[manningthegoose]

I just don't understand who wants these foldable phones, especially at the $1799 price point. I guess a use case is wealthy frequent travelers who don't want a separate device with a larger screen to watch movies/videos on the go? Someone help me out here.

[ianbutler]

I'm never going back. I only type and respond to things unfolded, I have big hands and the split keyboard + bigger buttons are great. Outside of that I'm a fairly big reader and I enjoy reading both articles and books unfolded and have no interest in bringing a second device to do so.

I also write notes with stylus on it which is practical unfolded. More real estate for video etc. And then I can just fold it and use it as a phone for calls.

[0x6c6f6c]

Yeah reading the specs, it's s larger screen than my Nexus 7 tablet, with a smaller overall device size, and fits in my pocket.. it's tempting. But definitely pausing at a $1800 price tag

[echelon]

That sounds nice, but I want the same foldable form factor for entirely opposite reasons.

I want a rough, minimalistic foldable like the old school Razr. Something that can take abuse.

I want to be able to flick it open and close with the snap of my wrist and stuff the folded form factor back into my pocket without worry.

I don't care if there's no screen covering the bezel. That'd make it less durable anyway. Two screens, similar to the Nintendo DS is fine.

I'm sick of the smartphone slab and exposed glass. I want a wallet shaped device with a protective plastic or metal shell on the outside.

[mywacaday]

I have a note 10+ and the stylus is a game changer, I would like a wider screen for taking notes but can't justify the cost. Also my note is nearly 4 years old and showing no sign of slowing down or battery issues.

[j45]

It’s always good to own the phone that people can’t understand or looks like a gimmick.

It’s how the iPhone looked to bb users.

It’s how the Note 1 Phablet looked compared to 4” smart phones

You can only go so big in a phone.

If Apple nails the iPhone max that unfolds into an iPad mini while minimizing thickness, it will be hard to ignore.

[option]

pixel fold doesn’t seem to have a stylus, does it?

[xnyanta]

I'm posting this from my Galaxy Z Fold 3. I'm not particularly wealthy or a frequent traveler. I bought this phone used for 750 bucks in Canada and my main use case for the screen real-estate is reading manga on it, which it excels at. It also then serves as a phone and a media in bed machine. It is fragile and I take good care of it but it is absolutely the most innovative and exciting phone I've had the pleasure of using so far. I'm excited for the future of foldables and hope the next generation of the pixel fold will bring more serious competition to Samsung's lineup!

[r00fus]

I think you hit on something here - if you can get it for 750 (in any currency) it becomes interesting.

If it's nearly 2k, it's a plaything for the rich that's both fragile and may have issues that are likely to be poorly supported by the vendor.

[RajT88]

Can confirm that the screen real estate makes reading comics of all kind amazing.

I usually do so on my tablet, but before tablets were a thing, I was reading comics on my various touchscreen phones. Pinch to zoom: Mandatory.

I prefer cheaper android phones. My requirements for a general purpose computer in my pocket were long ago exceeded. Reading comics on the go is fine with a phone, better with a tablet (of which I have several, the most expensive one being still cheaper than the cost of the new Pixel Fold even when you add in the cost of my work phone and personal phones).

Computing power is so cheap these days, I am a big fan of just having one-off devices on the cheap. My new Kali Linux box? A $50 refurb Chromebook. Let's not screw with multi-boot shenanigans if we don't have to.

I really don't need a do-everything device. I think most people don't either, they just want one.

[manojlds]

So you don't want it at $1800 right.

[raincole]

There are plenty of people who don't use a (desktop/laptop) computer outside of their jobs. If you're on HN, you're probably not one of them, so it can be difficult to imagine their behaviours.

For example, in Japan, 36.6% of teenagers say they don't use PC at home [1]. It's also a country where people read a lot of comics. Now these foldable screens make more sense, right.

[1]: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/fuwaraizo/20201021-00203217

[rjh29]

Comics are actually changing to suit phones rather than the opposite! Newer web comics show one panel at a time in a long vertical strip.

And tablets are still a thing, you can just use them for comics instead of spending $1800 on a phone.

