3 Obstacles That Folding Phones Must Overcome

The next big things could have next big problems.

- Michael Simon

In just a few months, the first folding phones will be available for sale, and if you have a couple thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you can buy one for your very own. But while those first few buyers will be the talk of the town, the Samsung Galaxy Fold (go.pcworld.com/sfld) and Huawei Mate X (go.pcworld.com/hmtx) might not be as top-of-the-line as their price tags would suggest.

While they certainly represent an advancement in overall smartphone technology and an exciting new direction for the future, in some ways, folding phones are a step backward from the premium phone we’re used to using. Here are three areas of concern I have as the folding revolution takes shape:

1. DISPLAY QUALITY

The odd shapes of the folding displays are the most obvious challenge. When opened, Samsung’s Fold display has an aspect ratio of 4.2:3, with a 7.3-inch QXGA+ resolution somewhere around 2152x1536 pixels. The Huawei Mate X offers an 8-inch display with a 8:7.1 aspect ratio and 2480x2200 resolution. On the outside, Huawei’s main screen is 6 inches diagonally, with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a resolution of 2480 x 1148. The Fold’s outside display is a tiny 4.6-inch, 1960x840 screen with a 12:9 aspect ratio. That means we’re gong to have to learn all-new ways of holding these unconventionally shaped phones, and apps might look a little funky at the start.