Foldable Devices: Revolutionizing Tech and Sparking a Hardware Revolution

Introduction

We fold things to make them more compact and easier to transport. But, since mobile phones are already small, why would anyone want a foldable phone?

Though the technology initially impressed the market, problems arose. Some of the major ones included malfunctioning displays and hinge breakage, which caused many people to lose faith in foldable technology. However, companies such as Samsung, Motorola, Microsoft, ZTE, and Huawei have near perfected their foldable devices. These smartphones are now more durable than ever before, and they provide far more versatility than traditional phones.

What is the mechanism behind foldable phones?

A foldable phone operates differently. Displays with larger screens require larger batteries, with hinges holding the display together. Most importantly, bendable and foldable screens are the main element in the foldable smartphone. LCD displays are now used in the majority of smartphones. These are constructed with a glass base and an RGB colour panel on top. LCD screens contain LEDs at their base, which produce light and enable us to see images. The most difficult aspect of folding an LCD display is obviously its glass base. Glass does not bend, is thick, and easily breaks.

On an OLED (Organic light emitting diode) display, the pixels (RGB) are fused into the screen and can generate their own light. This eliminates the need for a dedicated light source, allowing OLED displays to be much thinner than LCDs. Unlike an LCD display, which has a glass base, a foldable screen has a plastic base. The OLED display is then adhered to a thin plastic layer called Optically Clear Adhesive. Consider it a double-sided adhesive tape that holds all of the display layers together. Early versions of Optically Clear Adhesive film had problems adhering all of the layers of the display together.

The hinge is another important component of a foldable phone. This component may appear simple at first glance, as it may have appeared on older flip phones. However, the technology that holds two displays together is not as simple as it appears.

Samsung, for instance, employs multiple interlocking gears, which strengthens the hinge and allows for a smooth symmetrical moment. Similar technologies are also being used by Microsoft and Huawei to enable foldable mobile phones to open and close like books.

Difference between Foldable and Non-Foldable Smartphones

More than one display

Non-foldable phones are simply conventional smartphones with a single screen for use and a standard flat screen display. Although they offer the same functions and advantages of multitasking as traditional smartphones, foldable phones have a single display split into two that connect with hinges and open like a book.

Enhanced experience

By adding a second full-size display, they not only doubled the screen area but also managed to avoid making the phones excessively enormous and cumbersome. It works like a dual-monitor configuration with an additional screen so you can utilise it in a variety of ways. For a tablet-like experience when playing games and viewing movies, you may alternatively use both panels together as one large display.

More screen real estate

A foldable smartphone combines the greatest features of a smartphone and a tablet, which is one of its main advantages. Therefore, a foldable phone combines both of these functions into a single unit. It not only eliminates the need to carry two devices, but it also simplifies multitasking. You have the option to run two apps on two separate displays thanks to the ability to divide a screen into two without running out of screen real estate.

Future of Foldable Smart Phones

Interest in the category will increase as more people become aware of the amazing potential of foldables. Samsung will continue to be the market leader in the foldable category with even more cutting-edge technology as a number of breakthroughs are expected to reach consumers in the upcoming years.

In order to accomplish this, Samsung is actively cooperating with app creators and business partners like Google while making significant R&D investments.

In order to make the foldable experience scaleable, Samsung and Google have been working together for years by giving Android developers the required structure and tools. Samsung set the bar for mobile innovation a decade ago by creating a whole new mobile category.

Conclusion

Foldable displays have already arrived and will remain. Most likely, more companies will enter the foldable phone race, improving specifications and designs. Currently in development, foldable smartphones will soon be available on the market with flexible displays. The technology behind foldable displays is entirely new and different from the advances in smartphone displays in the past. Undoubtedly, this will raise some eyebrows at a time when consumers are losing interest in products due to a lack of innovation.

If you want to learn more about foldable devices and app development in foldable devices, read our comprehensive article on developing foldable mobile apps.