Folding screens: from gimmick to mainstream

Folding screens were once the stuff of science fiction, but today they’re a reality that’s slowly making its way into the mainstream. The first commercial folding phone was the Royole FlexPai, a device that was described as ‘charmingly awful’ due to its awkward design and poor build quality. However, despite its flaws, the FlexPai paved the way for a new generation of foldable devices that would eventually become a staple of the smartphone market.

One of the pioneers of the foldable phone market was Samsung, which released its first Galaxy Fold in 2019. However, the device was plagued by a series of issues, including a faulty display that would break within days of use. This was a major setback for Samsung, but the company learned from its mistakes and went on to release a series of improved foldable devices that would eventually become some of the best-selling phones on the market.

The evolution of foldables

Fast forward to today, and the foldable phone market has evolved significantly. The first generation of foldables were bulky and expensive, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. However, as the technology improved, prices began to come down, and manufacturers started to release more affordable options. Today, you can buy a foldable phone for under $1,000, and some manufacturers are even offering budget-friendly options that start at around $500.

But it’s not just the prices that have changed – the design of foldables has also undergone a significant transformation. The first generation of foldables were book-style devices that folded in half, but today you can find a wide range of form factors, including compact flip phones, trifold devices, and even rollable phones. The Oppo Find N6, for example, is a trifold device that features a 7.1-inch screen when unfolded and a 6.7-inch screen when folded. The device is incredibly thin and light, and its crease is almost invisible.

Another area where foldables have improved is in their cameras. While the cameras on early foldables were mediocre at best, today’s foldables often feature high-quality cameras that can compete with the best slab phones on the market. The Oppo Find N6, for example, features a triple rear camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 13-megapixel telephoto lens.

But despite all the improvements, foldables remain a niche product. According to a report by Counterpoint, foldables made up just 1.6% of the global smartphone market in 2025. However, this is expected to change with the arrival of Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which is expected to debut next month alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.

The impact of Apple’s foldable iPhone on the market will be significant, according to Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at IDC. ‘This will be a turning point for the foldable segment,’ he said in a report predicting that Apple will claim 34% of the foldable market by value in its first year.

The future of foldables

So what does the future hold for foldables? While it’s difficult to predict exactly how the market will evolve, it’s clear that foldables are here to stay. As the technology continues to improve, we can expect to see even more affordable options and a wider range of form factors. Rollables, for example, are expected to become a major trend in the coming years, with manufacturers like Lenovo already releasing devices with rollable displays.

But despite all the excitement around foldables, it’s worth noting that they still have their limitations. One of the major drawbacks of foldables is their cost, which can be prohibitively expensive for many consumers. Additionally, while the cameras on foldables have improved significantly, they still lag behind the top-tier slab phones on the market.

Overall, the future of foldables looks bright, but it’s clear that there’s still a long way to go before they become a mainstream product. As the technology continues to improve and prices come down, we can expect to see even more affordable options and a wider range of form factors. But for now, foldables remain a niche product that’s slowly making its way into the mainstream.