s Why I Won’t Stop Using Them

[Plouffe]

Foldables are pretty cool, but are they worth the money? Linus has been daily driving one for a few years and thinks he might be able to convince you.

 

Buy a Google Pixel Fold: https://lmg.gg/3zXeI

Buy a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: https://lmg.gg/8x1Mb

Buy a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5: https://lmg.gg/IcxOO

Buy a Google Pixel 7 Pro: https://lmg.gg/sMBTW

Buy a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: https://geni.us/lYu0zh

 

Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

 

 

 

[RoseLuck462]

So does Linus primarily use the Pixel Fold now? What happened to the Fold 5 that dbrand sent as replacement for his Fold 3?

[Streetguru]

Holy crap I made it into the video.

I will probably end up buying a Fold 6 if it has an S-pen in the body, but I ended up having to sell my lovely sweet beautiful overpriced AF S23 Ultra cuz I lost my job lol. Starting a new one in 3-14 business days at least. Hopefully.

Someone better let me know when the next Battlestations video is coming, I moved into a Van instead of a Shed and it is very comfy(when it's not hot out)

[Streetguru]

Just now, RoseLuck462 said:

So does Linus primarily use the Pixel Fold now? What happened to the Fold 5 that dbrand sent as replacement for his Fold 3?

Check the Fold 5 video, or maybe he has an update on twitter, Think he said he was going to switch to the Fold 5.

[Uttamattamakin]

I said I would buy a folding phone when they supported S Pen.  Having the pen not in the body is ... hmmm not great.  I might go for it and just stay on contract  after some time passes and the phone goes on sale. 

Hopefully we can see a good take on a folding PC from Microsoft soon.  A surface fold or what Surface Folio.  Something the size of surface pro you can fold in half.  Or something 2x the size unfolded that unfolds to a HUGE almost all in one sized desktop or a laptop with on screen keyboard typing and a pen.  I can see that being a thing. 

[RandomLegoBrick]

the broll of the giant pockets was golden xD

well done plouffe, well done

[Ultraforce]

6 hours ago, RoseLuck462 said:

So does Linus primarily use the Pixel Fold now? What happened to the Fold 5 that dbrand sent as replacement for his Fold 3?

He's actually using his old Samsung Galaxy Note 9

With him planning to make a LTT video where he will daily drive for a month and do a review about it as well as talk about what he loved all his previous phones.

About 2 weeks back he talked about how he might let the audience decide partially since LMG also got their hands on the new fairphone.

[VinLAURiA]

I'm actually interested in the "Flex S" style in that folding displays video they did at CES 2023.

 

 

I think three-panel folding has the potential to be an even bigger game-changer than today's two-panel folding, simply due to all the ways you can use it, with the "Flex S" style being somewhat more versatile than the also-showcased "Flex G". Especially if you combine it with the "Flex In-N-Out" (we'll just call it the "Flex N" for short) folding tech in the same video to allow both hinges to fold either way, which in turn would also consolidate the "Flex S" and "Flex G" styles demonstrated into a single device.

 

One really nice thing about a three-panel display is that you can have near-identical aspect ratios between the screen as a whole and each individual segment. A 16:9 - or 256:144 - segment combined with two others becomes a 27:16 - or 243:144 - display. Have the two hinge sections make up that remaining 13:144 (so 6.5:144 each) and you've got perfect geometric similarity between its folded and unfolded states.

 

 

[maplepants]

It's amazing how few apps are optimised for these devices. This screenshot is from a game he's recommending, and it looks terrible.

 

All of these phones are expensive, so you'd think devs would be able to make decent money off of foldable owners.

 

The economics of the Google Play Store must have gotten even worse since I last worked on Android apps if even this guaranteed way to target rich people isn't profitable. 

[Agent Squirrel]

This video is me when my teacher gave me an essay assignment.

[xnamkcor]

Folding screens where the screen folds will always eventually break.

[Agall]

I personally think the Z Flip form factor is the superior option for most people. Just this week, I upgraded from my Flip3 to a Flip5 for several specific reasons, however, the flip3 was still a viable option 2 years later. Noting that I had the Flip3 from its launch day back in August 2021.

 

I did use the Best Buy GSP about 6 months ago to swap it for a new one because I ran into the same issues Linus pointed out about the adhesive on the hinge fatiguing and causing a bubble across the hinge. I've seen this on a friend's phone as well. I also removed mine without replacing it, which is a mistake, because shortly after, I got a noticeable gouge in the display. It was still functional, but was noticeable, so I used that opportunity to use the 2 year GSP before it expired.

 

The reasons I upgraded to the Flip5 are the following:

 

-The US unlocked Flip3 did not support dual SIM, which I actually needed, the Flip5 (and Flip4 mind you) do. I have a company SIM and personal SIM, so its a feature I actually need to not have to carry around two phones.

 

-The larger front display allows me to use the phone while folded for about 80% of the time I use the phone, and being someone who used a Unihertz Atom for over 6 months (before the battery was shot with no replacement option) and loved it, is a wonderful change in usability.

 

-Battery life should be better, especially if I'm able to use the front display 80% of the time, but I do limit the charge to 85% and still have plenty of battery at the end of the day. I primarily use my phone at night or in the morning with light use throughout the day, but I'll need more time than two days to determine if its any better overall.

 

-The hinge redesign is okay, but I don't think its necessary. If I have to open the phone less and the hinge is tighter, then it is less likely for things to get on the screen and cause damage. There still is a gap, its just about the same difference the whole way.

 

-DP alt support actually works, even with usb-c to HDMI cables or usb-c docks for display, power, and USB. Doesn't support Dex like the Fold, but I don't think that's a necessary leap compared to using DP alt and USB (for anyone actually using the feature).

 

-The last nail was the dual SIM realization (I last looked at this problem over a year ago and forgot until two days ago) and when I checked the prices, the 256GB model was $200 off. Makes me glad I waited TBH.

 

The Flip3 was genuinely a perfect phone for me with the exception of the dual SIM issue and limited usability of the cover display (specifically for youtube without having to pay for Premium). Even with the limited use of the cover display on the Flip5, the applications supported from launch would be the only applications worth using on the cover display in my opinion, but we'll see what else gets native support (maybe spotify would be nice).

[poochyena]

I'm still not sold on it. A tablet is just simply better. Its a bigger screen and includes a case with a physical keyboard. The only times I feel like I want a bigger screen is when I'm traveling, and I'm going to have a backpack with me anyways, so it no problem stuffing my tablet in there.

[Spindel]

Me and @LinusTech have so different views on this. While this is his opinions on this (which he is entitled to) I mourn the death of the iPhone mini  (will keep my 13 mini for a long while).

 

To me one of the main things with a phone is portability. So smaller is better (within limits in the smart phone age). And I rather have both a tablet and a phone (which I do).
 

To me foldables like the one linus uses are a phone that is too big and a tablet that is too small, so a jack of all trades master of none situation.

 

I’m fully aware that Apple axed iPhone mini because it doesn’t sell well enough so my opinion is in the minority.

 

On the other hand if you think like me but are OK with a foldable it kind of justifies the price for the fold. A good phone + a tablet will end up costing you abrund the same as a fold 

[HankieAllenson]

At 5:10, he was able to use his computer on his phone. What app is that? 

[LMGcommunity]

On 9/16/2023 at 5:02 PM, HankieAllenson said:

At 5:10, he was able to use his computer on his phone. What app is that? 

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