I don't quite mind you posting your blog posts here, but this one was kind of reaching to the point that it feels like bait rather than sincere. The most obvious customer is the one with...
The piece that doesn’t fit, in this case, is the price. Someone who only has a phone to handle the digital demands of modern life, almost by definition, doesn’t have more the money to spend on a foldable phone, no matter how good it is. If they had that, they would have bought a laptop or tablet long before.
The question remains: who are foldable phones for? The only profile left is that of show-offs. Which might even be a good thing — the iPhone Duo as an identifier of unpleasant people. See one in someone’s hands? Run, it’s a trap!
I don't quite mind you posting your blog posts here, but this one was kind of reaching to the point that it feels like bait rather than sincere. The most obvious customer is the one with disposable income who's willing to pay more for some additional convenience.
I had an iPad Mini that I gave away because I never used it. Every time I wanted to use it, like when I spontaneously found myself enjoying some quiet time at a cafe, it was never on me. So when I go to buy a new phone and tablet, which will cost ~$1000+$600, I'll find myself wondering why I don't just pay another $400 and get something more usable.
Replying to self: I am packing for a flight right now, but this is my first time traveling with a CPAP and it's taking up a lot of space. I have to remove my personal laptop to get everything to...
Replying to self: I am packing for a flight right now, but this is my first time traveling with a CPAP and it's taking up a lot of space. I have to remove my personal laptop to get everything to fit (I also have my work laptop). I would love a large screen with me on this trip because I have some real estate crap to deal with. A Duo would be perfect here. I already travel with a Roost V3, folding bluetooth keyboard, and trackpad for use with the work laptop; could easily use the same setup with a Duo.
I’m considering buying one, AMA On the statistical side, the Z fold 8 is selling very well. For reference, it’s sold more than the entire pixel 11 line COMBINED. The somewhat weird $1900 Foldable...
I’m considering buying one, AMA
On the statistical side, the Z fold 8 is selling very well. For reference, it’s sold more than the entire pixel 11 line COMBINED. The somewhat weird $1900 Foldable sold more than google’s flagship + budget model. So evidently the market is quite a big larger than the “clean reference android” market.
Globally, it’s particularly popular in China. Almost half of all foldable sales globally are in China.
Fold 8 has sold an estimate 2.9 million units, and the combined pixel 11 lineup has sold 2.5 million units. The entire fold lineup (including the fold 8 and the z-flip) sold 5.2 million units.
Fold 8 has sold an estimate 2.9 million units, and the combined pixel 11 lineup has sold 2.5 million units. The entire fold lineup (including the fold 8 and the z-flip) sold 5.2 million units.
It’s not trivial, either. And the sales grow fast. Every galaxy gold has sold 30-50% more than the one before. The original fold only sold 500k units. The fold lineup sold more than the iPhone 12...
It’s not trivial, either. And the sales grow fast. Every galaxy gold has sold 30-50% more than the one before. The original fold only sold 500k units.
The fold lineup sold more than the iPhone 12 mini did in a quarter, much beloved on the internet, while being a much higher priced unit. If you could either sell 50k BMWs or 50k ford fiestas, you’d rather be selling 50k BMWs.
It’s particularly competitive in China, where Huawei and Oppo have their own folding phones that are popular and sell well domestically.
I asked my friend yesterday if he'd pre-ordered the Duo as a joke. And to my surprise he complained you can't pre-order it just yet and he plans to get one ASAP. I think they'll be moderately...
I asked my friend yesterday if he'd pre-ordered the Duo as a joke. And to my surprise he complained you can't pre-order it just yet and he plans to get one ASAP. I think they'll be moderately popular. Out of the price range of most people, but desirable enough for those with disposable income as both a showpiece and for the genuine convenience of having a folding tablet in your pocket. I've never owned an iPad because - unless you're an artist - it seems like a computer designed purely for wasting time on content consumption. But I could be tempted into getting a phone with an enhanced content consumption mode.
I expect I’ll buy this sometime next year. I don’t have any “good” reason to get something like this—I’m not a power user, I don’t do work on my phone, I’m not someone who consumes a bunch of...
I expect I’ll buy this sometime next year. I don’t have any “good” reason to get something like this—I’m not a power user, I don’t do work on my phone, I’m not someone who consumes a bunch of media on the go, etc—I just like niche tech I guess. For example, my current laptop is this wacky thing, not because it’s especially good at anything, nor because it particularly fits my use cases, it just makes me happy to have/use. The folding phones have always interested me in that way, which is why I‘ve ended up with both of the Surface Duos (which aren’t great as phones, I’ll admit), and why I’ll probably get this one (also called Duo…) at some point.
