Latest news with #FlexPai
Phone Arena
31-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Apple iPhone Fold - the first foldable I would actually buy
Foldable phones have now been around for more than five years. Back in 2019, when Royole showed the FlexPai (technically, the first foldable smartphone), we kind of thought the revolution would happen overnight. But it's been a long and thorny road, from the first Galaxy Fold to the latest super-thin foldables from the Far East. One thing doesn't add up, though. Where's the foldable iPhone ? Apple, a company that people associate with innovation and setting trends, seems to be holding back when it comes to foldable phones . The company is biding its time, but I can tell you this. The iPhone Fold is coming, and it will most likely be the first foldable I would consider buying. Let me explain. The iPhone Fold will be crease-free The first creaseless foldable on the market? The latest reports on the iPhone Fold say that Apple is working on a revolutionary crease-free design, which will incorporate liquid metal with special properties in order to do so. The company is keen to provide the best experience and launch its first foldable with no compromises. "Apple has decided to eliminate the crease at all costs, regardless of price, to differentiate its foldable phone from existing models," an industry insider told our colleagues at ETNews. "It is believed that a new material property has been developed to make the crease disappear." When the first generation of foldables hit the market, the crease was pretty substantial, both visually and to the touch. Little has changed since, to be honest. Samsung tried to minimize the crease and make it less visible in the Fold series, but even in the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it's still there. We have kind of gotten used to it and forgotten how this imperfection in the screen annoyed us in the beginning. When the iPhone Fold launches, and if Apple does manage to remove the crease altogether, it will very quickly give an upper edge to the phone. Especially when put side-by-side with other crease-ridden foldables. This might seem like a small thing, but I've tried several folding phones and never got over the crease. Even if I manage to trick my eyes to not pay attention to it, my fingers feel it, and I can't trick them. A creaseless foldable is absolutely a selling point for me, and I think that many people would feel the same way. The iPhone Fold will be extremely durable The iPhone Fold will use a special hinge made of titanium, stainless steel, and liquid metal The number one concern with foldables is durability. When you pay around $2000 for a phone, you don't want the added anxiety of the thing breaking at any moment. Other manufacturers have made big steps forward in that department, but still, the horror stories with screens failing and hinges getting loose and breaking still linger on many people's minds. The iPhone Fold will allegedly use a titanium design, both for the frame and the hinge. The latter will use other high-quality and durable materials such as stainless steel and liquid metal. I won't throw names here, but several flip and fold phones I've tried over the years started to feel squeaky and loose after a couple of months. It's not a nice feeling when you start to feel the two wings of a foldable moving around and the hinge making strange noises. So, if Apple manages to make the iPhone Fold airtight in terms of durability, this could be another very strong selling point and advantage compared to the competition. Especially if Apple does its marketing magic, which we all know it will. Welcome to the foldable ecosystem Get ready for some cool software tricks and seamless connectivity Say what you want about Apple, but the way the company has built its ecosystem is quite impressive. Android devices are still struggling to emulate this seamless connectivity between different devices, and foldables are a prime example. The iPhone Fold will make use of that smooth ecosystem experience in ways that many competitors can't, even today. Features such as Handoff and Universal Clipboard will be perfect on a foldable. Apple has always been focused on user experience and providing the smoothest and most trouble-free ride you can get. I imagine Apple is already working on the software side of things, making sure iOS 27 (which is the rumored OS for the iPhone Fold ) is optimized for the specific aspect ratio and foldable design. I expect multi-window and multitasking to be polished and useful on the iPhone Fold , and I bet the interface will look pretty as well. The most powerful foldable on the market Sporting the 2nm A20 chip inside, the iPhone Fold will be the most powerful foldable It should come as no surprise that the iPhone Fold will fight for (and most likely win) the "most powerful foldable" title. Rumor has it that the device will use Apple's A20 chipset, manufactured on a 2 nm node and said to be 15% faster and up to 30% more power efficient than the A19 chips we're getting in the iPhone 17 later this year. That 30% boost in efficiency is another key spec, as most modern foldables have battery life woes, mainly due to their huge main screens and thermal issues tied to the thin design. Speaking of battery life, another piece of exciting info about the iPhone Fold concerns its battery. Industry insiders expect Apple to use new, high-density batteries in all of the iPhone 18 range, including the iPhone Fold . Under-screen camera for a seamless display experience Samsung abandoned the UDC concept but Apple could make it work Under-display cameras aren't new; ZTE pioneered the tech a couple of years ago, and Samsung used it in the Z Fold 4 and Fold 5. However, Samsung ditched the UDC in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and opted for a regular 10-megapixel selfie camera on the inner display. The iPhone Fold will reportedly use an under-display camera, and this might seem like a long shot and speculation, but I believe the technology is already mature enough to get the job