Foldable phones are perhaps the next step in the evolution of the smartphone – but we can’t say they are a big hit. The reason for their slow adoption is most likely their price: they are pretty expensive. At least the models currently on the market. But those who would love to have one of them in their pockets but are stopped by their prohibitive price can look forward to a series of brand new handsets to hit the market this year – models that will be a lot more affordable.
Foldable phones solve a problem that has become increasingly acute over the years: how to increase screen size without increasing the phone’s overall size. People now use smartphones for every form of entertainment, from the casual games at the Spin online casino to movie streaming. While the games from Spin Casino work great on a smaller screen as well, the more complex games – like shooters and MOBAs – do require a bigger screen. And when it comes to movies and series, a big screen is a must. With these models, an even larger number of smartphone users will be able to enjoy their favourite form of entertainment on a bigger screen – or the extra room in their pockets.
Samsung Galaxy Fold E (around $1,000)
Samsung was among the first to actually launch a foldable phone commercially – its price tag, in turn, surprised even the most hardcore fans of the brand: at launch, it cost around $2400. Now, in turn, it seems that the South Korean tech giant is beginning to show some love for those with pockets not so deep: reportedly, its new foldable phone will cost less than half.
With a lower price comes weaker hardware, too – but “weaker” in this context still means reasonably strong. Recent leaks speak of the phone having a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, the same So you can find in the Galaxy S20. It will, in turn, not support 5G, at least at launch. The handset is expected to still have a reasonable amount of RAM and the same battery capacity as its bigger – and more expensive – cousins.
Rumoured release: July 2021
An upcoming Xiaomi foldable phone
When it comes to leaks and rumours, it’s always the brands like Apple and Samsung that get all the spotlight, while less mainstream manufacturers like China’s Xiaomi hide in their shadow. Thus, there is not much information available about the upcoming Xiaomi foldable phone except that it’s coming – and that we can expect it to arrive before the end of the year.
Xiaomi presented its tri-fold handset prototype in 2019 with no clear timeline for its launch at the time. In the meantime, reports emerged of not one but at least two of its upcoming foldable models – one clamshell and one book-type handset. There is no word on their hardware and price just yet but considering the manufacturer’s record of selling flagship-grade phones at mid-range prices, we can expect them to be way more on the affordable side than anything the competition has.
Apple iPhone Flip
What’s with an Apple phone on a list of affordable folding handsets, you might ask? Well, it seems, the Cupertino giant wants in on this ever-growing segment and sees a phone with a friendly price as the perfect way to do it.
According to recent leaks, the development of what might one day become the iPhone Flip is in its early stages, with Apple still working on its screen design. We will likely not see the model hit the shelves this year – its way more likely that Apple will only present the handset in September 2022.
Price-wise, Apple insiders expect the phone to be much cheaper than its competitors – at least in the flagship category. Then again, Apple may go with the “phone that becomes a tablet” approach, which would also mean that the price of the upcoming iPhone Flip also goes sky high.
