Why smartphone buyers may prefer to ‘flip’ and not ‘fold’ – Times of India
It is still early days for foldable phones. Even though the likes of Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo have thrown the proverbial hat in the ring, traditional phones continue to outsell foldable phones heavily. Yet, there has been a lot of innovation in terms of foldable phones and users are showing their preferences.
The flip side of foldable phones
In July 2022, T M Roh, president of Samsung’s mobile business revealed that Samsung had sold 10 million foldable phones worldwide. A whopping 70% of these were Galaxy Flip phones and not Fold. Oppo, which recently unveiled the Find N2 Flip phone, has also chosen the flip form factor to go global with foldable phones.
Arne Herkelmann, head of product management, Oppo believes that a buyer looking at picking a foldable phone doesn’t want that drastic a shift in user experience. “The flip form factor makes it easier for buyers to not dramatically alter the smartphone experience,” he says. It’s true as the fold form factor can be a bit overwhelming in terms of size as well as usage.
The other important part, according to Herkelmann, is pricing. So far, flip phones have been more affordable than fold phones. Take the case of Galaxy Z Fold4, which sells at Rs 1.54 lakh in India — a price steep enough to deter a lot of buyers who aren’t perhaps wired into using an entirely new design.
The Galaxy Z Flip4, on the other hand, can be bought for just under Rs 85,000. Oppo’s Find N2 Flip’s UK price is also 849 pounds, which does indicate that it won’t be exorbitantly priced when it makes its way to the Indian shores.
Oppo has a foldable phone in its lineup but it never had a global launch as such. But the Find N2 Flip is expected to be made available in different regions. “Pricing was one of the important factors in developing a flip phone,” says Herkelmann, before adding that, “utility, desirability also played a crucial role.”
It’s not as if the foldable form factor is expected to go out of circulation anytime soon. If rumours are to be believed, Google is working on a Pixel foldable phone with a similar design. Oppo has Find N. Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has a foldable design as well and is rumoured to be working on its successor. But as of now, it’s the flip form factor that seems to flippin’ good for buyers.
The flip side of foldable phones
In July 2022, T M Roh, president of Samsung’s mobile business revealed that Samsung had sold 10 million foldable phones worldwide. A whopping 70% of these were Galaxy Flip phones and not Fold. Oppo, which recently unveiled the Find N2 Flip phone, has also chosen the flip form factor to go global with foldable phones.
Arne Herkelmann, head of product management, Oppo believes that a buyer looking at picking a foldable phone doesn’t want that drastic a shift in user experience. “The flip form factor makes it easier for buyers to not dramatically alter the smartphone experience,” he says. It’s true as the fold form factor can be a bit overwhelming in terms of size as well as usage.
The other important part, according to Herkelmann, is pricing. So far, flip phones have been more affordable than fold phones. Take the case of Galaxy Z Fold4, which sells at Rs 1.54 lakh in India — a price steep enough to deter a lot of buyers who aren’t perhaps wired into using an entirely new design.
The Galaxy Z Flip4, on the other hand, can be bought for just under Rs 85,000. Oppo’s Find N2 Flip’s UK price is also 849 pounds, which does indicate that it won’t be exorbitantly priced when it makes its way to the Indian shores.
Oppo has a foldable phone in its lineup but it never had a global launch as such. But the Find N2 Flip is expected to be made available in different regions. “Pricing was one of the important factors in developing a flip phone,” says Herkelmann, before adding that, “utility, desirability also played a crucial role.”
It’s not as if the foldable form factor is expected to go out of circulation anytime soon. If rumours are to be believed, Google is working on a Pixel foldable phone with a similar design. Oppo has Find N. Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has a foldable design as well and is rumoured to be working on its successor. But as of now, it’s the flip form factor that seems to flippin’ good for buyers.
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