done without compromises (meaning crappy selfie photos and blurry videos). Touch ID will make a return on the iPhone Fold Many people feel nostalgic about Touch ID. Don't get me wrong, Face ID is quite good, arguably the best facial recognition system on the smartphone market, but putting all the necessary sensors inside a foldable might be a tall order. According to the latest rumors, the iPhone Fold will use a side-mounted Touch ID system, which will be the first appearance of the biometric feature since 2022 and the iPhone SE (2022). It will be interesting to see the implementation, and for me personally, the physical fingerprint scanner has always been the better way of authentication. iPhone Fold pricing and market demand Unlike Vision Pro, the iPhone Fold will be a much more affordable device that people actually want to buy I think Apple has learned its lesson from the Vision Pro and won't make the same mistake with the iPhone Fold . In fact, there are speculations that the iPhone Fold launch has been postponed after the Vision Pro fiasco in order to offer a more competitively priced device. Whether or not these rumors are true, the expected price for the iPhone Fold is believed to be around $1,999, which is not that bad, all things considered. The price tag of the iPhone Fold mimics the one on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 , and given all the advantages mentioned above, it should be a straight win for the iPhone. Granted, there will be another Z Fold iteration between now and the launch of the iPhone Fold , so Samsung could perfect and polish some things with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Still, if Apple really manages to keep the price under $2000, this will help sales. Which brings us to the market demand. It's been huge ever since the first rumors about a folding iPhone. People are hyped, and I'm pretty sure it will sell well. Apple aficionados and die-hard fans are done with Samsung teasing them and making fun of the fact that there's no foldable iPhone in the lineup. Conclusion. Will the iPhone Fold be that good? The iPhone Fold won't be revolutionary but it will offer the perfect package of features that actually matter It may look like I'm greasing up the iPhone Fold quite a bit with this article. The devil is in the details. I don't believe the iPhone Fold will be a revolutionary device in the sense the Vision Pro was. But all those years of lagging behind in the foldable department have given Apple the chance to polish and perfect the idea of a foldable iPhone . It's the complete package that counts in the end, and I believe the iPhone Fold will be an integral part of the iPhone portfolio. It won't feel like an appendix or a novelty just for the sake of it. What do you think about it? Are you excited about the iPhone Fold and would you buy it at $1,999?
Mint
16-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
The evolution of foldable phones in eight devices
Shouvik Das Foldables have transitioned from novelty prototypes into advanced, mainstream devices in 2025. We trace their journey and evolution in terms of both design and technology over the past decade The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is only the latest in a long line of modern foldables that have improved with every iteration to become mainstream and much-anticipated devices Gift this article Over the past seven years, foldable smartphones have seen several waves of evolution in the way they look, feel and work. The early foldable designs in 2018 were all about showcasing the technology. Now, as Samsung unveiled the seventh generation of its foldable phones last week, consumer tech brands are looking to make these premium devices more pocketable and palatable too. Case in point: the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which measures only 4mm in thickness when unfolded—and under 9mm even when folded. Mint takes a look at the evolution of the technology. Over the past seven years, foldable smartphones have seen several waves of evolution in the way they look, feel and work. The early foldable designs in 2018 were all about showcasing the technology. Now, as Samsung unveiled the seventh generation of its foldable phones last week, consumer tech brands are looking to make these premium devices more pocketable and palatable too. Case in point: the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which measures only 4mm in thickness when unfolded—and under 9mm even when folded. Mint takes a look at the evolution of the technology. Royole FlexPai: The first commercial foldable October 2018 In October 2018, little-known Chinese electronics firm Royole, with a California-registered office, became the first in the world to showcase a commercial foldable smartphone that was eventually sold to consumers. Then a feat of engineering, the FlexPai didn't shut flat—with a large U-shaped gap in the middle. Still, it showcased a future for a tablet-sized display—the FlexPai had a 7.8-inch Amoled screen—and still fit in pockets. It was understandably not a commercial success, but was the base format that many eventually adopted. Samsung Galaxy Fold: The first mainstream foldable February 2019 Interestingly, Samsung was long expected to be the first to launch a foldable, and four months after Royole, it became so. It had two displays—a large 7.3-inch one that opened when folded out, and a 4.6-inch one on the outside. The Galaxy Fold's launch was marred by early reviews flagging durability discrepancies, and criticism over Samsung overstating its sales figures. These delayed its launch until September 2019, but it still reportedly sold nearly 400,000 units—not bad for a first-generation near-concept device. Motorola Razr: The first clamshell flip phone November 2019 The Motorola Razr sought to replicate the once-iconic super-slim flip phone from 2004. This resulted in a device that got mixed reviews because of mid-level performance specifications, but won plaudits from many for a device that brought a much-beloved form factor back to the market. The new Razr had a 6.2-inch display on the inside that could be folded to smaller than the size of a palm—with a tiny 2.7-inch external screen for basic information. It wasn't very durable, but made a splash for its design innovation. LG's rollable concept phone January 2021 At the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, LG showcased a smartphone that, at the push of a button, had a phone that could roll open and assume the size of a tablet. Unfortunately, it was never to be, and by July 2021, the Korean firm announced that it is shutting its mobile phone business. Leaked videos showed a surprising amount of finesse and sophisticated engineering, but the rollable phone idea died with LG—and no one to date has made another attempt. