lerafoxI actually think you're getting closer to my point with that last response. You said it yourself: the growth is from a small base of early adopters, and the daily experience is full of compromises. That's exactly what makes it a gimmick right now.
Let me give you another real-world example. My friend, a real tech enthusiast, bought one of the latest foldables. He loved it for about a month. Then, the inner screen developed a dead pixel line right along the crease. The repair cost was astronomical, and the process took weeks. He's back on a regular phone now, and his review was, "It was a cool party trick, but not worth the anxiety." That's the lived experience for a lot of people.
You're right that for a very specific user, like a digital artist, it might be a tool. But that's the definition of a niche product, not a mainstream revolution. Smartphones succeeded because they replaced multiple devices for everyone—your camera, your GPS, your music player. Foldables are trying to replace a tablet for a tiny slice of users who are willing to overlook major flaws.
And that software gap you mentioned is huge. It's not just a few apps; it's a fundamental hurdle. Developers optimize for the screens billions of people use. Until foldables have a massive installed base, which is unlikely at these prices, the software experience will always be second-rate. You're not getting a seamless tablet; you're getting a phone screen that unfolds into an awkward, unsupported canvas.
So while I agree the hinge tech is cool, cool engineering doesn't equal a practical product. We're being sold a vision of the future, but we're paying today's prices for a device that feels like a beta test. The growth stats show curiosity, not a paradigm shift. Until it's as reliable, affordable, and seamlessly supported as the phone in your pocket, it's a fascinating gimmick—not the next essential device.
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