[ggm]

I'm on HN mostly on a samsung 10" tablet but in my day job I work on my mac. If I tried harder DeX might work for me.

[throwaway675309]

Apparently Japanese teenagers also have a lot more disposable income to drop nearly two grand on a cell phone.

[melling]

“I just don't understand who wants…”

I’ve heard so many people make this comment about a variety of things.

I recommend paying closer attention and learning.

The best response is to let people figure out for themselves what they don’t get.

[ggm]

It's sometimes a way to say "can somebody explain the pros and cons" -I don't get an air fryer (for instance) said so, and an aficionado explained the Ps and Cs to me.

Now I just say "doesn't do anything for my style of cooking"

[bootlooped]

But there have been cases of industries or companies pushing things that consumers aren't really interested in in any non-trivial numbers.

[izacus]

As per Ted Lasso: "Be curious, not judgemental."

[crossroadsguy]

I also don’t understand who would have wanted a 4 inch then a 5 inch then 6 then 7 and maybe 8 inches phones while their palms remained exactly of the same size. Sometimes I feel people just want weird shit. And yeah new things. Just “new” things - otherwise Apple’s non-upgrade upgrade phones will go unsold.

[16bitvoid]

I feel the trend to bigger phones is probably indicative of phones being the sole computing device for more and more people. Anecdotal, but one example is my parents. I've watched them go from having desktops to laptops to iPads while they kept getting the biggest iPhone available. Now, their phones are pretty much all they use (outside of a smart TV and an Amazon Echo).

[Levitz]

Simple, Marketing creates demand.

The vast majority of the population doesn't need the kind of computing beast they are using, but it is what gets sold to them. Everybody in society gets a phone and the vast majority of them are technologically illiterate, it's absurd to think that organic demand directs direction in the phone market.

[wiseowise]

Because palm size is what dictated size of original phones, not technological advancements allowing for bigger, affordable, higher quality phones?

[atourgates]

It's more than the price of a nice smartphone, and a nice tablet.

An iPhone 14 and iPad Pro are gonna' run you $1,600, and be more useful in most cases.

I mean, sure, you're not going to fit an iPad in your pocket, but do you really need to? And when it's out, it's more productive to have a separate tablet and phone, than just one device that's trying to do it all.

Folding phones are a neat idea, and as a technical achievement, this is impressive. But in terms of price and practicality? I don't really see the appeal or value.

[xanathar]

I, on the other hand, can't see a single reason why somebody would want a tablet. We've had some, and they all ended up forgotten in a drawer. Either I'm in a place where I have whatever limited portability I can (so I use the phone) or I have a laptop with proper keyboard, applications and OS.

On the other hand, I always have my phone with me and I'd definitely benefit for a larger screen when reading emails, websites, documents, planning trips or whatever.

That said, I would never pay that kind of price, neither for a foldable, nor for an iPhone so I guess I'm out of that market niche anyway.

[lmm]

> And when it's out, it's more productive to have a separate tablet and phone, than just one device that's trying to do it all.

Not convinced. Having to move back and forth between two devices is a pain. Just like how a powerful laptop with a docking station is much nicer than a cheap laptop and a desktop, even if the former costs more.

[kimbernator]

These things always cost more at first, so I agree that it's "overpriced" for the value it brings. That said, I think the practicality is that it provides all of the value of a phone and a tablet in a single device that fits in your pocket. It's a fairly large leap in the ever-growing list of other devices that smartphones are replacing.

I also like to think that long-term maybe they will have the ability to fold out along more than one dimension and potentially be dramatically larger than this, but that's just dreaming at this point.

[Jarwain]

I've gotten a lot of value out of my fold 4, especially in spontaneous situations where I don't have a tablet or my notebook at hand. Pull out my phone, snap a picture, then annotate. Or just pull it out and draw to try and get a concept across. Reading or watching videos, sharing an image, or whatever. And I Always have it with me, because I always have my phone with me. I don't carry around my laptop everywhere, and I've never purchased a tablet.

It's just remarkably convenient

[wiseowise]

> An iPhone 14 and iPad Pro are gonna' run you $1,600, and be more useful in most cases.

It’s 1600 for iPad Pro alone in Europe.

