The Problem With Foldables

[@jsb13x13]

During my nearly two-year ownership of the Z Fold 4, I subjected it to rigorous use without a protective case for approximately a year and a half. I engaged in various outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, resulting in multiple instances of the device being dropped. Remarkably, it even survived an accidental submersion in a lake. Despite these demanding conditions, the Z Fold 4 demonstrated exceptional durability, exceeding my initial expectations. However, after approximately a year of usage, I encountered an issue where the device would not fully open. Nevertheless, it remained functional for an additional six months. Subsequently, the screen protector began to peel off, which I removed without causing any damage or scratches to the screen. Regrettably, approximately three weeks ago, the device encountered a problem with reading my SIM card. This was followed two weeks later by the failure of the inner screen. Fortunately, I had insurance coverage, which enabled me to obtain an upgrade to the Z Fold 5 at no additional cost.

[@sabrinamerrick1271]

May I ask what your insurance carrier and cellular provider you use?

[@AndroidDigest]

This is exactly the type of experience we're seeing for most people. Some smaller issues are almost guaranteed. Eventually, whether it's the hinge, the crease, there's so many moving parts so it's only natural that something will break down. The screen protector is a big part of that. With that being said, it's still worth it for some people. For most of the year, you don't have a lot of issues. You can get that screen protector swapped, and your insurance took care of it when it did. Have a bigger issue. And people love the experience of foldables. I don't want to talk bad about foldables. I think they are advancing things forward. But we still have to talk about the problems so they can get better. These phones can withstand a ton of drops and a lot of different things. There's just a natural progression of wear that can happen over time though

[@jsb13x13]

@AndroidDigest I concur that the issues need to be addressed for Samsung to make appropriate changes. Foldable phones have undoubtedly advanced since their inception. The longevity of these devices largely depends on usage and care. With proper maintenance and a sturdy case, they can last for years. However, if one opts for insurance and handles the device less cautiously, the lifespan may be limited to one or two years. Hopefully, they will continue to improve and become more durable. My primary concern with Samsung lies in the camera department. It appears that they make minor adjustments and present them as significant redesigns. Now that the Pixel Fold and OnePlus are available in the US market, Samsung will likely be compelled to introduce more substantial changes to their foldable phones.

[@jsb13x13]

@sabrinamerrick1271 I obtained my device insurance through my current carrier, AT&T. They provide me with three phone replacements annually and cover any repair costs if the issue can be fixed by their repair centers.

[@shanecraigtech]

Thanks for the shout out!

[@AndroidDigest]

I tagged your video right at that spot too. I just wanted to share similar concerns to you. Inconsistent customer service, is it under warranty or is it not? Not taking care of those customers with the cracks down the middle. Long repair times for the OnePlus Open. Screen protectors peeling, I think these are so many of the reasons why people don't mess with foldables. All this is a little too much to worry about at this price. But on the other hand, you know this well, foldables are so amazing and I still think they are worth it for so many people. So I was trying to walk that line to keep companies accountable while still praising foldables for what they are

[@javiersierra1833]

Same with Samsung, not physical damage, Just a week after I bought it in the official store, the internal screen protector came off, I went to ask for a warranty, they kept it for a week, they deleted all the data and told me that the screen protector was going to take 1 month to arrive; that was in September, today I’m still waiting. I’ve replaced by myself.

[@AndroidDigest]

This is terrible. Sad to hear. Comments like this need a lot of likes so we can spread the word

[@mrbloodyhyphen-5657]

I reason I cant use a Folding Phone is because I live in an area where there is a lot of dust. Its always there in the air and if something is sitting even for a couple hours, it collects a ton of dust. No matter how good a folding phone's IP rating is, its probably not gonna survive here and I am not willing to take that chance given their price

[@AndroidDigest]

I'd also be a little worried that the dust would get under the screen protector. Again, a lot of peeling screen protectors. It's a worry even if it's replaceable

[@majtechtings]

I followed the Shane pixel fold situation too. That freaks me out about my pixel fold if something happens to it and David Velez went through something similar with his one plus open as well. I baby both of those devices. Owning foldables is a wing and a prayer but I genuinely can't use slabs anymore because foldables are so useful and fun to me and have been since 2021. I thankfully haven't had these problems since I started using foldables and hope they don't sudden happen...customer service needs to improve because near 2000 dollar phones having these problems just getting them fixed is insane. Thank God for insurance though...mine is through best buy for both of foldables...worth every penny.

