The problem with foldable phones • Hacker News Board

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#11

Post by mxwsn » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 3:58 PM UTC

"Ok, so let’s try instead to build the device from a tablet perspective. I’m going to make one basic assumption: the tablet screen is primarily for watching TV/film. I’m sure people will find other uses, but in terms of mass appeal, surely that must be its purpose?"

Is it just me or are square-ish resolutions pretty common and popular on tablets? Just look at any iPad, the screen ratio is ~1.3 or 1.4 to 1.

I think the common sense answer here (which is ridiculous since we don't even know what Samsung's real intention is), is a phone that's close to 2:1 and a tablet that's close to 1:1. No big deal.

To speculate more: phones have widened to near 2:1 resolution not primarily because of watching modern TV and film, but because that's the easiest way to expand the screen while ensuring the phone is easy to hold. It also works well with vertical scrolling activity.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#12

Post by Moggie100 » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

Honestly, I kinda like the square phone mock-up. It would be a little weird to use as a phone, but perhaps there's a compromise to be made for the pocketability of it all?

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#13

Post by arbitrage » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

nathcun wrote: post #10

arbitrage wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, your assumptions that you base your argument on to get to a 'mathematically irreconcilable' conclusion is really a matter of perspective. The future of the form-factor of foldable tech is by no means locked in stone.

I'm saying it's irreconcilable that the phone be like phones we know now (18:9, minimum bezels), and the tablet be like tablets we know now (18:9, minimum bezels). If we have either form conform to what we know now, the other must be very different.

Sorry, I am just not convinced of the soundness of your argument.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#14

Post by buckminster » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

The ISO paper sizes are a practical example of how you halve the area while preserving the aspect ratio.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#15

Post by IshKebab » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:02 PM UTC

This is stupid. I don't think foldable phones are likely for a long time - foldable screen technology is just way off (sure you can have demos but try folding and unfolding it 10,000 times and see how it holds up). We much get foldable phones with multiple displays but there's no real technical challenge there and still nobody has done it because it's not really what people want.

But aspect ratio is just not even remotely close to being a problem.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#16

Post by arbitrage » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:02 PM UTC

nathcun wrote: post #8

trevyn wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Heh, the “stubby little thing” image in your post is exactly the form factor of phone that I want!

I'd be quite happy with it too. The issue is that the tablet side will have the same aspect ratio, which isn't ideal for film/TV.

Don't forget about letterboxing.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#17

Post by howeyc » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

huh?? You have an 18:9 phone, you "unfold" it and you get 18:18.

Why would both the phone and tablet mode need to be 18:9, I don't get it?

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#18

Post by nathcun » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

mxwsn wrote: post #11

"Ok, so let’s try instead to build the device from a tablet perspective. I’m going to make one basic assumption: the tablet screen is primarily for watching TV/film. I’m sure people will find other uses, but in terms of mass appeal, surely that must be its purpose?" Is it just me or are square-ish resolutions pretty common and popular on tablets? Just look at any iPad, the screen ratio is ~1.3 or 1.4 to 1. I think th…

As I mentioned a 1:1 screen (if you want to watch your content in an assumed 18:9 native content) will at most take up half of the tablet screen. Meaning your content will be shown at exactly the same size as the phone screen, just rotated. Under the assumption that the tablet screen is just for media consumption this gives no benefit.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#19

Post by bryanlarsen » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

Phones weren't made taller to accommodate media consumption. For mass-media consumption 16:9 is still the best size. Certainly there are movies at 2:1 or even wider but they are the exception rather than the rule. They were made taller so that they could have a bigger screen without being too big to hand hold.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#20

Post by criddell » Fri, Nov 09, 2018, 4:04 PM UTC

Anytime I've read about foldable screens, I've been hoping for something closer to the Microsoft Courier rather than a phone that folds out.

Phones are fine the way they are, but I think there's still a lot of innovation waiting in the tablet space.