Don't Buy A Folding Phone Until You Watch This - The Folding Phone Gimmick 

Certainly in a time like ours, where we try to reduce the environmental impact, produce devices that last less than others and the cheapest solution is not to repair them but to replace them is a beautiful contradiction. We hope this technology improves fast. Nice video as always.

it's astonishing how many reviewers failed to mention the god awful design of that huawei foldable. Glad to see someone finally mentioned it.

This has been why I've steered clear of foldable phones. I do think the technology with thinner displays will get there eventually. And the current generation of Samsung foldables is way ahead of the first. But it has a long way to go.

When even today's phones don't last long enough because of planned obsolescence, lack of repairability and upgradeability, it's clear that avoiding very fragile foldables is the better decision. Great video!

I've always tried to hold onto my phones as long as possible and appreciate your perspective on how current models are becoming increasingly 'disposable.' Keep up the amazing work!

There is also another thing to consider when having to send in a phone for repair: the inconvenience of not having a phone to use for X number of weeks. For people who use their phone for business, this is not an option. Another great video. I shared it on my (dumb cat stuff) channel in a post.

0:53 You nailed it, Phones today are designed to fall apart way too easily and if they don't, the software that runs under the hood will become obsolete in few years without software support, I despise this trend.

I have been using the Z Fold4 for six months and and it has been fantastic. I like the ability to use my device as a phone and a tablet. I agree with you when it comes to the durability of foldable phones. While the durability has gotten better, foldables still have ways to go in order to match that of a traditional phone and tablet. When it comes to harsher environments such as extreme weather, I am more cautious with my Z Fold4. In these types of situations, I use a rugged phone or a tablet that is rugged or with a rugged case.

Well said, this is why I'll keep buying a slab phone for sometime to come, as i refuse to spend more than about $300 USD on my phone.

I love the flip gimmick, but I always make sure to keep my phones as long as they are able to function. Also, I am waiting for this technology to be perfected.

"I stand corrected" That one caught me off guard and gave me a good laugh. 🤣

I have an iPhone currently, having been a part of the Samsung ecosystem for many years (Note 4 was my first, and a broken S22 Ultra was the final straw for me). I can tell you that these phones are all basically the same thing. I was obsessive with upgrading every year (sometimes multiple times a year). I bought into the marketing so hard. But ultimately what I’ve learned is that a phone just doesn’t improve much from year to year, and the marketing is a lie. I plan to keep this phone for many years, and I’ll only upgrade it when it becomes absolutely obsolete

I've seen quite a few folding phones out in the wild, a few of them were over 2 years old, and they're still in working order.

For me, the only concern with folding phones is with damages that happens to screens just with wear, without and drops out something. Still if manufacturer covers it then it's a no problem, but I've heard different stories. To be sure if I bought a foldable I would also purchase a extended warranty just to be sure

I have to imagine that non technical people accept folding screens as mature technology simply by virtue of them being on the market. After reading about units failing during reviews, the reality is pretty clear. They're as ridiculous as I expected.

$820 to repair a Fold 4 screen!? Ouch! That's not far off from getting a Pixel 7 instead!! For a device that costs over $2k, you'd expect the screen to last a minimum of 2yrs! Well it really should last 3-4yrs minimum! I'm just glad I no longer want to get the latest and greatest device every year... dropping over $2-3k each year sounds crazy to me now! Thanks Hugh!

I appreciate channels like you and Louis Ross. You guys are real critics of tech while channels like Unbox and MKBHD are just hype trains feigning to be critical.

My Fold 3 lasted a year and a half. After about a year, the plastic protector started cracking, but I removed it against all advice and found it to be perfectly fine. What did it in was the speakers stopped working. I completely reset the device and the problem was still there, so I figure it was a hardware issue. I am violent with my devices and find most concerns over durability overblown - a user like me should've destroyed my phone in the first month going by popular and critical opinion. I now have a fold 4 and in spite of my concerns with my last device, I simply can't go back to a smaller form factor. It should be quite clear that this is a new product category and not suited for a budget market. Buy a Pixel or Oppo and you'll be more than okay, or a Redmagic if you want top tier performance. You don't buy the foldable in spite of its weaknesses - you buy it because it folds and are prepared to pay a premium. The concerns you raised are valid but I feel like you're missing the point.