[@AndroidDigest]

Exactly. It's rough. But I don't blame you one bit for sticking with them. They are fun devices to use

[@curbsidetech]

Im using my first foldable fold 4 now. I just picked up recently.

[@AndroidDigest]

That's awesome. I'm hoping it holds up for you. Foldable are definitely fun to use

[@Markus56165]

Shane’s crack was not across the crease. It was about a centimeter to the left of the crease, which was very odd. When Google sent it back the first time, a day or 2 later, he ended up getting additional cracks on the right side of the crease. Really weird. Thankfully, the third time he sent it in they replaced it with a refurbished device.

[@AndroidDigest]

Even a centimeter to the left of the crease is still right around the hinge area. It's all still related. Again I'm happy that he got it fixed, the point is, he got it fixed because he made a video about it. I've heard a lot of other positive stories where people have gotten their device fixed right away. But that's not the point. The point is, his story isn't the only one. Whether it was a little bit to the left or to the right, cracks, straight across the crease area or the hinge area are clearly a defect and should be taken care of under warranty.. and manufacturers are extremely wishy-washy with how they handle these things and customers. Are the ones paying for it. It's just a reality. A lot of people are dealing with. Some people will have a far better luck of the draw. And some people will just have a really nice physical location to go into like a uBreakiFix. But it's still an issue. We need to call out with these manufacturers so they can make clear policies regarding this and take care of customers

[@RiqMoran]

Theres too many compromises with the form factor. Buying two devices which are both individually better makes more sense, especially if you dont take your tablet outside at all.

[@AndroidDigest]

Even if you do, the new Galaxy Tabs are water resistant and pretty bright.

[@diwaalejandrogalvez796]

Granted, a Galaxy Tab FE and a Galaxy S23 FE will cost less than a foldable

[@Edit_creator]

Can you make a video on the new zfold6 coming out?

[@AndroidDigest]

I do plan to review it at some point. Sometimes I cover it after all the hype has gone down and I cover it to go over sales and what's going on with the used market, I tried to explain a lot of those things in my initial review, and a lot of times I review it a few months after. I do plan to cover it at some point

[@premgaru8556]

Great video with great advice. I love 'candy bar' phones. They're practical and definitely last longer. And a large Candy bar phone like the S24 Ultra is much easier to hold with one hand and watch content while lying down than a foldable. So my S24 Ultra serves me well when I am outside and when at home there's always the iPad.

[@AndroidDigest]

Exactly. I'm starting to get a little more confident with the Fold 6 and other newer ones, but my Flip 6 started making a weird noise on the screen protector, a popping when I open and close it, the same sound Austin Evans is hearing on his (he made a short on it). This felt like the year they would get even more durable. But it's just hard to trust. They aren't that bad, but you do have to take more care of them, and consider things like that protector

[@TheOnlyJay_S]

The Z Fold had me interested because of how cool it looked to be able to open it and have a wide screen to look at everything on it, but I’m not waiting three months for a phone to get repaired and it costs more than my rent. I’ll just wait a while and get an iPad later on down the road.

[@AndroidDigest]

I think with the z-fold you are more likely to get it fixed sooner. Versus the OnePlus open for example. And there are some stores that have parts available in stock like ubreakifix if you live close to one. And for the record, I do think the z-fold is probably one of the more durable options you have. I'm hearing about slight pieces of dust getting under the Google pixel glass. For their pixel fold. The original pixel fold was cracking down the middle. Same thing for the OnePlus open. But it appears that the fold has less issues than any other device and it's more easily repairable. But even then, it's still a little more fragile than other devices

[@sabrinamerrick1271]

I have lost faith in manufacturers honoring a 1 year warranty.

