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Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

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Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#161
post #133

I think everyone lost their damn mind, possibly during Covid. New iPhones used to be $199 and when they went to $299 the decision was seriously questionable. Now they cost like a used car, everyone buys $1000+ iPhones without batting an eye, insane. This one is $2000, I wouldn't get it if I had a billion on principle.

they did, significants parts of it, and "during Covid" is ongoing

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/long-covid-brain-1.7171918

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#162
post #25

> trapped in a shape everyone else seems to be moving on from. Really not sure if we were ever there. Foldable phones still feel like a novelty that is expensive and fragile, among other tradeoffs. Also moving on to what, exactly? The regular slate form factor is what people buy, and have been for years at this point.

Folding phones aren't going away; they're becoming more mainstream. The initial versions of folding phones that came out five or six years ago had issues and some aspects that weren't addressed. But we are literally in the sixth or seventh generation of folding phones, and Samsung has basically perfected them. If you think the durability is bad, think again, because they are very, very durable. I use a Z Fold 6, and…

I'm not sure you can engineer your way out of the fundamental problem: You have a lever with both arms converging into a fragile display fold. Sand and dust can't not be brutal on that.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#163
post #118

I remain an irreductible fan of the one-hand theory, and therefore stick with an iPhone 13 mini. I might be late at the folding-phone revolution. Alas it seems we won't see any such phone that fits in a pant's pocket and that can be operated single-handedly. I am afraid that the 13 mini is the last of its kind. Yet many reports of people dropping their gigantic phones. Maybe that's a business model after all.

I had the 12 mini (before it I had an iPhone SE, then iPhone X, then the 12 mini), which unfortunately did not work for me because the battery drained too fast. Really hope you're wrong and we do eventually get some more one-handed phones in the future, especially once battery tech evolves.

> the battery drained too fast

I think this problem was unique to the 12 mini. I remember hearing a lot of people complain about it at the time, and I haven't experienced anything like it with my 13 mini (which I upgraded to from a six-year-old 1st-gen SE, so clearly my usage is not typical; YMMV).

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#164

I remain an irreductible fan of the one-hand theory, and therefore stick with an iPhone 13 mini. I might be late at the folding-phone revolution. Alas it seems we won't see any such phone that fits in a pant's pocket and that can be operated single-handedly. I am afraid that the 13 mini is the last of its kind. Yet many reports of people dropping their gigantic phones. Maybe that's a business model after all.

Samsung is testing the water with their new passport-size fold phone. Looklike enough people demanded for smaller size phone. Granted it is still considerably bigger than ip13mini, but it's step in right diretion

The Z Flip is even smaller folded and has been around for years. The cover screen used to be very limited, but the made it larger and added more functionality over time. I think some people use the cover screen for daily messaging, etc.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a tablet with a crease right in the middle of a screen (FTFY)

You really don't notice it while you're using a folding phone.

someone said "tablet". When I use a tablet I personally don't just notice it, I literally can't stand any uneven surface under stylus or uneven reflections.

So the unfolded state of the folded phone is not a "tablet" to me. Maybe a tablet with a glaring defect... definitely not a tablet I could use as an actual tablet.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Folding phones aren't going away; they're becoming more mainstream. The initial versions of folding phones that came out five or six years ago had issues and some aspects that weren't addressed. But we are literally in the sixth or seventh generation of folding phones, and Samsung has basically perfected them. If you think the durability is bad, think again, because they are very, very durable. I use a Z Fold 6, and…

I'm not sure you can engineer your way out of the fundamental problem: You have a lever with both arms converging into a fragile display fold. Sand and dust can't not be brutal on that.

I don't think it is a big of a problem as it looks. Most of the dust / sand issues were on the earlier models and were related to the hinge mechanism itself.

My Fold 4 at some point started making grinding noises that raise ones blood pressure. I guess it is now solved as the new hinges are waterproof and stuff.

The screen does not really fold completely does it? All hinge mechanisms have a way to allow the screen to have a smooth arc on the fold point, not rubbing on itself. I've not used a foldable since that model so these are second hand info.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#167

I remain an irreductible fan of the one-hand theory, and therefore stick with an iPhone 13 mini. I might be late at the folding-phone revolution. Alas it seems we won't see any such phone that fits in a pant's pocket and that can be operated single-handedly. I am afraid that the 13 mini is the last of its kind. Yet many reports of people dropping their gigantic phones. Maybe that's a business model after all.

Samsung is testing the water with their new passport-size fold phone. Looklike enough people demanded for smaller size phone. Granted it is still considerably bigger than ip13mini, but it's step in right diretion

The goal is that your phone will be your wallet. In EU we will have soon the EUDI Wallet, so why don't just replace your own classic wallet with phone totally?

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#168
post #25

> trapped in a shape everyone else seems to be moving on from. Really not sure if we were ever there. Foldable phones still feel like a novelty that is expensive and fragile, among other tradeoffs. Also moving on to what, exactly? The regular slate form factor is what people buy, and have been for years at this point.

Folding phones aren't going away; they're becoming more mainstream. The initial versions of folding phones that came out five or six years ago had issues and some aspects that weren't addressed. But we are literally in the sixth or seventh generation of folding phones, and Samsung has basically perfected them. If you think the durability is bad, think again, because they are very, very durable. I use a Z Fold 6, and…

> The outer screen is pretty small and very usable with one hand.

Cool. I want one like that, just without the inner screen.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#169
post #133

I think everyone lost their damn mind, possibly during Covid. New iPhones used to be $199 and when they went to $299 the decision was seriously questionable. Now they cost like a used car, everyone buys $1000+ iPhones without batting an eye, insane. This one is $2000, I wouldn't get it if I had a billion on principle.

The $199/$299 prices were never real. Those were on carrier-subsidized plans.

Re: Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like the end of an era

#170
post #25

> trapped in a shape everyone else seems to be moving on from. Really not sure if we were ever there. Foldable phones still feel like a novelty that is expensive and fragile, among other tradeoffs. Also moving on to what, exactly? The regular slate form factor is what people buy, and have been for years at this point.

This article is extremely poorly written and has the assumption we all very deep in folding phone lore and can read the writers mind.

I think there's some new folding phone aspect ratio ("passport sized"?) that's more popular but the article never really explains which one they're talking about. Don't think it means moving away from folding in general.

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