> I mean, sure, you're not going to fit an iPad in your pocket, but do you really need to?

Yes.

> And when it's out, it's more productive to have a separate tablet and phone, than just one device that's trying to do it all.

Majority of people care about convenience, not productivity.

[danwee]

> Folding phones are a neat idea, and as a technical achievement, this is impressive. But in terms of price and practicality? I don't really see the appeal or value.

I thought that was the consensus... It surprises me that Google is investing money on such a device. Weird.

[gtop3]

If you use your phone an average of 5 hours a day for two years and then throw it in a junk drawer the hardware would cost less than 50cents per hour of use. I use my $800 iPhone about 30 minutes a day, keep it for 4 years, and spend about $1 per hour of use.

I'd say the market is heavy cellphone users that use apps that benefit from the larger screen.

[sidfthec]

> If you use your phone an average of 5 hours a day for two years and then throw it in a junk drawer the hardware would cost less than 50cents per hour of use.

I don't understand this type of justification.

My fridge would cost around $65k for a 15 year lifetime at $0.50/hour.

It just seems like a completely meaningless way to judge the value of something.

[pstanger]

hi, I want these folding phones. Though I took advantage of the ridiculous trade in offers that Samsung usually promotes with. Everything is just nicer on the bigger screen: messaging, browsing, videos, gaming. And that screen is always in my pocket. Can't read the QR code menu at the restaurant? Here, look at my pocket tablet.

The technology is still in an awkward phase but I think slab phones will be obsolete in 5 years

[CameronNemo]

I don't want to have to lug a tablet everywhere, like some fulltime scribe.

[xnyanta]

Totally agree, especially for the restaurant menu use case even if it's niche. I can have a regular phone walking around folded and just unfold whem I sit down and am ready to consume any kind of media.

[manojlds]

I want folding phone too. Question is, at what price.

[ncr100]

Google Fi offers a trade-in, and separately a "keep service for 24 months" prorated $700-off deal.

[taeric]

Agreed on the high costs. That said, I am very happy with my flip. Smaller pocket footprint, and far fewer accidental unlocks now. (That is, my phone used to unlock with me just putting hands in pocket. Very annoying.)

Also feels good to "close" the phone. In ways that locking doesn't quite reach.

[emacs28]

Personally I love my overpriced Samsung z fold, I don't use a laptop anymore (just a desktop), I can easily read double-column research articles wherever I am, it's great for drawing diagrams, and all of that without having to remember both your phone and a tablet everywhere you go.

[epolanski]

You answered your question, more real estate. The price is not appealing but to me any smartphone above 300$ is unappealing.

[sidibe]

Yup. I definitely see the appeal of having your phone and tablet be the same thing. I'm sure these will get cheaper eventually if they work well.

Not surprised at all by the cost it's a lot different product and very new. There's people paying 1K for normal phones.

[wraptile]

I'm really perplexed too especially since the crease is still so visibile and the build quality so weak.

I feel like carrying small phone and a tablet/laptop is still a significantly better value any way you look at it unless you travel a lot without any storage on your human. I found the most ergonomic travel setup for me is a Lenovo Yoga laptop and the small samsung s22. Both of which can be bought for less than 1800$.

[fomine3]

I had bought a tablet but I rarely bring it outside of home except longer trip. Even if I bring it, it's annoying to take out from my bag for a short time use. I finally bought Fold3 and I put it on my pocket everyday. Having it 100% of time is too useful for everything. Crease is too minor problem than that.

[shmoogy]

It's "good" for everything on the go if you can handle the bulk of it folded. I've got an iPhone 14 pro and a Galaxy fold 3. It's roughly the size of an iPad mini when unfolded and is my favorite form factor. Small enough to carry around and enough real estate to RDP or SSH to get some actual work done if you need to.

I don't like carrying a bag with my MacBook if I can avoid it

[VincentEvans]

Eventually all phones will be like that and the price point adjusted for inflation will be comparable to what normal phones cost now. So this is just a way for you to get a device from the future by paying a premium, or alternatively you can just wait.

An iphone was also amazing unique and expensive when it first came out. But by todays standards - a $100 android phone is both more powerful and a lot cheaper.

