Lisa Eadicicco, Business Insider:
In a note published on February 20, the firm called Samsung’s newly introduced $1,980 Galaxy Fold “the main potential challenge” for Apple in the ultra-high-end smartphone market. “In terms of competition for Apple we see the Fold as the main potential challenge in the ultra high-end with a compelling form factor that only Samsung’s foldable OLED technology can deliver in our opinion,” the note said.
And:
“We see this as challenging for Apple who could find themselves with no access to the critical flexible OLED technology for which we believe Samsung has at least a two year lead over other display competitors.”
But:
Although Samsung demonstrated the device on stage, it did not allow media attendees to try the Fold after the event, which Goldman also flagged as a cause for concern.
The issue here: Samsung controls the supply of foldable OLED displays. A two year lead is formidable.
Nick Heer, from this post:
During the unveiling, Samsung emphasized the Fold’s versatility in being able to transform from an ordinary smartphone into a tablet just by opening it up. But this device — and others like it — are bad phones, and worse tablets. Every shot of the closed phone looks like it’s begging to be unfolded; its display looks narrow, uncomfortable, and cramped. It seems far better in its tablet-like configuration, but it is at best a diet version of a tablet.
Though Samsung does have a significant and protected lead, the product niche is nowhere near established. If Apple sees foldables in their future, they’re no doubt working on building the technology with another vendor, and/or working on the mechanics of building a foldable OLED display themselves.
It looks cool at first, but when you really think about it I doubt there’s a big market for it in its current form. High-end phones have screens big enough for 90% of on-the-go use cases. Who would pay double for something that is worse as a smartphone 90% of the time and more slightly convenient for being a tablet 10% of the time? This technology has potential but needs to cut a lot of weight before it gets really compelling.
Goldman Sachs, the company who brought us national ruin with toxic mortgages, while the top guys got to buy bigger yachts.
Foldable phones… the curved, 3D TVs of this time.
As Ruben says, who wants to pay that much for a phone that’s a pad form factor as a phone, too thick and only a decent mini tablet?
Foldable phones… the curved, 3D TVs of this time.
As Ruben says, who wants to pay that much for a phone that’s a pad form factor as a phone, too thick and only a decent mini tablet?
Price prohibitive at $1,980.
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”
I honestly can’t see this phone going anywhere.
If it does, I’d expect they’ll be a lot of difficulties with damaged screens from all the folding, and unfolding.
What problems does this thing solve? Sounds like yet another poorly-implemented Swiss-Army-knife idea that’ll get gadget enthusiasts horny for a few months until they realize it doesn’t provide its promised conveniences.
Uh Samsung, 1989 just called, said to pass on this message about your fold-able phone, “Been there, done that.”
I’ve seen some cool techie sci-fi with phones/computer screen devices that roll up into a wristband or something like that. You can unroll it enough for a phone/vidphone or unroll it more for a tablet-sized screen. This Samsung thing is not that by a long shot. I’m hesitant to call it a step along the road. And no matter how much they claim they have engineered that hinge, I remember another company who claimed their super engineered hinges were just fine — and Apple got raked over the coals when those failed.
I am a technophile and love to see new stuff, but this thing I’m really skeptical about. And, hey, how about that notch in tablet form, eh? I haven’t heard anyone on the techie vids I watched about it mentions that. Why does Samsung get a pass on notches?
Rather than a tablet that folds into a phone, I would prefer a phone that folds into a lightweight notification center/reader (of emails or the like).
An iPhone XS Max with the same amount of storage is $1450