What a missed opportunity to end the video with "and I'll catch you guys, on the flip side"

I dont really think folding phones are a gimmick, the biggest turn off for people getting tablets is the fact that you cant put them in your pockets. Now most people should wait until they come up with a folding material that is stronger then plastic.

Bought a secondhand Z Flip3 that's now almost two years old for $350. Only had to replace the protective film on the screen. Very happy with the phone and the size is perfect.

Well said. Thank you for the consumer advocacy. We need more proper analysis and examination, instead of pure excited hype.

靠邀要來就用中文讓他看不懂啦😂 用英文問他有沒有看過鮑鮑有夠機掰欸 所以你有看過鮑鮑嗎

That's why I'll always recommend, if you get a foldable phone, always get it with an added protection plan or extended warranty. I've had my Z Fold4 since August, had no issues, but I know that with that protection plan, I'll be fine if anything happens to it

This is what I was trying to explain to everyone who wanted to buy into this gimmick. Great job with the video!

Bought a foldable phone for the sake of enjoying it. Been using it for months and I realized that these are the same flip phones from the past all over again wherein I needed repairs or replacement after some time. The basic form factor still wins. Still, I have enjoyed using the flip phone and will be using it until it breaks.

I didn't see many, if any at all, listings for Z Flip 4 on the scrolls through eBay. I am glad I waited until Samsung had taken more time to improve on the new technology and so far, four months in, I have had no issues with the Z Flip 4 and have found the quality of life improvements from the design well worth the cost.

The voice of reason. Thank you, love your channel. Recently saw a video on the mountains of e-waste in Ghana and China; poisoning the public when burnt for tiny precious metals. Gross.

from BC & Lory!

You are voicing concerns I had when these first came out, after more than 30 years in engineering i could see the potential issues straight away but thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention.

You're doing great work. I'm a big advocate of customer awareness, hardware longevity and right to repair. Greetings from Poland. 👍

Good video, I like the enlightment aspect . If someone repairs so many devices like you there is an expertise one can trust. I didn‘t have confidence in foldables, now I will tell everybody not to buy one if they don‘t want to throw money out of the window and into the climate crisis. Greetings

So my question is have you ever seen a vig??

I had an experience of a flip 3 phone. With the constant fear of having a dent in the middle, you also have a crappy battery life. Sold it and bought a regular pixel 6a brick and very happy with it.

Foldables are nothing short of a costly, impractical gimmick. The sooner we move past this the better.

Was thinking of getting a flip4. Thank you for bringing me to my senses

I was quite cautious when I bought my fold 4, so I forked out the option to refresh the phone for 2 years if the device fails. I've gotten a lot of use out of the folding option so it was worth for me. Hopefully I can do a swap atthe 2 year mark and continue to use it for more years to come

I don’t get why people would want to buy a folding phone, especially those book style ones, for the price of a galaxy z fold you can get the 16” MacBook Pro that’s far better for real world use and multitasking, and if you want a tablet sized display, just buy a freaking tablet

I love this kind of videos from your channel. Keep up the good work

Eye opening video. Thank you!

沒吃過鮑魚應該也看過鮑魚吧

I haven't even watched this video, but there's no way I'll be buying foldable for a long time.

This companies should be taken to court! !

Thank you very much for these advices.

Have u ever see virgina

After watching this on my Z Flip 4, I must agree on some things. The phone screen is not nearly as durable but the biggest problem is that people don't treat their phones with caution. I've had my Z Flip 4 for 2 months now and it's been fine. If I worked in more demanding places like construction or similar, then yeah, I could see it breaking but the most damage my Flip 4 gets are cracks on the screen protector from being used in the same room as a hot shower. Be careful with your stuff and it will last a long time.

“And if history is anything to go by…” hahaha you got me with that line!!

Thanks mate. A useful heads up.