[leokennis]

I am currently carrying an iPhone and an iPad Mini. The iPad is to read the newspaper, to watch photo/video, and in cases I need to do real multitasking (i.e. make notes about a PDF, so I want both on my screen at once).

If I could have both in one device, that'd be awesome.

So far however (besides the fact that only Android has foldables), the very visible crease is a dealbreaker for me.

[sofixa]

> the very visible crease is a dealbreaker for me.

That's what I thought too, but after speaking with a Samsung Fold something owner, and testing it for some time, it's mostly visible only in some angles. Also I imagine it's like notches and holes, you get used and forget about them.

[o1y32]

Just like many people still don't understand why people have Kindles. They would think -- you can read books on phones, many of which are as large as 6.7 inches? Or Why not get an iPad or iPad mini, and you can do so many more things on it? So on and on. (I have two kindles and I don't personally know anyone who has a kindle. But that is fine.)

[GGroen]

Eye strain

[gibspaulding]

I can't ever see buying one, but it would be nice for reading PDF's without constantly having to zoom and scroll around.

[rakoo]

You could have said the same about the transition from featurephones to smartphones, why would people pay 3 times the price for a battery that barely lasts a day, my 2" screen is more than enough to read my texts, etc... And yet here we are

[edandersen]

Until someone actually sells an 8 inch OLED tablet, these are the only options on the market today for a small tablet with a good screen.

[SoylentYellow]

Only option right now is a Lenovo Y700. Not OLED, but it has a great looking 120 Hz screen, fast processor, and premium feel. However, it only comes in a Chinese version, so I ended up creating "unsecure" networks and accounts (Youtube, Reddit, etc) to use with it.

[solveit]

For me it was something that I could read papers on while still (just) fitting in my pocket. Probably not the median use-case, but still.

[_boffin_]

I lug my iPad Pro 11 everywhere with me just so I can read, write and do notes when I have any down time.

And yea, what you stated is why I want a foldable phone

[screye]

I've a Galaxy Fold 3 and now 4 for about 2 years now. It is my biggest cellphone QOL improvement since the Pixel mainstreamed AI photography in the first pixel.

Best extra $400 spent per year or so.

[emptysongglass]

Can you go into detail on what specific improvements drive this value for you?

[coffeebeqn]

Yeah this costs as much as a MacBook Pro.. absurd

[eb0la]

I don't feel it's absurd. For every product in the market there is a luxury version for people who's insensitive to price (hello LVHM!)... except for phones.

If you have all the money in the world the most expensive / exclusive phone you can get is an iPhone, Samsung Fold, or this Pixel Fold.

[JohnFen]

> the $1799 price point

The folding bit has no value to me, but even if it did, that price point is unacceptable. A phone is something I carry every day and don't treat like a delicate flower. If it costs so much that losing or breaking it would bring financial pain in addition to the pain of the loss of the phone, it's not suitable for my needs.

That said, I'm being overly cautious because I've never actually lost or broken a phone.

[kelnos]

That's the thing. My current phone (Pixel 4) was something like $700 when I first bought it, and the idea of breaking it was pretty scary for me, for something I carry around with me everywhere, every day. It's been a while since I've broken a phone, but it's happened, and my wallet was not pleased about the experience.

I don't have a tablet and wouldn't want one as a dedicated device, but I could absolutely see myself using the tablet features of the Pixel Fold, given that I wouldn't be carrying around an extra device, and it's pocket-sized when folded up. (I usually read a book on my phone when on transit, for example, and would love to be able to do that on a larger screen.) But carrying around a $1800 device that's as easily breakable as a phone? I think I'd be too anxious for that.

[x3n0ph3n3]

I love my Samsung ZFlip4, which feels much more like the old flip phones, but it also has a smaller screen on the outside with a few handy functions that keep my from having to unfold it. The form factor is just so comfortable and fits wonderfully in my pockets, including my breast pockets.

[shp0ngle]

I like to read comics and I’m too lazy to bring tablet with me. I am thinking about buying foldable.

That said, not at this price point and with Pixels not known for their hardware quality. Maybe I’ll wait for when Apple inevitably does their foldable.

