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WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

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Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#231

Post by Aperocky »

somenameforme wrote: post #227
Aperocky wrote: post #66

I think discussion here are missing that most people do not own a PC/laptop and if they do barely ever opens one, and not because they can't afford it, but it just didn't fit into their daily lives. This is obviously entirely different from the HN crowd. And in that case, a folding phone is huge! Having played with one that my parent use, it's such an upgrade for reading/scrolling experience. When we all are spending…

As of 2021, 78.4% of households own a laptop or desktop, compared to 85.6% with a smartphone. [1] And it's likely driven more by economics than lifestyle choices. It's 50.9% for households earning less than $25k, and 96.1% for households earning > $150k. The reason PC purchases plummeted is not because people stopped using them, but because if you don't use your PC for high end gaming (or a tiny handful of other esot…

Ownership isn't active usage though - My parents have their laptops (and probably 4+, since they do have retired ones stashed), but just don't use it, especially now that they retired.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#232

Post by spaqin »

elxr wrote: post #200
sixothree wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing I like about the iPad Mini is that it's an optional carry. I don't need an 8" device every time I leave the house. And maybe that's going to be the appeal of the foldable.

Another benefit of the foldable over the ipad mini + regular phone is managing internet connectivity is a lot easier. Also no need for 2 separate sessions on whatever apps/websites you're currently using. As much as syncing states works fine nowadays, it'll never match just sticking to one device and not having separate browsers / note taking apps for your phone + the ipad. I also don't foresee ipad minis going down…

I thought part of the point was that the iPad would _not_ have internet connectivity. Nothing to distract you. No notifications to check.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#233

Post by skissane »

Aperocky wrote: post #66

I think discussion here are missing that most people do not own a PC/laptop and if they do barely ever opens one, and not because they can't afford it, but it just didn't fit into their daily lives. This is obviously entirely different from the HN crowd. And in that case, a folding phone is huge! Having played with one that my parent use, it's such an upgrade for reading/scrolling experience. When we all are spending…

> I think discussion here are missing that most people do not own a PC/laptop and if they do barely ever opens one, and not because they can't afford it, but it just didn't fit into their daily lives. This is obviously entirely different from the HN crowd.

This isn’t my experience. In our house: I’m a software engineer, and our 13yo son writes C++ code as a hobby, so of course we both have laptops and desktops. But my wife, and our 8 year old daughter, both have laptops too, and use them regularly, despite not being remotely technical; our daughter mainly uses her laptop for games-she also has a tablet and a Nintendo Switch, but for many games (The Sims, Minecraft, Roblox) she prefers her laptop; my wife plays The Sims too, but she also prefers a laptop to a phone or tablet for sending emails and general web browsing.

Similarly my dad (a retired pharmaceutical company executive) is a lot less technical than he used to be (he hasn’t kept up to date and maybe some of these things get harder with advanced age), but he also prefers his laptop for some tasks (e.g. email, internet banking) despite also being a regular phone and tablet user

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#234

Post by smallerize »

somenameforme wrote: post #227
Aperocky wrote: post #66

I think discussion here are missing that most people do not own a PC/laptop and if they do barely ever opens one, and not because they can't afford it, but it just didn't fit into their daily lives. This is obviously entirely different from the HN crowd. And in that case, a folding phone is huge! Having played with one that my parent use, it's such an upgrade for reading/scrolling experience. When we all are spending…

As of 2021, 78.4% of households own a laptop or desktop, compared to 85.6% with a smartphone. [1] And it's likely driven more by economics than lifestyle choices. It's 50.9% for households earning less than $25k, and 96.1% for households earning > $150k. The reason PC purchases plummeted is not because people stopped using them, but because if you don't use your PC for high end gaming (or a tiny handful of other esot…

I don't know if the economic argument helps here, since you can buy 2-5 laptops for the price of a folding phone.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#235

Post by shaklee3 »

ebiester wrote: post #90
game_the0ry wrote: post #40

Not a fan of foldables, if I am honest. Just a personal opinion. I do not like the it feels in the pocket bc the device needs to double its thickness when folding over. When a mobile device manufacturer (samsung, hauwei, now apple) makes a foldable, I get the impression they're running out of ideas with the "slate" form factor and are trying to stimulate sales. Personally, I would want that R&D spend and innovation t…

Or, alternatively, they feel like they finally cracked the code and think they can do it better. That's when Apple finally enters a market. Consider how much money they put in to building a car to cancel it when they decided they couldn't, in fact, do it better. I'm sure there are hundreds - maybe thousands - of failed prototypes along the way.

