The foldable smartphone Industry has been one of the most talked-about categories in the tech universe over the last few years. Something that was originally thought to be a novelty has become a thorny Industry with some of the largest players like Samsung, Motorola, Huawei, and even newer entrants like OnePlus and Google, fighting for Industry share. As we enter 2024, there is no doubt that foldable smartphones are here to stay and are the way of the future for mobile technology. Here are the recent happenings in the foldable smartphone industry for 2023 and 2024 and how they are redefining the space.
Greater Design Innovation and Resilience
In 2023 and 2024, the emphasis within the foldable smartphone Industry has been on keeping the phones sturdier and better designed. Foldable phones originally had to deal with the issue of how durable they could be, particularly how their foldable screens and hinge mechanisms held up to everyday use.
Rise in Foldable Smartphone Supply
The rivalry in the foldable phone Industry has increased the number of options for the consumer. With 2023 and 2024, companies are not just refining their existing foldable lines but also spreading their offerings across a broader population. With all the foldable smartphone models being offered, the consumers are presented with more options where they can choose the product based on their particular requirement and budget.
2024 also sees new entrants in the foldable smartphone Industry. OnePlus, a brand that has boasted of producing flagship smartphones, entered the world of foldables with its OnePlus Open series. The OnePlus Open 2, which is set to come out early in 2025, promises to take Samsung's place with its slender build, featuring an unbelievably slender form factor as well as a power-efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Similarly, Google is reportedly working on the Pixel Fold 2, which would marry the optimum of Google's software with a folding phone.
Better Performance and Software Integration
Initial foldable smartphones were criticized for their performance, with disappointing processors, modest RAM, and occasional glitches in software. But newer phones have tackled these problems head-on.
Foldable phones now come equipped with high-end processors like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. These processors provide enhanced performance, enhanced power efficiency, and better graphics, which enable foldable phones to perform more complex tasks like gaming, multitasking, and watching media. Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Android 15 now offer multitasking capabilities that make the most out of the foldable form factor, enabling users to run multiple apps side by side on the larger screens.
Greater Design Innovation and Resilience
Foldable smartphones, at the onset, were criticized for being vulnerable, particularly in how their folding screens and hinge mechanisms could take abuse. Manufacturers have gone to great lengths since then to better these areas, though.
Indeed, the fold limit of a device has been dramatically enhanced, with some devices now able to survive more than 200,000 folds, a huge leap from previous versions.
Foldable smartphone screen technology has also made tremendous leaps. The displays of foldable devices are now made with ultra-thin glas (UTG) by manufacturers.
Boost in Availability of Foldable Smartphones
The race among the foldable smartphone category has resulted in more and more customers having a greater range of options. Companies in 2023 and 2024 are not only improving their existing foldable devices but also expanding their offerings to cater to a larger client base. For example, Motorola continues to be in the lead with the Razr series, which combines the look of a flip phone with a foldable screen. With the numerous foldable smartphone models available, consumers are increasingly being offered choices where they can choose the product based on their particular requirement and budget.
Better Performance and Software Integration
Performance has also been an area of concern for foldable smartphone brands in 2023-2024. Initial foldable smartphones were criticized for their performance, with disappointing processors, modest RAM, and occasional glitches in software. But newer phones have tackled these problems head-on.