I imagine there are a decent number of other people who would buy a folding phone just because they think it’s interesting, rather than thinking it’s the most practical. Obviously that’s not enough for a market, and I’d assume that’s not the reasoning most people have for buying one.
I can dig that. Perhaps niche isn't how I would describe my tendencies, but I do appreciate pieces of tech that are out there or if they're pushing boundaries. I must say that I appreciate a...
I just like niche tech I guess.
I can dig that. Perhaps niche isn't how I would describe my tendencies, but I do appreciate pieces of tech that are out there or if they're pushing boundaries.
I must say that I appreciate a superb price to quality ratio more than I appreciate the extreme end of performance or price though. This results in most of my tech being a mix between well known established devices at a good price and rarer choices that see (sometimes unfairly) smaller market shares.
A €2000 phone is a bit much for my liking but I can totally understand the appeal of something that's niche and well made. If I were in the market for a foldable it wouldn't be outlandish to look at this one.
Apple has entered the foldable phone market. Which got me thinking about the audience for this kind of device — if there even is one. People who convince themselves that a phone that folds and...
Apple has entered the foldable phone market. Which got me thinking about the audience for this kind of device — if there even is one. People who convince themselves that a phone that folds and costs double the most expensive conventional models is worth it. Do they exist?
I might get one. I moved off of ios to get an android foldable a couple years ago. I love having a foldavle for reading and gaming. The rest of my family is in the ios ecosystem still so it's...
I might get one. I moved off of ios to get an android foldable a couple years ago. I love having a foldavle for reading and gaming. The rest of my family is in the ios ecosystem still so it's worth consideration.
I think the requirements in a phone for users that do most of their computing on a computer (ie, older people) is much different than the use cases of users who do most of their computer related...
I think the requirements in a phone for users that do most of their computing on a computer (ie, older people) is much different than the use cases of users who do most of their computer related tasks on a phone (increasingly, younger people).
If I need to fill out a resume, or pay a bill, or write an email longer than a couple of sentences, I'm not using my phone to do that. Touchscreens are a really terrible compromise that are a necessary tradeoff of input usability against screen real estate. I find them really frustrating to use, and I'm way more comfortable using a mouse and keyboard for anything requiring a lot of input.
There are a lot of people that don't feel that way, and it seems to be the case more as time goes on. There are a lot of people who don't own a computer of any kind except for their phone. They do everything on their phone, from reading news, to filling out job applications, paying bills, investing, writing and so on.
For those kinds of people, it might make sense to have a phone that can transition to having a gigantic screen.
For me, I just want something small that fits in my pocket, has decent battery life, and mostly gets out of my way.
I would never buy something like this in a million years. If I was forced to only use a phone for everything technology related though?
Maybe it becomes more appealing at that point.
What I don't understand is who is forcing these people to only use a phone. For the price of the base Duo it is possible to buy an okay phone and a fine laptop and have a better experience with...
What I don't understand is who is forcing these people to only use a phone.
For the price of the base Duo it is possible to buy an okay phone and a fine laptop and have a better experience with the benefit of being less exposed to the addictive properties of smartphones.
Only having a smartphone also carries an opportunity cost as it is terrible for anything besides consumption.
I don't think it's a matter of someone forcing them to use phones, it's that they're more comfortable using them. A lot of young people just didn't grow up using computers. They've been able to...
I don't think it's a matter of someone forcing them to use phones, it's that they're more comfortable using them.
A lot of young people just didn't grow up using computers. They've been able to theoretically do everything they needed to do on a smart phone their whole life, so they've never been really exposed to anything else. Makes sense that they wouldn't seek out a computer unless they were required to by a job or something. Even though doing any sort of long form input on a phone seems like torture to me, if it's all you've ever known, it probably feels normal.
Why should anyone force them to buy two devices instead? Having only one device is more convenient, less to carry around, less to charge, etc. I enjoy having separate devices for different things,...
Why should anyone force them to buy two devices instead? Having only one device is more convenient, less to carry around, less to charge, etc.
I enjoy having separate devices for different things, but I fully understand why people wouldn’t. If you do laptop type things on your devices a handful of times per year, just doing it on the device you have is probably better than having a separate device.
Ultimately it fills a niche in the marketplace, and is priced at an iPhone pro plus iPad Air, and can comfortably fill both roles for certain people. I don’t understand why people are so upset about the price. Just don’t buy it. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy it.
