Are foldables really ‘the new mainstream’ for smartphones?

However, mobile chief TM Roh made a rather interesting comment when he insisted that these foldables are “the new mainstream for smartphones.” Is this really the case though? We thought we’d pose this question to our readers via the poll below.

On the one hand, Samsung’s latest foldables have come down in price compared to last year. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a retail price of $999 compared to the Z Flip 5G’s $1,450 launch price. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will set you back $1,799 compared to the Z Fold 2’s $2,000 price tag at launch. The Z Flip 3’s price in particular means it’s cheaper than the Galaxy S21 Ultra and on par with the S21 Plus. It must also be said that these new devices are water-resistant too, in line with traditional premium flagships.

Then again, these foldables phones still have their drawbacks that could prevent true mainstream acceptance. Samsung has strengthened the foldable displays on both phones, but they’re still not as durable as a conventional phone’s screen due to the lack of a glass cover and proper Gorilla Glass. The Z Fold 3 in particular is still expensive too, coming in at ~$600 more than the S21 Ultra.

Nevertheless, you can vote in our poll above and leave a comment if you have more to share regarding the topic.