[@AndroidDigest]

Yeah I have faith in them honoring the basic warranty for basic issues. But when it comes to these cracks down the middle of foldables I just have heard too many bad stories about that online.

[@studivan]

So what your saying is, don't use your phone and it wont crack? there shouldn't be a limit on how many times you use your phone a day.

[@jjcoolaus]

Got told the exact same thing with my mother's samsung phone and another family members phone before that. These are not ready for real life use yet. Flip or fold it doesn't matter, there is a significant defect with the hinges on these and they are not fit for purpose.

[@cdomenicci]

I stil got my Z Fold 3, but I always use it with extreme care, as a mini tablet on the go it's a nice alternative, but not as my daily phone.

[@AndroidDigest]

Nothing wrong with that. Cool you're still using a foldable. It's some fun tech

[@michaeltanson8242]

What have you heard of Assurion in aspects of good customer service

[@AndroidDigest]

They are okay! A pain to deal with sometimes, but okay.

[@mickeysm64]

Three or four years I usually buy a phone and I'll use it for 7 and 8 years until the battery doesn't work anymore.

[@morm2173]

As far as foldables, I think Samsung should study One Plus , Vivo fold 3 pro , Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche edition, and Huawei mate 5 for the z fold 6 and 7. They have basically done all the hardware homework and all Samsung has do is study that because their software is awesome. But yea they also have to work hard on durability even I as an android Knight admit this

[@AndroidDigest]

For sure. I'm an android knight

[@morm2173]

@AndroidDigest for me I'll probably never go back to ios again. Not with the hardware value android is offering, and stylus support, multi tasking, open operating, emulation at the highest level

[@MrSorvam]

I had a Samsung Fold 3 The screen protector started to crack in the middle at the top and eventually killed the screen. It was still in the warranty period and Samsung swapped out the screen lt tooki just overa week as I took it to a Samsung kiosk. Within a year the new screen protector they fit it started to crack so I took it to Samsung kiosk and got it replaced took about 4 days I had to pay for a new screen protector. Then within a year that screen protector started to crack I had enough with folding phones until this problem is resolved having to change a screen protector every year is ridiculous and there's a possibility it'll take out folding screen. I would prefer to have a folding phone as I like that form factor but unfortunately it isn't ready yet as far as I'm concerned Ended up using it as a trade in for a new non-folding phone

[@AndroidDigest]

I'm glad you had good experiences getting taken care of. That's sort of my point. These newer foldables are a little more durable and things last longer. But it sounds like you would have a similar experience. Maybe just less times going to the kiosk. Not everyone has a kiosk around though. Which is why I wanted to make this. Some people are having issues getting their warranties fulfilled. Others are just having the annoyances like you are. But either way it needs to be talked about

[@courtneyjohnson869]

I bought 2 galaxy z fold 4's, one for myself and one for my girlfriend and BOTH of them the screens started to bubble after on year of use. I'll never buy another foldable again.

[@AndroidDigest]

Yep. Then you need to go to a ubreakifix if you can find one nearby, they replace the screen protector for free after a year, but that's pretty typical for a foldable. Or you have to mail it in, which most people just can't do.

[@Markus56165]

I’m not sure how manufacturers are training their technicians to inspect devices for damage,but the standard “the screen is cracked, you obviously caused the damage” response doesn’t apply to foldables. If there isn’t any noticeable impact point around the screen, the manufacturer should cover screen replacement. These devices are far too expensive to deal with this bs.