I had the option to buy either an iPhone 13 or a Galaxy Flip3 back in april at about the same price, went for the iPhone without a hiccup and despite of me dropping it on hard floor a couple of times(with a case and screen protector obviously), there is no visible damage on the device, but if that were a foldable on which a proper case and screen protector can't be slapped onto, I doubt the display would be in one piece right now.

I own a Z Flip 2 and Z Fold 2. I'd say they aren't any less durable than regular phones. I work in a construction site, yet the hinges are still smooth. I dropped them so many times, and they are still fine. However, if you unfortunately break the screen, the repair cost is a real issue.

Good afternoon,just wanted to stop in and say that i really like your videos.They are fun,entertaining and you have a good presence about you.Keep up the Awesome job my friend.😎

Thank you for this eye-opener that many of us needed!

This is why I'm still holding off from buying one. I will also add that you miss some features from a regular slab phone. Even the vanilla S22 had more compelling features than the Flip 4 and you can get it for less.

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Your video is sure spot on. I purchased a Samsung Z Flip 4 back in August of 2022. The screen began "blacking out" as the dislodging from the hinge area expanded two months ago. It's been a challenge trying to get it fixed. Multiple phone calls to customer service. Of course I could probably be assertive. I just feel like they don't want to deal with this. Can't blame them the repair shops I guess. I thought about trying my hand at it. I just subscribed. Thanks for your frankness on these issues. Be well.

always look forward to a Hugh Jeffrey's video 😀

This is the exact reason why I'm not excited about foldable phones. Other than "Wow, that's cool," it just doesn't seem to add a lot to existing experience, and it is much more fragile and expensive to repair.

I saw a folding phone in a carrier store on display and I still think that folding phones are cool until like 2 weeks later when you forget about the gimmick and just becomes a fragile phone

In a case for a phone, why engineer a bendy screen when you can make a clever hinge between 2 screens that open and appear as one continuous screen?

I had the Z Flip 3 for nearly a year. I noticed a small scratch in the crease show up after having it for 6 months, even though I was super careful with it. It wasn't a big deal at the time to me, the display was still responsive under it, and it wasn't actually super noticeable. However, around the one year mark of owning my phone, the crease started opening up near the edges, then in less than a weak, the crease was all raised up. I went to see how much it cost to get the screen replaced and ultimately decided it was cheaper to trade it in and get the S22... 😢

Thank you Hugh. I was seriously considering buying a foldable phone next. Because I believed that in 4 iterations, Samsung had figured out to make a Fold/Flip last for 4-5 years without major concerns. If they'd just undo many of the recent developments & give us back an IR blaster or a 3.5mm jack, life would truly be more than satisfactory

Yea the durability concern can't go understated. Dope concept with some cool practical use cases for sure though

This is why Apple hasn’t messed with foldable phones. They are a joke currently.

Great channel, thank you

你有沒有看過雞拜拉？

I've read that Apple is going to implement the USB C port in the new iPhones, but they will require a cable with special certificate to charge the device. This is crazy. This company should be getting lawsuits every year and paying out billions of dollars already for coming up with such foolish ideas.

tq. Good explaination.

I've always liked the idea of owning a foldable phone. However the durability and constantly visible crease is too much.

Bc大軍簽到

你有看過鮑鮑嗎 BC & Lory粉XDD

Someone said it finally. Foldables are a waste of money at the moment. Can’t see the reason to buy them at the moment.

I’ve always saw them as a silly gimmick so I don’t want one. I wouldn’t be surprised if they disappeared in the next 5 years

*Have you seen vegina*

I've had a ZFlip 3 for over a year with little issues. The stock screen protector, however, did crack and was lifting off at the seam, but there's no damage to the screen itself. I just replaced the screen protector with a more flexible, matte one and it's still going just fine.

Fabulous video!

much needed perspective

I've had a z flip 4 for the past 5 months and I love it. I mean, yeah, I anticipate it's likely to be less durable than non-foldable phones, but it was a trade-off I was willing to make for a phone that actually fits any pockets or bags I'm wearing (the ever present issue of women's clothing), and to me it has been worth it. So far mine still looks as perfect as when I first got it, but then again I try to not be careless with my phone (had my previous phone for 4 years without a single crack) and I always have a case on. I can certainly agree this is not a phone for people that are prone for breaking phones in general.

