Foldable Phones Solve Durability and Bulk Issues

Foldable phones have addressed nearly every major engineering challenge over the last decade, leaving only one significant hurdle: price. Recent models have specifically solved issues regarding durability and physical bulk, which previously hindered mass adoption.

Two specific devices released in 2025 highlight these improvements. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold introduced an IP68 rating, offering protection against dust and water for the first time in a foldable. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 reduced its dimensions to match standard flagship phones, eliminating the excessive weight and thickness of earlier versions.

Despite these advancements, the market remains constrained by cost. The Z Fold 7 launched at $2,000, a price increase over previous years, even as global sales reached record highs.

Early foldable phones were often described as "cobbled-together messes" with fragile hinges that allowed detritus to enter the device. For years, manufacturers struggled to seal the moving parts necessary for a folding screen against environmental hazards.

In 2025, Google achieved a significant milestone with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Despite retaining the shape of its predecessor, this device secured an IP68 rating for both dust and water resistance. This development marked the first time a foldable offered comprehensive protection for both dirt and liquid.

For devices with complex hinge mechanisms, this protection is a massive improvement to general usability. It ensures that random debris cannot compromise the internal components, a fear that plagued early adopters of the technology.

Previous iterations of foldables saw incremental improvements in durability. Samsung introduced water resistance and S Pen support with the Z Fold 3, and later eliminated the gap between the two halves of the device with the Z Fold 5.

One of the most persistent complaints regarding early fold fold < <> < <>< < < < < < < < Fold fold < < < < < < < < < < < < < < the < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < compared fold < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < < fold < < < <.Samsung achieved an even bigger accomplishment with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This device is essentially the same size and weight as a traditional glass brick handset, yet it houses a massive 8-inch interior display.

When compared directly to Samsung's other flagship, the S25 Ultra, the Z Fold 7 is actually lighter at 7.58 ounces versus 7.69 ounces, and nearly as thin at 8.9mm versus 8.2mm. This reduction in bulk and heft resolves a major issue from previous generations where devices were often too heavy for comfortable daily carry.

While durability and form factor have been solved, cost remains the primary barrier. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched at $2,000, which is $200 more than the debut price of the Z Fold 5 just a couple of years prior.

Manufacturers have struggled to lower prices despite increased competition from brands like OnePlus, Google, Oppo, and Xiaomi. In 2023, OnePlus came close to a more accessible price point with the Open, costing $1,500 after rebates that included trading in any phone, even broken ones.

However, the trend appears to be moving backward regarding affordability. Despite these high costs, consumer interest is rising. Global foldable phone sales reached a new high in Q3 of this year, and sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are up 50 percent compared to the previous generation.

The market data suggests that millions of consumers are interested in the technology, but the high price point remains the final hurdle preventing wider adoption.

Another minor aesthetic concern often raised by users is the "crease"—the small depression running down the screen where the phone bends. However, industry observers note that this is not a functional issue. The crease is invisible when viewing the screen head-on, which is the standard usage angle.

Furthermore, users rarely touch the dead center of the display, especially on a screen the size of a small tablet. The author compares complaining about the crease to being annoyed at a convertible car having extra panel gaps due to its retractable roof; it is a necessary byproduct of the form factor.

Currently, no single manufacturer has combined the advancements of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's durability and the Z Fold 7's slim profile into one device. However, based on current trends, it is likely only a matter of time before these two technologies converge.