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The problem with foldable phones

nathancunn.com

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Re: The problem with foldable phones

#21

Post by mxwsn »

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.

What tablet is 18:9?

From a quick google search to https://www.cnet.com/topics/tablets/best-tablets/large-table..., I see no such thing.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#22

Post by nathcun »

howeyc wrote: post #17

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?

I've seen people comment on these articles asking why the aspect ratios were so weird, and why not 18:9 for both? Perhaps, they were just joking, who knows?

Regardless, an 18:18 screen can only show 18:9 content at the same size as an 18:9 screen can.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#23

Post by nathcun »

lsiunsuex wrote: post #9
nathcun wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Give it a couple iterations, a little trial and error and you'll probably get your aspect ratio or tiny bezels." Did you read the rest of the post? I'm saying that mathetmatically those two things are completely irreconcilable. I'm not saying the phone will be bad, just that it is impossible for the both the phone and tablet to conform to the form factor of a typical phone/tablet that is out now.

Yes - I read the article. Phones and tablets come in hundreds of different screen sizes. Ever see this map? https://crossbrowsertesting.com/blog/mobile-devices/android-... There isn't a "typical" shape / size for a phone / tablet. You can say an iPhone screen size when duplicated into 2 side by side does not equal an iPad screen size, landscape or portrait and I'd completely agree with you. But to say a new class of…

I know there isn't a typical size, but the trend has been towards taller phones. The desire to keep to the aspect ratio isn't about conforming to old phones but conforming to the aspect ratio that films/TV shows are in.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#24

Post by PhasmaFelis »

lsiunsuex wrote: post #2

"Far be it from me to assume that I know what Samsung’s plans are with regards this technology and I’m certainly not rubbishing the innovation, I just wanted to clarify the basic maths that says these foldable phones just can’t be bezel-free and in the form factor we expect from modern phones/tablets." But you did though. We barely have a prototype to look at (short of the demo on stage) let alone put a technology li…

All the article claims is that you can't have a device with one hinge and an 18:9 aspect ratio both folded and unfolded, because 2*9/18 != 18/9. It never says that no other workable ratios exist. In fact it specifically says the opposite. I'm not sure why so many people are misreading it.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#25

Post by PhasmaFelis »

lsiunsuex wrote: post #9
nathcun wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Give it a couple iterations, a little trial and error and you'll probably get your aspect ratio or tiny bezels." Did you read the rest of the post? I'm saying that mathetmatically those two things are completely irreconcilable. I'm not saying the phone will be bad, just that it is impossible for the both the phone and tablet to conform to the form factor of a typical phone/tablet that is out now.

Yes - I read the article. Phones and tablets come in hundreds of different screen sizes. Ever see this map? https://crossbrowsertesting.com/blog/mobile-devices/android-... There isn't a "typical" shape / size for a phone / tablet. You can say an iPhone screen size when duplicated into 2 side by side does not equal an iPad screen size, landscape or portrait and I'd completely agree with you. But to say a new class of…

> Yes - I read the article.

The article specifically says that other aspect ratios are feasible, and even suggests one.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#26

Post by nathcun »

mxwsn wrote: post #21
nathcun wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What tablet is 18:9? From a quick google search to https://www.cnet.com/topics/tablets/best-tablets/large-table... , I see no such thing.

I was wrong on the tablets, I was meaning an ideal tablet for watching TV/films which is mostly 16:9 or 18:9.

Tablets typically are 4:3, which would result in a phone being 3:2 which would be 25% shorter on 18:9 phones, and 15% shorter on 16:9 phones, which is a reasonable departure from the norm, and ultimately means neither the phone nor the tablet are well set up for watching films/TV.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#27

Post by nathcun »

IshKebab wrote: post #15

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 rem…

Not saying it's a problem for development. I've just seen people ask why the screens have odd aspect ratios.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#28

Post by criddell »

buckminster wrote: post #14

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

Is aspect ratio all that important?

I think articles like this one show a lack of imagination. When I think about folded stuff in my life, I immediately think of a newspaper or a road map. I'd love a display that I can fold an arbitrary number of times to get the size that makes sense for what I'm looking at and where I am.

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#29

Post by nathcun »

arbitrage wrote: post #13
nathcun wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What exactly aren't you convinced of?

Re: The problem with foldable phones

#30

Post by nathcun »

arbitrage wrote: post #16
nathcun wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I'm considering the assumption that the tablet aspect is primarily for watching TV/films, meaning letterboxing is essentially a bezel.
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