For a while, foldable phones felt like something from a science-fiction film.
Now, they’re becoming a much more familiar sight. You can fold some phones in half, open others like a book, and suddenly have a screen that’s much bigger than the device you were carrying a few seconds earlier.
But beyond the novelty, what actually makes a foldable phone different from a traditional smartphone? And is there a good reason to buy one?
It All Comes Down to the Screen
The biggest difference is pretty obvious: a foldable phone can change its shape.
There are two main types you’ll come across.
Book-style foldables open like a small book. When they’re closed, they work much like a regular smartphone. Open them up and you get a much larger display that can feel closer to using a small tablet.
Then there are flip-style foldables. These fold vertically, allowing a normal-sized smartphone to become much smaller when you’re finished using it.
It’s a simple idea, but it changes how you use the phone.
Instead of choosing between a phone that’s easy to carry and one with a large screen, a foldable tries to give you both.
What Can You Actually Do With the Extra Screen?
This is where foldables become more than a clever-looking gadget.
A larger inner screen can make multitasking much easier. You might have a video playing while messaging someone, look at a website while taking notes, or keep two apps open at the same time.
It’s also handy for things that simply feel better on a larger display, such as reading, browsing websites, looking at photos or watching videos.
Flip phones have a different advantage.
When folded, they take up much less space in your pocket or bag. Some also let you check notifications, control music or even take selfies without opening the phone.
So, the appeal isn’t necessarily that foldables can do things traditional smartphones can’t.
It’s that they give you more ways to use the same device.
But There Are Some Downsides
Foldable phones have come a long way, but they’re still more complicated than a traditional smartphone.
There’s a hinge, a flexible display and more moving parts to think about. That doesn’t automatically make them fragile, but it does give you more things to consider when choosing a phone.
Then there’s the price.
Foldables tend to sit towards the premium end of the smartphone market, so you’re often paying considerably more for the folding design.
They’re also usually thicker when folded. Manufacturers have made impressive progress in making them slimmer, but squeezing two halves of a phone, a hinge and all the necessary hardware into one device still takes up space.
And there’s another question worth asking: will you actually use the folding feature?
If you mostly use your phone for WhatsApp, Instagram, calls, photos and the occasional YouTube video, a traditional smartphone might do everything you need.
The Pros
More Screen When You Need It
Book-style foldables can give you a much larger display without requiring you to carry a tablet.
More Compact When You Don’t
Flip phones can fold into a much smaller package, which can be particularly handy if you don’t like carrying a large phone.
Great for Multitasking
The larger displays can make using multiple apps at once feel much more natural.
More Flexible Photography
The ability to partially fold the phone can give you different ways to position it for photos and videos.
They’re Genuinely Different
If you’re bored with the yearly cycle of phones getting slightly faster and slightly better cameras, foldables offer something that actually changes the form of the device.
The Cons
They’re Expensive
Foldable technology comes at a premium, particularly on higher-end models.
They’re Thicker
Even the slimmest foldables have more going on inside than a traditional phone.
The Folding Mechanism Adds Complexity
A hinge and flexible display introduce considerations that simply don’t exist with a conventional smartphone.
Software Isn’t Always Perfect
A larger screen is only useful if the apps you’re using make good use of it.
You Might Not Need One
This is probably the biggest consideration. A foldable can be impressive without necessarily being useful for you.
So, Are Foldable Phones Worth It?
There’s no universal answer.
If you spend a lot of time reading, watching videos, multitasking or working from your phone, a book-style foldable could genuinely make your day-to-day life easier.
If your priority is having a phone that’s small and easy to carry, a flip-style model might be more appealing.
But if you mainly want something reliable for messaging, social media, calls, photos and browsing, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to a traditional smartphone.
Foldable phones aren’t necessarily better than traditional smartphones. They’re simply approaching the idea of a smartphone differently.
And that’s probably what makes them interesting.
Instead of asking how much more powerful a phone can become, manufacturers are asking a different question:
What if the phone itself didn’t have to stay the same shape?
