Has the shape of smartphones just changed? (probably not, or not yet)

Just before leaving for the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, invited by Huawei as part of its Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) Program, I read a hands-on review in TNW about Samsung’s new foldable model, the Galaxy Fold, and which I found interesting because of its balanced assessment of the advantages and disadvantages the form poses.

This year’s MWC will undoubtedly focus on what we might call the form factor. Last year we saw a whole bunch of iPhone X copycats obsessed with infinite screens, a notch facial recognition; this year, in the absence of a major surprise from Apple, its competitors will try to steal a march. We can expect to see folding models, different notches tiny or even holeless and using the screen as a speaker.

These variations of the form factor are undoubtedly good news. However, in some cases, like the Galaxy Fold, they can be so drastic that they practically redefine or the smartphone, effectively creating a new product. The model, according to the first reviews, is a monster with three screens (one for use with the device closed, and other two when it is fully deployed) which explains its very high price, close to $2,000, along with its size and weight. Obviously, having two bodies makes a much larger battery possible, as well as having much more space for other components. This is not a device anybody is going to want to carry in their pocket, with three screens, along with one camera on the cover, two on the front and three on the back: talk about belt and braces!

In case anybody hadn’t noticed, a 7.3inch screen is basically a tablet, which allows the user to open multiple windows as with a computer. The question is… whether anybody will use them, when the vast majority of us have gotten used to simply clicking between apps on our smartphones? Will this kind of interface change the way we use our mobile devices? Will it become the new norm and will this form factor consolidate in the market, or will it remain a rarity? In short, will these types of folding phones sell en masse?

A device with these characteristics is moving away from smartphone territory and invading others such as the tablet, and that kind of mental exercise is not always simple in a market like consumer electronics. Undoubtedly, other manufacturers bring out their folding smartphones, but the real question is whether Apple decides to join the fray. When some brands began to launch large terminals, at the time called phablets, their market penetration was relatively modest — at best, from 2% to 10% — until Apple launched its iPhone 6 Plus. Could the same happen with folding smartphones, or will Apple decide to ignore this design trend and go for other innovations? Its decision will depend to some extent on how folding smartphones are received by the market.

For the moment, a degree of skepticism seems reasonable. I don’t know if I see myself carrying such a monster around with me, or whether it would improve my life much, but that’s just me. How about you: tempted?

(En español, aquí)