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Google's first serious attempt August 2024 In June 2023, Google made its first Pixel Fold. But, it felt antiquated from launch itself primarily due to its thick black borders around the screen. A year later, though, the company delivered what to date is one of the most premium foldable smartphone designs to date. The displays are crisp, with a premium matte glass back and dimensions suitable for most streaming apps. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also showed that foldable phones can be durable, premium and large, all at once. Huawei Mate XT: The first commercial tri-fold September 2024 Though no longer a global brand, China's Huawei made waves when it launched its triple-folding Mate XT smartphone. It had a Z-shaped folding mechanism, with three folding steps of display that could be as slim as 4.8mm. When opened, the full display is larger than 10 inches—truly replacing a tablet within pockets. The feat of technology, unfortunately, cannot be bought anywhere outside of China, although it inspired other brands to follow suit. Samsung, for instance, is expected to be working on a tri-fold phone for later this year. Moto Razr 60 Ultra: The newest flip design May 2025 Two months ago, the Moto Razr 60 Ultra showed a super-premium take on its latest device design that had premium leather on its back, and a size smaller than most palms when folded. Even when shut, the Razr 60 Ultra has cameras within its display, and the 4-inch outer display lets users access most features of the phone. When unfolded, it is a full-scale flagship with a 7-inch display—and is today pretty much the only flagship phone that can also be compact and easy to fit in pockets. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: The slimmest foldable design July 2025 Samsung's launch from last week, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, showcased a foldable smartphone that is only 4mm thick. In fact, when opened, it is the slimmest in-production smartphone right now—even though it has all the features of a flagship. This includes an 8-inch Amoled display, up to 1TB storage, a 200-megapixel main camera, a stabilized 3x-zoom second camera, and even a desktop mode that turns it into a compact computer format, when paired with a wireless pointer device. Does it improve usage? That remains to be seen. Topics You May Be Interested In
Kuwait Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Samsung unveils slimmed-down foldable smartphone
NEW YORK: Samsung unveiled on Wednesday the new generation of its foldable smartphone, the Z Fold7, dramatically slimmed down in an attempt to jumpstart this still-niche market. More than seven years after the launch of the first flexible-screen phone, the FlexPai from Chinese company Royole, which filed for bankruptcy in late 2024, these devices account for only about two percent of smartphone sales, according to Ben Wood from CCS Insight. Their low penetration in the mobile phone world is largely due to their thickness, inferior camera quality, and high price. Samsung, the leader since introducing its Galaxy Z Fold in 2019, has recently lost market share to Chinese competitors, particularly Honor and OnePlus, as well as American company Motorola. 'Samsung, who had become a little bit conservative, has found their mojo again, and they have delivered a product which really is a best-in-class folding device,' said Wood. The new offerings - the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold7 and $1,100 Galaxy Z Flip7 - are the thinnest and lightest in the series to date, about as slim as standard smartphones when folded and nearly half as thin as Samsung's earliest designs. 'This is a reset of Samsung's foldable design to a different era where you really do get a super-premium phone that folds out into a tablet with software experiences designed for that,' said Avi Greengart from Techsponential. 'Especially in the United States, no one has seen anything like this,' he added. The analyst also highlighted improvements in material composition, making it a more solid and potentially more durable device. Foldable smartphones open in two like a book and rely on OLED technology, which has allowed traditional screen glass to be replaced with a polymer plastic layer that is flexible. Samsung has also improved the performance of the integrated camera, which now offers 200-megapixel resolution in wide-angle (four times that of the Z Fold6), putting it on par with the best equipment on the market across all phones. The South Korean tech group has also taken advantage of this new product line to integrate more generative artificial intelligence (AI) features. These are mainly powered through Google's Android operating system and the search engine giant's Gemini suite of AI products and models. Users can now query Google's Gemini about elements captured with the smartphone's camera, for example asking for advice when shopping for clothes or how to repair a bike. 'This is not a radical change with a new multimodal interface that drastically reinvents the consumer experience,' cautioned Thomas Husson, an analyst at Forrester. The jury is still out on whether the AI tools will spark growth in sales, which has been slowing in recent years as users delay ever more expensive upgrades to their smartphones. — AFP
