It has taken a long time for foldable phones to reach consumers. Users and phone makers have both dreamed of a smartphone that folds out to a larger display. Now, phones with true flexible and foldable displays are finally a reality. However, their price is prohibitive at the moment. Here, we will examine the current foldable phones available on the market, along with a preview of what we might see in the future.
Best foldable phones :
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
- Motorola Razr 5G
- Huawei Mate Xs/Mate X2
- Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold
We will update this list as more foldable phones become available.
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
Samsung's latest foldable phone is the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and it shows just how much the company has to offer. The 7.6-inch internal display has the first-ever under-display selfie camera from the OEM. There are 120Hz refresh rates on both displays.
There are now 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a 4,400mAh dual battery on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Although the battery life isn't exceptional, it's a good cell to keep you going throughout the day.
As mentioned previously, there are three 12MP rear cameras, a 10MP front-facing camera on the external display, and a 4MP camera under the display. The company also kept the side-mounted fingerprint reader and added a brand-new S Pen in an attempt to relive some of the glory of the Galaxy Note. It costs $200 less than the Fold 2, but finally moves towards becoming a mainstream foldable phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 specs:
Display: 7.6-inch QXGA+ and 6.2-inch HD+
SoC: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256 or 512GB
Cameras: 12, 12 and 12MP
Front camera: 10MP, 4MP UDC
Battery: 4,400mAh
Software: Android 11
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is Samsung's other brand-new foldable smartphone that takes on the clamshell market. Even though the Fold 3 gets most of the attention, this is the one to get if you want to try out a relatively affordable foldable phone.
With a premium exterior finish and an improved 6.7-inch internal display, this device has excellent build quality. Samsung has finally improved the external display, jumping to 1.9-inches for easier notification management. You'll find a powerful Snapdragon 888 processor inside, along with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
Two 12MP cameras are on the back and a 10MP camera is on the front. Moreover, the phone comes with a 3,300mAh battery and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is Samsung's most affordable folding option yet, priced at just around $1,000, so it might be just what it needs to reach a broader audience.
Display: 6.7-inch and 1.9-inch
SoC: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128 or 256GB
Cameras: 12 and 12MP
Front camera: 10MP
Battery: 3,300mAh
Software: Android 11
3. Motorola Razr 5G (2021)
Motorola announced its foldable Razr smartphone in late 2019 with a familiar design and name, and it will be available in early 2020. Razr was followed by a major upgrade in 2020 that corrected many of Razr's design and specification flaws.
Design-wise, it is similar to the classic Razr V3 mobile flip phone, released in 2004. Besides being thinner than the original Razr, Motorola's new phone also looks like a classic flip phone. In contrast, when it is unfolded from its retro clamshell body, it reveals a large 6.2-inch 21:9 display. The 2.7-inch square display on the outside can still be used to view notifications, control media, etc. Due to the 48MP rear camera being able to be used as a front-facing camera when the phone is folded, you can even take selfies while using the small display.
Motorola Razr 5G specs:
Display: 6.2-inch and 2.7-inch
SoC: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB
Camera: 48MP
Front camera: 20MP
Battery: 2,800mAh
Software: Android 10
4. Huawei Mate XS and Mate X2
Huawei unveiled its first foldable phone at Mobile World Congress 2019: the Huawei Mate X. Its design differed from the Samsung Galaxy Fold. The phone's display wrapped around the body, so when folded out, it turned into a tablet. After several months of delays, Huawei Mate X was finally released in China in November 2019. As a result of the U.S. trade ban on Huawei, it was not compatible with Google Mobile Services.
Like many sequels, the Huawei Mate XS looks remarkably similar to the original Mate X in terms of design. It has a 6.6-inch display when folded in, but transforms into an 8-inch tablet when unfolded. To better protect the screen against scratches, it has two layers of polymer on top. Huawei's Mate XS has a Kirin 990 chipset instead of the older Kirin 980. With the company's 55W SuperCharge technology, its two batteries can be charged up to 85% in just 30 minutes, too.
The new Motorola Razr foldable phone has better specs, too: it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip and 8GB of RAM, as well as 256GB of storage. Additionally, it has a 2,800mAh battery, which is a slight upgrade. All specs have been improved.
Motorola is offering the new Motorola Razr as an unlocked smartphone at the link below. Even though it is still quite pricey, this time it is much more impressive.
Huawei released the Mate X2 in February 2021. Like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, this 8-inch phone folds inward like a book. Once folded, you can still use the outside display, so you can use it more like a standard smartphone. There is an 8GB of RAM and Kirin 9000 processor inside. You can also get an internal expandable storage option of 256GB or 512GB.
