A livestream testing the durability of the Galaxy Z TriFold's hinge revealed failure after nearly 150,000 folds, highlighting the challenges in foldable phone design and the importance of warranties. The test, conducted by streamers, showed the hinge's elasticity disappeared around 145,000 folds, but the device continued to fold beyond that point.
Next year's flagship iPhone is expected to be a foldable device called iPhone Fold, featuring a book-style fold with a 5.25-5.5 inch outer display, a 7.58-inch inner display with under-display camera, Touch ID in the side button, a durable hinge, and a high price range of $2000-$2500. The device's rear camera setup remains uncertain, and its launch is anticipated after extensive leaks and design development.
Samsung has shown a prototype of its rumored tri-folding phone at the K-Tech Showcase, revealing a device that unfolds from a regular smartphone into a tablet, with expected specs including a 6.5-inch cover display, a 10-inch interior display, and a 200-megapixel camera. More details may be unveiled at the upcoming APEC Summit.
Samsung is considering releasing its innovative Galaxy TriFold foldable phone in the US and other markets, with a potential launch as soon as this month or in October, though nothing is confirmed yet.
Huawei has announced the Mate XTs, its second-generation trifold folding phone, featuring stylus support, new colors including purple and white, a Kirin 9020 chipset, and a lower starting price of around $2,520 in China. The device offers a 10.2-inch display that folds down to smaller sizes and arrives ahead of Samsung's upcoming foldable phone.
A YouTuber tested the durability of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 by manually folding it over 200,000 times, revealing several issues such as reboot errors, creaking hinges, liquid leaks, and speaker failures well before reaching the rated 500,000 folds, raising concerns about its long-term reliability.
A Korean YouTuber is live streaming a durability test of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, manually folding and unfolding it with the goal of reaching 200,000 folds to assess its durability, with the device already surviving over 113,000 folds and showing minimal damage so far.
Motorola is offering a deal on the Razr Ultra, including a free Moto Watch Fit smartwatch and a 1TB storage upgrade, available on all color options. The phone features a high-end Snapdragon processor, 16GB RAM, a 7-inch foldable AMOLED display with 165Hz refresh rate, and fast charging. This package provides significant value, making it a highly attractive option for those interested in premium foldable phones.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is rumored to launch in July with a boxier design similar to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, featuring mostly the same dimensions as its predecessor and possibly using the same sensors for its cameras. The new folding phone is expected to include Galaxy AI features and could help bolster Samsung's position as a smartphone rival to Apple and Google. However, folding phones are known for their high prices and fragility, despite Samsung's efforts to improve durability. While Samsung hasn't confirmed the launch event, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 seems increasingly likely to debut this summer.
Motorola's new "adaptive display concept" device is a futuristic folding phone that can bend into various positions, including wrapping around the wrist to function as a smartwatch. The phone features a 6.9-inch Full HD+ OLED panel and a fabric back with visible ridges, allowing it to be bent into different shapes for various uses. While the concept is impressive, concerns about the hinges and the bulkiness of wearing a phone on the wrist raise questions about its practicality for everyday use. Despite this, the concept showcases Motorola's innovative approach to folding phones, hinting at potential future developments in the field.
The author expresses concern about their recent purchase of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, citing anxiety over the device's high price and the potential lack of utility from its inner display. Drawing from past experiences with underutilized features, the author worries about the practicality of the folding phone and its impact on daily use. Despite the growing popularity of folding smartphones, the author remains uncertain about the value of their purchase, while Samsung expands its self-repair program to cover a wider range of products.
Samsung Display has unveiled two new folding flip phone concepts at CES 2024, the Flex In&Out and the Flex Liple. The Flex In&Out is designed to flip further, while the Flex Liple aims for a lighter and simpler design by ditching the cover screen, potentially making it a more affordable option.
The author describes their experience with the Motorola Razr Plus as an emotional rollercoaster, praising its beautiful design and bold color but expressing frustration with the creaky hinge and outdated Android 13 software. The presence of the animated character Moo on the cover screen brings some joy, but the lack of communication regarding the Android 14 update dampens the mood. Despite these ups and downs, the discounted price of $700 makes the Razr Plus a tempting option for those willing to overlook its flaws.
Xiaomi's upcoming Mix Flip, a clamshell folding phone similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5, has appeared in official certification documents, indicating that it is entering production. Little is known about the device, but it is described as "extremely light and thin." It is expected to be priced lower than Xiaomi's Mix Fold 3, possibly around $800 or less, and is likely to be available only in China.
The Motorola Razr 40, also known as the Razr (2023) in the U.S., is a lightweight and compact folding smartphone that offers a good camera, fast charging, and decent durability. Its design features a metal chassis surrounded by a soft, durable vegan leather, and it folds without a gap. The phone has a convenient size and weight, fitting easily in pockets, and it has an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance. The 6.9-inch inner screen is smooth and reflective, while the 1.5-inch cover screen is not always-on. The phone performs well with its midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, but it can get warm when pushed hard. The camera takes colorful and lively photos, although some colors may appear washed out. The software is mostly fuss-free, and the phone offers good call quality and connectivity. The battery lasts a full day with moderate use and supports 30-watt fast charging.