鮑鮑大軍全面進攻！

Good Video, I personaly own a z fold 3 for 1 1/2 years now and had no problems with it.

I seen folding phones in stores but I was skeptical about this, always asked if the phone will actually survive folding because I knew those flexible plastic screens can't remain flexible forever... or there are trade offs between flexibility and scratch resistance. I seen some people with them but I wonder if they regret their purchase.

These are cool and all, but I'll see how these continue to improve overtime and for any kinks to be ironed out! I tried one of these folding phones at a T-Mobile last year.

I got myself a fold 3 when that phone launched, I'm currently over a year and a half into ownership and my display has held up absolutely perfectly. Personally, I think foldables are only really worth the risk if you're hyper careful with any technical device like myself. I'm not saying the tech is perfect because no technology is, but I do think they suit what I'm looking for right now.

I adore my Z Flip. The screen protector is starting to crack a bit so I'll have to replace that, but otherwise it's incredible and so much nicer to carry.

Very well put

"It scratchs at level 6 with Dipper groves at level seven" Hugh Jefferys everyday

ive had my z3 flip for about a year or so i believe. after the 6th month mark i needed to replace the protective screen on the outside, but never had the time to send it in to samsung, with no backup device. it still works fine, just the plastic is frilled up slightly in a few parts of the crease. new innovations bring new issues.

best fold phone so far is from oppo the N2 model. because it its front screen is wider, small overall phone, lighter.

So back to the question, have you seen virgina before?

I agree. Most people should stick to normal phones. But if you know the risk and are a enthusiast, get one. You won’t go back to a slab. I’ve had my Fold 3 since launch and dropped it a few times but still works. They’re more durable than you think. Only thing I had to replace was the screen protector. I’m even going caseless now cause I love the design so much.

As an engineer, I have the same reaction and it was immediate when I saw these flip /fold phones. It’s a fundamental law of material fatigue.

ty for this video!

Well said. Keep up the good work 👏

have you seen the va…..😂

Yes. This technology is in very early stages, and every time i see that phone in a commercial or something i think of how easily it could break, especially at the folding part.

Very well said

As an informed consumer, I decided to wait before considering a foldable phone. Then when the "Living with" reviews came out, I decided to look into it, and decided against it.

I bought a Z Flip 3 in 2021 because it was the same price as a Galaxy S21 brand new from my carrier. It was really cool, but broke after a year and they wanted 400 dollars to fix it, which was the cost of just buying another Flip off of eBay. Tech in them is really cool but having a phone break for no reason 10 months after I bought it was a lot less cool

I like my Fold 4, it's probably the best phone I've had. There is a reason to take Samsung Care+ due to the risk of the screen breaking. I haven't had any problems so far but I take care of this phone. There are a lot of people on Facebook groups dedicated to the Fold3/4 that the screen breaking stems from applying too much pressure to the crease. The downside to this phone for me is the cleaning required because the inner screen and ports are dust magnets. The Samsung case for the Fold doesn't really do enough to protect the phone either.

Thank you very much more advocating this notion, Hugh, amidst the barrages of vendors upon vendors trying to convince us that foldable is the ultimate future

In my opinion, foldables make great demo devices. But as you use it in a day to day basis, you’ll likely realize that you don’t really need that bigger screen, and when that happens, you basically paid for a regular phone, but one that costs twice as much as its worth, breaks more easily, costs more to repair, and likely won’t even last for 5 years because of those aforementioned issues and shorter support compared to the iPhone. Also, I don’t think any phone, whether it be an iPhone Pro, a Samsung foldable or something else, should cost more than $1000 until they prove themselves they can last as long as traditional computers. Edit: to be clear, if you have a foldable phone and you enjoy using it, I have personally have no problem with that. I'm glad you are getting the value from what you pay for. I'm just saying that I have yet to see the value of getting a foldable based on what I've seen in reviews and what some of my friends and family who have folding phones have experienced.