There are four camera sensors on the back of the phone. The camera has a 50MP main lens, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor, a 12MP 3x telephoto lens, and an 8MP 10x periscope lens. The outside secondary screen also has a 16MP camera. Additionally, there is a 4,500mAh battery with 55W wired charging. Huawei's EMUI 11 skin is installed on top of Android 10, but Google apps are not supported.
At the moment, the phone is nearly impossible to find. If you live in China, you will have to spend 17,999 yuan (~$2,785) for the 256GB model, while the 512GB variant costs 18,999 yuan ($2,940).
Huawei Mate XS specs:
Display: 8-inch and 6.6-inch (folded)
SoC: Kirin 990
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 512GB
Cameras: 40, 16, and 8MP
Front camera: N/A
Battery: Two totaling 4,500mAh
Software: Android 10
5. Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold
With its Mi Mix Fold, Xiaomi has become the latest manufacturer to enter the foldable phone market. Right down to the camera unit on the back panel, it is styled like the largest member of the Mi family. The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold, like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Huawei's Mate X2, folds horizontally.
Besides the Snapdragon 888 SoC, you'll find a 67W charging port on the inside as well. Xiaomi has even crammed in the biggest battery we've seen in a folding phone, with a 5,020mAh capacity. In order to make the most of the battery's space, it is split into two cells.
This new folder features an 8.01-inch OLED display as well as a 6.52-inch external display. This phone has an internal display that refreshes at 60Hz (so no high refresh rate here), but it also boasts that you can fold it a million times. In addition to its 108MP main camera, the Mi Mix Fold also boasts an 8MP liquid lens, the first of its kind on a smartphone.
You can't find it easily or at a reasonable price outside of China, at least. Although details of the Mi Mix Fold's global launch are hard to come by, you can order yours right now on Giztop.
Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold specs:
Display: 8.01-inch and 6.52-inch (folded)
SoC: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12/16GB
Storage: 256/512GB
Cameras: 108, 13, and 8MP
Front camera: 20MP
Battery: 5,020mAh
Software: Android 10
What about the Microsoft Surface Duo?
In addition to being a foldable phone, the Microsoft Surface Duo is also a first-ever Android device from Microsoft, where Windows OS is housed. It is also a foldable device without a truly foldable display. Despite its clever hinge, it lacks a truly flexible AMOLED display.
The foldable consists of two 5.6-inch 1,800 x 1,350 displays, giving you a combined 8.1-inch screen with 2,700 x 1,800 resolution. One app can be used on both screens or two apps can be used simultaneously on each screen or a keyboard can be displayed on the bottom screen.
For a $1,399 launch price, the specs are not that impressive. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor is paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. There is a 3,577mAh battery inside. On the inside right corner of the phone you'll find a single 11MP camera sensor. The panel can be rotated to serve as both a selfie camera and a standard rear camera. The phone does not support NFC.
Our review of the Surface Duo included not only inadequate hardware specs, but at launch, the software had a number of major bugs that, frankly, shouldn't have been in the handset. We admire the phone design, but the price, the average specs, and the software bugs keep this phone off our list of the best foldable phones. Microsoft may have better luck with its next-generation Android foldable phone if it chooses to make one.
The alternatives to foldable phones
LG worked on foldable phones for a long time. Its shutdown of its smartphone division means that we may never see the fruits of that labor. LG, on the other hand, created smartphones with an optional case containing a secondary display. LG V50 was the first phone to have this feature, which was released in 2019. However, the secondary display add-on was only available in South Korea.
Its successor, the LG G8X, has a 6.4-inch display, but you can attach the included second screen to get more screen space. By using the secondary display as your preview panel, you can take advantage of new features such as gaming controls and interesting camera tricks. Best of all, the LG G8X with the secondary display is available on Amazon unlocked for far less than the price of one of the above foldable phones.
LG launched the V60 in 2020. It has a big 6.8-inch Full HD+ display, and you can add an equally big secondary display. AT&T and Verizon offer it. In no way is it a cheap phone, but it's cheaper than foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr 5G, or its much more similar distant cousin, the Microsoft Surface Duo.
The future of foldable phones
What will the future of foldable phones with flexible displays look like? In 2020, TCL showed us two new possible designs. This device is a foldable concept called the Tri-Fold. The phone itself is as thick as three stacked phones. Due to two hinges, it can fold out like an accordion, resulting in a big 10-inch screen.
One of TCL's concepts isn't a foldable phone, exactly. Instead, it's a rollable phone. The device looks like a standard smartphone, but it can be rolled from left to right to reveal a flexible design inside.
The company has a canny strategy of showing off prototypes and designs without releasing anything at the consumer level, so don't expect anything anytime soon. But it's a glimpse into what's to come.
Furthermore, Oppo has previously demonstrated its rollable phone, the Oppo X 2021. This isn't a foldable phone, but it seems like an intriguing alternative. TCL is more likely to be released commercially than the brand.