[@AndroidDigest]

Exactly. I think some people are dealing with that. Some people just don't live near a store and they are dealing with terrible customer service, Samsung has been known for that. The same for OnePlus. And then you have other people who are just dealing with the minor annoyances like getting screen protectors replaced

[@metalcrip89]

Biggest fan of foldables but just can't justify spending 1800 dollars when you have to deal with so much hassle with repairs until these OEM can figure out a more durable solution I can't justify spending so much money on a foldable phone. I bought a used Samsung fold 3 back in September last year for 400 bucks it's still working fully almost 9 months later thankfully lol

[@AndroidDigest]

I'm with you. I think for now you're doing one of the best things. They are getting more durable year after year, and right now you can get a Fold 5 for pretty cheap used. So there's some hope. But it's hard to justify $1,800 for any phone ever. Especially a crazy expensive foldable

[@abunk8691]

I don't think a folding phone would work for me due to the price, dust and high humidity of my area. I think I'm a bit of a weirdo as I'm not interested in the folding aspect as much as the square-ish inner displays that I find nice for reading documents & comics 2 pages at a time and looking at webpages in desktop site mode. If there was a flat non folding device with an inner screen similar to the Galaxy Z Fold devices I would look into that, but the best option I have is to go bigger with an actual tablet.

[@AndroidDigest]

That makes a lot of sense. I agree with you.

[@fiziedon]

Bought my fold 4 on 12 sep by 2nd February screen protector peeling of.. and by 20 April, the ribbon had problems.. warranty covered .. but using it not even one year.. same goes to my wife flip 4 . The for the 1st 6 months will auto shut down if u flip it closed.. as long as I have a warranty, i have no issue.. the new flip 5 seams have no issues.. 😂

[@AndroidDigest]

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@marcarchambault8924]

I have had my OnePlus Open since release and I have had no problems whatsoever. Traded Z Fold 3 for a S 23 Ultra then for the OnePlus Open and I Just Love my OnePlus Open. 🤞🤞

[@AndroidDigest]

It's amazing. Just be careful. If it cracks, they were having long wait times. And they wouldn't even email you a return label until nearly a week after you requested one

[@ryanduffy5887]

Best getting insurance if you get a folding phone

[@AndroidDigest]

I don't like insurance but I feel it's almost necessary on a folding phone

[@ryanduffy5887]

@@AndroidDigest definitely. I really want to give a foldable ago. I’ve paid off my phone ( iPhone ) and would like to try one and based on everything I’ve read about them insurance seems a necessity

[@ljacobs357]

My Z Flip 5 has been fine.

[@AndroidDigest]

I definitely think it could be good for a long time. Foldables have gotten more durable over time. And like I said in the video, even, for most people, they won't have all of these issues. You might have the screen protector start to wear down or peel after a year and a half or so. But there's a while until then. And you might not have any other issues. But there's enough of these stories out there that we should consider it

[@Alex-vp4ky]

As a foldable owner, i think the answer is dont invest heavy in foldables. Its a transitional technology phase and it doesnt seem to get cheaper or easier to repair. Someday there will be better versions of this tech (regardless if it folds or unrolls, etc). But right now it just doesnt seem refined enough to make fixing or replacing as easy as it is with standard slab phones. I dont daily my fold 5 and so its probably the reason mine is holding up fine. But hearing these stories doesnt give comfort to me as an owner wondering if/when mine will breakdown.

[@AndroidDigest]

If you take care of it right, you can maybe expect the screen protector to peel after a year or two. You probably won't have many other issues since they have refined things a lot more over time. But 3 or 4 years down the line. There may be some hinge issues or a crack or something like that. It could be sooner, but that's sort of rare. That's what I would expect. But even if it's 5% of people having issues that are deeper, I felt they really needed to be called out. I think it keeps people from making foldables their "daily". I do think the tech is cool enough that a lot of people should consider investing in foldables. But like you said, I wouldn't invest heavy in it. That's why you could buy it for a good price, find ways to protect yourself for a reasonable price. Don't go all in without any form of protection for yourself. Because you could spend $1,800 and that phone could crack right down the middle right after the first year and you'll be screwed

[@KMKKM007]

That's why I buy Apple iPhone. In my country I have Apple store. If my appointment is before 5pm, I can take back the phone on the same day. Also if there's some physical damage and not a defect, I will just use my AppleCare+ plan.