[theodric]

The inevitable Apple foldable will come with the inevitable Apple price. I'd say $2000.

[Wildgoose]

I have a Surface Duo phone. Using both screens together is like using a tablet, but it folds up and fits in my pocket. I can have the keyboard on one screen and have a full display on the other. I can look something up on one screen while using something else on the other screen.

By comparison, the standard of "splitting" a single screen results in something that is often too small and awkward to use and with too little screen space for comfortable viewing.

[dsq]

What keyboard do tou use for text input?

[maxerickson]

At $1800, they aren't really pretending it isn't a niche product. I'd rather they were messing around trying to make a big screen in a small package than not.

[ncr100]

They do discount it for Fi customers.

On the site, if you use Google Fi Wireless, and you keep your service for 24 months, then they prorate $700 discount for each month.

[baby]

Me! I want one so bad. I just can’t get out of Apple’s jail ecosystem :( I think if the next iPhone doesn’t come out with a fold model I’m finally going to switch back to Android.

Why: I read a lot (pdf, not epubs) and I watch videos a lot.

[hndamien]

When Apple makes a foldable phone a bunch of people will want them, if for no other reason than to just stop scratches.

[shaftway]

I carried one of these when I was at Google (needed it for my job there). When I was using it by myself casually I almost never unfolded it. But when I wanted to see more detail in a photo or wanted to show someone a YouTube video it was invaluable to be able to unfold it for the temporary larger screen.

[asah]

Never going back. Maps, video, even messages are all way better. With the fold open, you get overview and details.

[lannisterstark]

>I just don't understand who wants these foldable phones

The problem is that they're using the wrong fold. I want my screen to EXTEND outwards. I don't want to go from one screen to open yet another screen. I want it to intuitively either extend, or allow me to fold OUT my content, not in.

[_heimdall]

I bought an original Surface Duo last year for $350. For the price it was a really investing phone. The proper dual screen is actually really handy, I don't think I'd find it nearly as useful with a single foldable display that is effectively a worse tablet.

[oatmeal1]

In addition to being very expensive, it also seems like you can't get a case on it. And they probably don't have much texture on the outside to give a good grip. Bad grip + bad protection = keep some savings in case you wreck it.

[carlton_gauss]

Anyone who wants the functionality of tablets, but doesn't want to carry an extra thing everywhere. I'd pay easily $3000 for a foldable with a good pencil and a good CAD app. Right now, the only such device is the ipad with shapr3d.

[mFixman]

You could say the same thing about any >$200 phone, or any new device at all: gadgets are luxury devices, and there's no upper price for the luxury sector.

Besides, if this lasts at least 4 years then the amortised price is more reasonable.

[gmerc]

Eyesight. Hard to imagine for someone under 35 but ya, it’s a game changer.

[izacus]

"Who wants this expensive camera on a phone when you can buy a cheap phone and a Nikon DSLR?"

Turns out... Plenty. Just like foldables. Samsung has been doubling shipments every year.

[alpaca128]

I just don't see any value in this feature while the OS is so limited. For now I'll stay with my foldable that comes with a keyboard.

[w0m]

I'd happily use a Fold if it cost ~half as much. Size doesn't matter that much in pocket for me; and it looks convenient when actually using the device.

[michelb]

I may consider them at a much lower price-point and if they were much thinner, so not anytime soon :) My ideal is the Westworld style tablet, but that's sci-fi.

[jeroenhd]

I want one, but not while they're this expensive. I'll wait for the price to come down at least two thirds before I even consider buying one of these.

[ncr100]

Check the Google Fi site for a $700 discount for customers who keep Fi service for 24 months.

[browningstreet]

My dream combo is a small iPhone with best camera and an updated iPhone mini. I’d still rather have those but that prices out similarly… so I get it.

[scarface74]

My combo is an iPhone 12 Pro Max and a cellular Apple Watch. My phone isn’t on me when I want sone distraction free time - gym, running, watching TV with my wife, etc.