They will be using a Samsung screen, so just no. Stop repeating this false trope. Didn't happen with the vision pro, and won't happen here.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#236

Post by _carbyau_ »

chotmat wrote: post #223
wombat-man wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a 9 pro and it was very slippery at first. I put it face down on a slanted table and it slid right off once. Anyway, I took the case off after a while. It's not new anymore. Your mileage may vary, but despite dropping it a bunch, it hasn't shattered and the edge only shows some slight marks from falling.

I ride a motorcycle (not a big one), and it will slip out of my short's pocket onto the road pavement, every, single, time, without a case.

Motorcycle meant I went with quadlock case.

But am now in the quadlock system of attaching my phone to anything else.... IE car mounts too. SO quadlock got a bunch of my money.

Maybe I'm a buyer trying to justify my sunk costs, but to Quadlock's credit, once all matched, I think it works well.

And for the 3D printerists, there is a bunch of Quadlock 3D models to help out too.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#237

Post by brewdad »

sixothree wrote: post #154
swiftcoder wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But carrying an ipad mini and a phone is not that big a deal I did this way back when the first iPad mini was released, and it's not bad. But these days, the big iPhone is 7 inches to the iPad mini's 8 inches... the phone is big enough for most iPad mini use cases

The thing I like about the iPad Mini is that it's an optional carry. I don't need an 8" device every time I leave the house. And maybe that's going to be the appeal of the foldable.

This is exactly why I opted for the iPad Air over the Mini. It's an optional carry device that really only leaves my home when I am traveling overnight somewhere. In that use case, and on my sofa, I appreciate the bigger screen more than any portability advantages.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#238

Post by ulfw »

kn100 wrote: post #69

I've been dailying a pixel fold 9 pro for a while now and love the thing. Seeing Apple finally join in is exciting as heck. I wouldn't hold your breath for a non visible crease though, nor for it to necessarily be class leading in its screen tech. I doubt any of it matters though, the Pixel Folds aren't exactly class leading in these regards either and the fold is just not a concern at all once you're using it. it's…

My Oppo Find N6 has a near invisible crease. Technology has come a long way and Chinese manufacturers are leading in components selection (best camera sensors and lenses, best silicon-carbon battery tech, good amount of memory, newest SoCs etc) with Google, Apple and Samsung catching up.

https://www.oppo.com/en/smartphones/series-find-n/find-n6/

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#239

Post by dijit »

pasc1878 wrote: post #45
rjh29 wrote: post #10

I've gone all the way around and came back. The Samsung Fold was awesome and convenient. But carrying an ipad mini and a phone is not that big a deal. It's quite nice that the ipad mini does not have whatsapp or SMS plugged into it, so I can use it exclusively for reading books or playing music. The cost of the iPad Mini + my phone was like $600 and the folds - even the 6th gen and above - are super unreliable, so ri…

It is a pain to carry an iPad and a phone if you are walking. You need either large pockets or a handbag. If it is warm then you don't want either,

those folding phones are permanently bulging and enormous.

I feel like I'm the only person on earth sometimes who just wants the phone to be small so it's easy to carry and use one-handed.

I want to live life when I'm out and about, the phone I have is the heaviest thing I am constantly carrying.

Re: WWDC 2026: Apple is Folding

#240

Post by tohnjitor »

garrickvanburen wrote: post #217
numbsafari wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. Considering you could buy an iPhone and a MacBook Neo for roughly the same cost … will be very interesting to see this device in action. Can iOS replace MacOS for a user that doesn’t need a local Xcode? Can I spend $2k for the device I use in my pocket and on my desk… and put the rest of my money into cloud/server infrastructure if I have that need?

I worked a corporate job for 6yrs off an iPad Pro.

The iPad Pro is an amazing device for musicians.
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