[@AndroidDigest]

I would say Apple has some of the best customer support available

[@ljacobs357]

I've had good luck with Samsung. But I live in a big city with a Samsung Experience store.

[@RRR4847-o9g]

The biggest problem with foldables is Apple hasn't made one yet, and thus the industry doesn't know what they should be doing to deliver that magical folding experience.

[@AndroidDigest]

Apple does seem to jump in at the right times. And when they jump in, a lot of people will give more legitimacy to foldables. I will say that. Even if I don't agree with apple and the approach they often have

[@diwaalejandrogalvez796]

You mean the iSheeps who don't look at anything that's not Apple, and maybe use their overpriced microfiber cloth for cleaning their tables?

[@RRR4847-o9g]

@@diwaalejandrogalvez796 Please respect the company that made everything you use today possible.

[@rolins3279]

​@@diwaalejandrogalvez796🤝🏽

[@crackerjackflash8384]

I don’t care what kind of phone you have. Always get insurance

[@AndroidDigest]

I get why you would. It does give that peace of mind. For me though, I have a good case and a screen protector on every phone. These phones are water resistant too so there isn't much to protect against. If I have a warranty issue, I can get it replaced for free with my warranty for a year. So I get why people would get insurance, it helps to protect you, but I get why people are against it, if they do a lot to protect themselves. But on a foldable, random cracks happen that don't normally happen on regular screens. Cracks that are often called official damage. You pay twice as much for the phone with 4 times the risk. It's good to get insurance, but it's even more urgent on a foldable

[@sparky6757]

I don't care what type of phone you have. Never get insurance. Why? Because insurance costs hundreds of dollars. What can I buy for hundreds of dollars, should I need it? A repair, or a trade-in to the next gen. Sure, it'll cost a _little_ more than insurance would have, but the number of times I have ever broken a phone is zero, and the number of years I've had a phone would have cost me somewhere in the ballpark of $1000 in insurance. If my phone breaks tomorrow, it will cost me dramatically less to get a new one than what I've saved by not buying insurance. That's literally the reason why those companies sell insurance - most people will lose money on it.

[@crackerjackflash8384]

@sparky6757 I don't know what cellphone company you have, but the insurance for mine is only 10$, extra a month. Lol

[@crackerjackflash8384]

@Oldasianguy how have you gone through a hundred phones? Do you get a new one every couple of months? I've two in the last 15 years

[@sparky6757]

@crackerjackflash8384 so you pay $10 a month. $120 a year. That would be $720 over the course of 6 years, which is how long I've had a cell phone. This is of course ignoring all devices other than cell phones, which also could be insured, but don't make sense to because I'm not breaking those either. The $1000+ figure I was talking about came from things like Apple Care and Samsung Care, which are slightly more expensive, but reportedly reliable - reviews of Allstate insurance which my cellular provider offers for $7/mo are not exactly glowing. Let's say, though, that your insurance provider is reliable for $10 a month. And let's say I was using that insurance provider since I got my first phone - about 6 years, so $720 spent total. Let's say I cracked a phone for the first time tomorrow (unlikely - it could happen some day but my track record says it'll probably be once or twice in my lifetime max). $720 could instead let me trade in the cracked device for the newest model, with only about a hundred bucks out of my bank account. And that's having a Z Fold, which are particularly expensive. If I instead had, say, an S22+ and cracked it, trade in for S24+ would run me less than the insurance over the last 6 years would have cost. This is completely ignoring the deductible you would need to pay for the insurance claim, since I have absolutely no idea what the deductible would be. It may well be that upgrading from a cracked Fold 3/4 to a new 5 would be cheaper than fixing the 3/4 under 6 years of insurance. That's completely ignoring the possibility of just paying to have the phone repaired, which would be considerably less than $720. Even folds are only around $400 to fix last I checked. If you've got an S22 Ultra you could have your screen replaced for under $150. Unless you're breaking your phone on a yearly basis, insuring it does not make sense. Even then it's barely worth it.