[bebna]

The new Sony 1 V will cost 1.4kEUR, not much less. Phones in general got expansive. (The Samsung Fold 4 is at 1.3 to 1.2kEUR)

[komali2]

1. Nice to watch youtube videos on, which I do a lot. Both in portrait and landscape. I watch a lot of linus tech tips, photography videos, breadtube, and mandarin learning videos on it. I wouldn't buy it for this alone.

2. Really excellent emulation device. Powerful enough hardware and phenomenal screen. I use it as-is in portrait mode for the best possible DS emulation on-the-go. I can at least 4x the resolution in almost all games. I can also slap a gamesir controller thing on either side to turn it into a sort of switch-style emulation device. I play ps2, ds, 3ds, gba, gamecube, n64, snes, and nes games on it.

3. Good game streaming device. Mount the controllers on it and use moonlight or steam link to stream from my desktop PC, even if I'm not on local network. Or, use nvidia geforce now or whatever it's called. There's a separate link to servers here in Taiwan through taiwan dageda, so I get ridiculously good connection.

4. Pretty good note taking device with the stylus. This is the use case that drove me to purchase. I'm always experimenting with various ways of (handwritten) note taking, especially on books I read, and having all my notes right there on my phone is really, really nice. I never "forget my notebook" now. Well, unless I forget the stylus lol, or it falls out of my pocket, which has happened 3 times now, and the styluses are an absurd like 50$ or something, so, this device is not nearly ready for mainstream consumption. Similarly, it's great for banging out quick engineering diagrams or designs. I can export to image and throw directly on a ticketing system, or upload into slack. Nice flow, if I get a question from a junior when I'm on a train or whatever.

5. Reading books is very nice on it.

6. Using music-making apps, especially ones with piano rolls and keyboards, is phenomenal. I really wish it had an aux plug though. The jellyphone 2 has that and is the size of a pill bottle, and has dual sim and removable SD storage. No excuses. Although, my version of the galaxy fold 3 does have dual sim.

7. The width of the screen when folded is actually usable on my smaller hands. This was another big driver for getting it. Hilariously, my initial reason for looking for my next phone was, I was tired of big phones, and wanted one I could actually use one handed. Funnily enough the narrow width (that so many people complain about) of the galaxy zfold3 was a big selling point for me.

8. Using maps is really nice on it, and I'm doing this constantly because we're always exploring Taiwan.

In all, I don't think I'm down to drop another 1.8k (1.4 for me because I got it on contract) on a phone any time in the near future. When this phone bites the bullet (and the inner screen is already "tightening" and reducing the flatness of the unfolded state, so one of these days I'm sure I'll overextend and crack the thing) I'm going to get a nice small android something, I heard the Asus zenfone 9 is a good size at a fair price.

As cool as all the features are, it's not like I have all THAT much time to game or make music on my phone, and worse case, I can just toss the thing into my plane-toys bag when I have flights or whatever. The notes taking feature I still use occasionally, especially for diagrams, but I've since moved to a onyx boox e-ink tablet for that, mostly because this lets me hand-write annotate epubs, a feature I've wanted on a device for like, 15 years lol.

So, after ~1 year of using the galaxy zfold 3, I can say, it was worth the money ONLY because it fulfilled like 8 usecases for me. Take away even a couple of those and there's no way it's worth it. A better alternative would be a jellyphone or pixel + a small affordable android tablet in the bag with a stylus. Spend the remaining on a previous version op1 or opz if you're really into music making, or a steam deck if you're really into gaming. Or shit both lmao, you're right that 1.8k is an insane amount of money.

Edit: looking through the marketing material, I'm not seeing any stylus usage on the pixel version. Even if a stylus would technically work, if the responsiveness and sensitivity doesn't allow for note taking, this thing doesn't make any sense to me. On the samsung foldables, the responsiveness of note taking with the stylus beat out literally every other device I've ever tried it with. It is phenomenal.

[LegitShady]

I want the foldable, but at that price point I don't.

[micromacrofoot]

tech workers making $250k a year

[jamincan]

Who wants to watch a movie on a square screen though? I guess it would be better for browsing in most cases.

[SMAAART]

People love to buy things they don't need, with money they don't have, to impress people they don't like.

[wiseowise]

People love empty quotes that don’t mean anything, but sound deeply philosophical.