If you told me a year ago that I’d ditch my trusty old slab phone for one that bends and flexes, I’d have choked on laughter. Fast-forward to today, the die has been cast, and a foldable phone is next on my list. Guess who’s laughing now? But, what flipped my script so heavily that I developed an allergy to the regular form factor? Well, the journey started a year ago, and I’m here to tell you all about it!
What Ignited the Spark
Foldable phones are quite an expensive affair. Hence, I have had my fair share of skepticism about them – “Why will I need two phones glued together? They must be super fragile, and the clumsy me is surely going to break them easily”.
But, it goes without saying that the tech enthusiast in me has always wanted to give one a proper try. Well, that came true in June last year when I started using the OnePlus Open (comparison) as my daily driver. This became the primordial ooze that fueled my newfound appreciation for foldables.
Then, this year, I got to use the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro (first impressions), Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (review) and a bunch of other flip phones, like the Motorola Razr 50 (first impressions). In short, a lot of foldables. It was only then that I realized how far foldable phones have actually come, and how all that they were infamous for had been addressed quite well. Especially, the book-style foldables.
The crease is no longer that visible now. And, neither does it feel like you’re carrying an awkward brick in your pocket at all times. Nor does your wrist give up when you’re using it unfolded for hours on end. Oh, you also don’t have to worry about accidentally peeling off the screen itself (sorry, Samsung). The point is, somewhere down the line, I found more utilities for these bendy toys than I ever thought I would.
Flip a Page Anywhere
I used to carry a tablet religiously with me, at all times, everywhere. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes and ever since Anmol, our Editor, introduced me to Manhwas (Omniscient Reader, you beauty!), I have been relying more on my tablet now than ever before.
But, I hated the fact that I’d have to constantly take to my 11-inch Xiaomi Pad 5 now and then. Thanks to being mostly on foldables for the past year or so, I can simply take to the inner screen and get to reading straightaway. Not to mention that it gets in your pocket easily and doesn’t dent your already disfigured pinky as much.
That saves me a lot of trouble during commutes or vacations, where my phone can simply double down as a phablet whenever, and wherever I want it to. This form factor does not just make reading easy, by the way.
Hands-Free Viewing with Ease
Tent mode is easily one of the best things about foldables, period. For those unaware, as soon as you partially unfold a foldable (as shown above), it enters tent mode. Simply put, the content being displayed on the screen gets divided amongst the two halves of the inner screen.
In the case of YouTube videos, one half simply displays the video, while the other becomes the Video controls panel. This is more helpful than it seems, at least to me. With bar phones, I had to frantically scramble bottles, salt shakers or even a strategically placed potato to prop my phone up. Now, thanks to tent mode, viewing has never been easier and more helpful, especially since I’ve been on a quest to become a culinary wizard lately.
Yes, the ugly black borders surrounding the video at the top and bottom don’t go away, unless you zoom in at the cost of missing out most of the content. But, like all things in life, you get used to it, and I don’t whine about the odd aspect ratio anymore. Besides, if it bothers you as much, simply take to the cover screen and you’re good.
Tent mode works well with a lot of other apps, like WhatsApp and Instagram, positioning the keyboard on one half of the screen. This does make you extra cool when typing it away. It also does evoke memories of the classic Samsung Corby and Nokia N97, which I used to dig a lot.
More Screen = More Work Done
For someone who has uncountable Chrome tabs open, manages to-do lists, checks social media platforms for updates, and more, there’s only so much that I could fit in my OnePlus 11R’s 6.7-inch display, which is the case with your regular slab phones. There’s a reason I ditched my laptop screen for a monitor years ago – more real estate to work with.
Prior to using foldables, I never used Android’s supposedly useful split screen view. I mean, it gets a little too congested to use two apps side-by-side, don’t you think? Now, I can’t get enough of split screen, as any book-style foldable phone will offer you around or over 8 inches to work with. That’s a lot of screen, and a lot of things to stuff in it.
Besides, skins like Samsung’s One UI, OnePlus’ OxygenOS and Vivo’s Funtouch OS also let you use smart sidebars for additional multitasking. All of that, coupled with split screen view and the app dock at the bottom, make it so easy to shuffle between apps and get work done.
As a tech journalist, the big screen lets me address urgent write-ups right away, on the go. Researching is the cornerstone of writing, and the expansive estate streamlines this process too. Editing Excel sheets, drafting mails and pretty much all things work, became a lot easier for me. Put simply, I’m not worried about not carrying my laptop everywhere, anymore.
Showing My Hand: I’m All-In on Foldables
I think you can already tell at this point that I’m a foldable convert. While they’re quite pricey at the moment, they will become more economical, as the market reaches gradual saturation. However, if you ask me, the foldable experience is still every bit worth the money, as long as you find all that utility going for you.
It’s kind of funny to also think that we’ve barely gotten used to two screens, and the Huawei Mate XT emerges with three! While I’m yet to test that out, I can only imagine the expanded possibilities that the device will present. Foldable technology is rapidly evolving, and I’m glad to have been subjected to the transformative potential of it all. Besides, the sheer amount of people doing a 180 at a foldable is good for my deflated ego.
This entire experience of mine has reinforced a valuable lesson, and that is to never dismiss a piece of technology before experiencing it first-hand. Being at the heart of the industry, I’m certainly fortunate enough to try it all out and share my insights with you. Well, as we step into a brand-new year, I hope I get to explore and let you in on new corners of technology.
Happy New Year, folks! Sagnik out.