Chinese smartphone maker Royole Technologies, known for launching the world's first foldable phone, has been declared bankrupt.
  • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    4 days ago

    Bruh this comments section is making the wrong conclusions

    Clamshell design was and always will be the superior space format. There’s a reason why the DS and 3DS had so much homebrew, it was practically the successor to PDAs.

    Android foldables have barely scratched the surface in split screen and back screen utility, but the half size alone makes it very nice to carry.

    The real issue here is that yet another small groundbreaking OEM died because Android device development is an oligopoly. Google, Samsung, Motorola, and Oppo simply took the technology the moment it was revealed and immediately made competitor devices, regardless of initial quality, to get investors excited.

    No one was gonna invest in some small Chinese OEM if the big ones were gonna do the same thing and guarantee sales + existence.

    This exactly why Android feature development has stalled so hard. Everyone sits around twiddling their thumbs for several generations worth of phones until another startup comes up with a new feature they can implement for cash grab. It’s so bad we literally lost features like NFC bumping just to match what everyone else is doing.

    If some startup made a phone with the camera shifted an inch to the center, I can guarantee you the next pixel or galaxy will have it for literally no practical reason other than to prevent competition.

    • Psythik@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      4 days ago

      I went without a foldable for two weeks once and it was incredibly frustrating. Couldn’t get used to not being able to open the phone to get a closer look at pictures and restaurant menus. The zoom-and-scroll technique on a tiny phone screen is annoying as hell once you’re used to not having to do it anymore. I can never go back to a non-foldable ever again. Thankfully used ones are pretty affordable. Just upgraded my Samsung Fold 3 to a Fold 4 for only $400.

    • Krauerking@lemy.lolEnglish
      5·
      4 days ago

      My folded phone is worse in every way to a regular phone. It is a gimmick.

      May not be one day but currently not there.

    • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      4 days ago

      I got to buy a flip and a fold for QA purposes for work. I test drove them for a few days before handing them over.

      I daily drive an s24 ultra so I’m a fan of big phones already.

      The use case for the fold is for anything where you would rather have a tablet. Some people would rather consume media on a bigger device. The real downside to me with the fold was the thickness while folded. It was uncomfortably thick in my pocket. And then of course there’s the inability to have any decent protection on the phone, and the lack of water resistance.

      Now the flip on the other hand, I really enjoyed that device. It opened up to the same size as a decently large phone, you could fold it up and throw it in your pocket, It was protected.

      They’re both too damn expensive. You could buy the biggest baddest flagship phones with the most beautiful screens and cameras for the same price as something that just folds up a little smaller in your pocket.

    • Blankenstejner@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      5 days ago

      For me it would be to have a single device that could work as both a phone and tablet, so compact when folded for portability while having the option for using a big screen when needed.

    • filcuk@lemmy.zipEnglish
      0·
      5 days ago

      I love it and would hate to go back. You have a normal sized phone that can make various otherwise awkward activities on small factor quite comfortable unfolded: note taking, film watching, reading, Internet in general.
      It is so good to be able to whip this out anytime, anywhere.

      It literally replaced 3 other devices for me that I used to drag around to cafes, work and when travelling.

      I considered this overpriced bs until I got to try my friends device. Now I just consider it overpriced.

      • FooBarrington@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        4 days ago

        Would you say the technology is developed far enough?

        I’m definitely interested, as the phone screen size is often a bit too small. But any mechanical movement makes me nervous on a small device that should last multiple years.

        • SassyPants@lemmy.mlEnglish
          1·
          4 days ago

          I have one, and I plan on going back to a non foldable next phone. After 2 years of use there are a lot of minor annoyances that are adding up. The hinge is a concern, it doeant fully open flat anymore (maybe 175° now?).

          The big annoyance is Apps vs screen ratio. Nearly all apps are designed for the ‘standard’ screen ratio, so folded is too thin width and things dont look right always, and open is too wide…same issue.

          Another thing is watching stuff. The size is nice but again because of screen ratios you have massive black bars often.

          At the end of the day I really like the tech for its ‘new’ feeling (I can fold a screen?!) but I cant justify the added cost for something with a bunch of annoyances.

          • FooBarrington@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            9 hours ago

            Thank you for sharing your experience, those points are exactly what I’m worried about. Let’s hope the situation improves over the next couple of years!