Okay, here’s a surprising fact: foldable phone shipments grew over 25% last year while the overall smartphone market shrank. People aren’t buying them just for show; they’re actively choosing them in a tough economy. That tells me this is more than a passing fad. I get why someone might call them a gimmick. The early models were fragile and crazy expensive. And if you just want a basic phone that works, a foldable seems like overkill. It’s easy to dismiss them as a flashy toy for tech enthusiasts. But I think that misses the real shift happening. This isn’t about a phone that folds for the sake of it. It’s about finally solving a fundamental compromise we’ve all accepted for years: choosing between a small screen that fits in your pocket and a big screen that’s great for watching videos or getting work done. A foldable is a pocket-sized tablet. You get the portability of a regular phone, but then you unfold it and have a proper mini-canvas for reading, multitasking with two apps side-by-side, or even sketching. Calling that a gimmick is like calling the first smartphones gimmicks because they had touchscreens. It’s a new form factor that unlocks different ways to use the device. Sure, the tech is still maturing, and the price needs to come down. But the core idea—merging two devices into one without a major trade-off—is genuinely useful. It’s not for everyone yet, but it’s solving a real problem for people who want more screen without carrying a tablet. That’s meaningful innovation, not a trick.

You mentioned that foldable shipments grew while the overall market shrank, but I think that statistic actually supports my point. A niche product can see high growth percentages precisely because it starts from such a small base. It’s appealing to early adopters, which doesn’t automatically translate to mainstream utility. And I hear you on the promise of merging two devices. In a perfect world, that would be a game-changer. But the reality on the ground is that this “merger” is still full of compromises you’re glossing over. You called it a “pocket-sized tablet,” but that’s the ideal, not the daily experience. The inner screen is more fragile than any tablet screen, and the outer screen is often so narrow it makes quick replies a chore. It’s not a seamless fusion; it’s two compromised devices in one expensive package. My coffee shop observation wasn’t just an anecdote—it highlights the software gap. You talk about multitasking and sketching, but how many apps truly support those flexible screen ratios well? For every app that works perfectly, three others are just stretched or have awkward layouts. That’s a huge barrier to the productivity you’re championing. But let me try to bridge our views here. I don’t think foldables are useless. For a specific user—maybe a digital artist on the go or a power user who genuinely needs a single device—they can be a worthwhile tool. The innovation in the hinge and display tech is impressive. My argument is that for the vast majority, the current trade-offs in durability, software, and cost outweigh the benefits. The “problem” of carrying a phone and a tablet isn’t a painful one for most people, and solving it with a $1,800 device that might break at the crease feels like a solution in search of a problem. The growth you see is the tech industry pushing a new form factor, not consumers demanding it. Until these devices become as reliable and intuitive as a standard smartphone, they remain a compelling prototype, not a practical daily driver.

You're right that the growth percentage can be inflated from a small base, but that's not the whole story. The market is still shrinking, yet foldables are the one segment consistently growing in actual unit sales year after year. Early adopters move on if a product doesn't deliver real value. They're sticking with them. I think we're talking past each other on the "problem" they solve. You say carrying a phone and a tablet isn't painful for most. But that's exactly the point—foldables aren't for "most" right now. They're for people who actively want one device, not two. Dismissing that as niche is like saying electric vehicles were a gimmick because most people still used gas stations. It's a new paradigm that starts with a specific audience. The durability and software points are fair, but they're improving fast. The latest models have much more resilient hinges and screens, and app developers are finally starting to optimize as the user base grows. You're judging the category by its early growing pains, not where it's headed. The crease is becoming less visible, and the outer screens are getting wider. But here's where I'll bridge our views. You're absolutely correct that for someone who just wants a reliable phone for texts, calls, and social media, a foldable is overkill and probably a bad choice today. It's not for that person. But calling the entire category a gimmick ignores that it's creating a new tool for a different kind of use—real multitasking, reading documents without constant zooming, and yes, even sketching on the go. It's not a solution in search of a problem; it's a solution for a problem a growing number of people actually have. The fact that it's evolving quickly proves it's a serious product category, not a fleeting trick.