Foldable phones were, unarguably, the highlight of Mobile World Congress this year.
Launched within a week by the two biggest smartphone makers in the world, the category got instant credibility, along with a lot of scrutiny.
While Samsung showcased the Galaxy Fold only from a distance, some media folks – including our very own Kris Carlon – did spend some time with the Huawei Mate X, albeit very briefly. Much has been said about the two devices not being ready for prime time, and hence Samsung’s and Huawei’s reluctance to put them in the hands of MWC visitors.
Of course, Samsung and Huawei are keen on painting foldable phones as the next evolution of personal computing devices, but are they?
The wow factor
Foldable phones are without doubt a technological marvel. While sci-fi movies might have convinced us that foldable displays were an obvious evolution, it’s absolutely mind-blowing that we have functional folding devices with beautiful OLED displays in our hands today. And it’s not just the foldable screen that’s impressive. Beneath the surface, the hinges on both smartphones are stunning pieces of engineering, not to mention the incredibly powerful specs we’ve grown accustomed to.
Are foldable phones solution to an actual problem?
Some geeks and early adopters among us, with $2000 in the pocket of course, may want to jump on the first-generation devices from Huawei and Samsung. Foldables are indeed a killer product category – in theory – and they’re definitely flaunt-worthy. But are foldable a solution to an actual problem?
Software
Much of the software showcased on the Galaxy Fold and Mate X has been underwhelming as yet. You get a bigger display, and that’s that. More map data, larger photos, and more screen estate while browsing the web.
Multitasking with three apps isn’t a massive leap, really, and mostly looks clunky. With almost square aspect ratio displays, most videos – a big selling point of a larger display – will play letterboxed to almost the same size as many larger smartphones in the market today.
Google took years to make Android workable on tablets, and this new form factor will likely need platform updates, as well as extensive software tinkering by OEMs before it truly offers a compelling experience. That’s clearly one of the reasons why the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X weren’t handed out to media for an extended time at MWC. More
