One of my favorite lines from any film is “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
While that quote was more about bringing dinosaurs to life, it also perfectly sums up my current thoughts about Samsung’s Galaxy G Fold.
Recently, it was hinted that Samsung could unveil the long-rumored Galaxy G Fold alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 at the July 9 Galaxy Unpacked.
The phone, which would be the first tri-foldable device coming from the company, is certainly an interesting idea. However, it has also been reported that Samsung is only making a limited number as a kind of trial run.
With that in mind, I have to wonder who this phone is really for, and I have some concerns that it isn’t the average customer. Honestly, it feels like the phone is more about proving a point than anything else.
Samsung ist trying to show that it can innovate
Now, this may make me sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I have to wonder if all of this is an attempt by Samsung to prove that it can still innovate
The company has drawn some fire in the past for reusing a lot of hardware, instead relying on software improvements to sell new phones. Releasing a tri-foldable phone would show that Samsung is capable of new hardware, and the limited numbers would entice people to buy it.
There are also some advantages to having a bigger screen, primarily that it allows you to have much more real estate. In the case of the Galaxy G Fold, that means a rumored display of around 10 inches.
If accurate, then that’s around the same size as the Huawei Mate XT, which features a 10.2-inch display. If we compare it to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is rumored to have an 8-inch display, then it looks pretty impressive.
The thing is that, while a bigger screen might be impressive initially, if it’s lacking in function, then it’s a moot point. For instance, we’ve heard rumors that Samsung won’t be including a digitizer on the screen, meaning that the G Fold wouldn’t support an S Pen. This would be an odd choice, to say the least, as that large screen would be a massive benefit to artists and writers alike.
Not only that, I have to wonder how easy such a device would be to actually use in the real world. One of the biggest issues I have with some of the best foldable phones is that opening them up can be a bit of a hassle, especially out in public.
I can only imagine this would be much worse with a triple foldable phone. Now, it is possible that you could half-fold the screen for a smaller display, but then it feels like you’re not using a third of what you paid for.
Samsung could struggle to get the most out of the bigger display
In the past, I used to think of foldable phones as something of a gimmick, but after spending time with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. I’ll admit that I was wrong. However, certain apps struggle to get the most out of the increased display size, and this is an issue that a tri-fold screen could only make worse.
For instance, I recently decided to test whether foldable phones offered a better streaming experience than normal phones. In concept, I imagined that the bigger screen would offer the best viewing, but I found that most apps didn’t make the most of the hardware.
For instance, Disney+ tends to only use a percentage of the screen instead of the entire thing, which limits the experience of having the larger display. I have a suspicion that the same will be true of the larger G Fold as well, especially as I can’t see developers rushing to adapt apps for a device with so little inventory.
There is an argument that Samsung could release specific AI tools for the G Fold in an attempt to draw in interest, but I have my doubts about this. Again, it boils down to whether the rumor about a smaller launch turns out to be true, as I can’t imagine Samsung developing exclusive AI features that the majority of people would never experience.
How much will the Galaxy G Fold cost?
There’s another big question when it comes to the Galaxy G Fold: How much will it cost?
Let’s be fair, Samsung’s foldable phones are already some of the most expensive that you can currently, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 costing $1,899 when it was released. Not only that, the Huawei Mate base model costs $2,800, and it would only be fair to assume the same will be true of Samsung (we’ve even seen estimates as high as $3,500)
Let’s be clear. That is a cost that is far beyond what the average person would ever consider spending on a phone. You could quite easily buy one of the best phones and the best tablets for that same price. With that in mind, I ask again, who is this really for?
However, that isn’t to say that this will be the last tri-fold phone we will ever see; it could be the precursor to an entirely new range of phones. Only time will tell.
Let me know what you think about the possible G Fold. Is the simple act of being able to fold three times enough to tempt you, or is it more of an easily forgotten curiosity?