My iPad is no longer receiving updates, and I’m considering getting a Duo when my phone packs in (probably not for a good while though, it’s only 3 years old). I use my phone as a recipe book an...
My iPad is no longer receiving updates, and I’m considering getting a Duo when my phone packs in (probably not for a good while though, it’s only 3 years old).
I use my phone as a recipe book an awful lot, and it would be nice to not have to prop it up or keep it just flat on the counter top and crane my neck to see what I’m doing. I frequently feel like I need to migrate what I’m doing on the phone to a larger device because I find that less constraining, being able to flip to the bigger one immediately and with perfect continuity would be awesome.
I don’t know. I think your point about it being more expensive that a phone and a tablet combined is a really valid one. But when you’re considering a pro phone and a pro ipad, suddenly that calculus shifts quite a lot. The Duo is definitely a luxury product, and not one I expect a ton of people to buy. But I have liked the idea of foldables since I saw Westworld and think there’s something inherently very cool about them. I think the tech is still maturing and we’re throughly inside the “enthusiasts only” stage of its marketing life, but I do expect the tech over time to become far more ubiquitous. I fall firmly into that first camp, and I just wanna enjoy the novelty.
Genuinely asking: what do “pro” phones and tablets do that justify their prices? Tablets, specifically, are nonsensical to me. I mean, even base iPad can show recipes, play Netflix and be used as...
But when you’re considering a pro phone and a pro ipad, suddenly that calculus shifts quite a lot.
Genuinely asking: what do “pro” phones and tablets do that justify their prices? Tablets, specifically, are nonsensical to me. I mean, even base iPad can show recipes, play Netflix and be used as an e-reader just as much as an iPad Pro, no?
I use an iPad Pro 11 in as my primary “computer” when I travel. Beyond the usual web browsing, I use for editing photos on Lightroom and editing videos with FCP. The pros also have USB 4.0 capable...
I use an iPad Pro 11 in as my primary “computer” when I travel. Beyond the usual web browsing, I use for editing photos on Lightroom and editing videos with FCP.
The pros also have USB 4.0 capable ports which really helps with moving files on and off SSDs.
My iPad is 9 years old now, so maybe I'm not the best to answer this question, but at the time I bought the Pro because the audio quality was phenomenal compared to the base model, and I knew I'd...
My iPad is 9 years old now, so maybe I'm not the best to answer this question, but at the time I bought the Pro because the audio quality was phenomenal compared to the base model, and I knew I'd be using it for media consumption in addition to other uses. It was also the first to offer ProMotion (120Hz), had an anti-glare laminated display, True Tone w/ P3 gamut, and had a larger 10.5 vs 9.7" screen, A10X vs A9, external keyboard smart connector (which I did use), pencil support, better front camera, and double the storage. At the time the Pro iPad was a definite upgrade over the non Pro model.
I think paying extra at the time is part of why I still find it tolerable to use 9 years later, vs a non-pro model of the same year.
I’m assuming you’re based out of Brazil? If so I think you basically just don’t understand how rich upper-middle class Americans are. $2k for a phone is a little steep but it’s not actually that...
I’m assuming you’re based out of Brazil? If so I think you basically just don’t understand how rich upper-middle class Americans are. $2k for a phone is a little steep but it’s not actually that painful amortized over a couple of years.
I’m not even in that class and it wouldn’t have been that gobsmacking for me before having kids.
Yes, I am. Here these prices are more obscene, indeed, although upper class people (5–10% richest) can easily travel abroad and buy these things in the US and Paraguay is a shortcut to pay way...
Yes, I am. Here these prices are more obscene, indeed, although upper class people (5–10% richest) can easily travel abroad and buy these things in the US and Paraguay is a shortcut to pay way less than the MSRP of electronics.
For me, my last 3 phones were foldables and I get them for exactly 1 reason: reading. Foldable phones are the closest thing we have to simulating analog books in a electronic format. As someone...
For me, my last 3 phones were foldables and I get them for exactly 1 reason: reading.
Foldable phones are the closest thing we have to simulating analog books in a electronic format. As someone who grew up with regular books, having a foldable like this feels downright comfortable and makes it easier for me to read. There is also the added convenience that I don't have lug multiple devices, where the phone acts as a communication device, music player, payment method, and reader all in one.
Is it worth the $1800 that I shelled out for it? For me, yeah, but that's also mainly because I'm single with a decent amount of disposable income. If I had a family, it'd be a much bigger ask.
As a side note, the absolute best phone that I've ever used in my life is the Microsoft Surface Duo 2. For everything that I mentioned above, it has the absolute BEST form factor for a foldable and I would happily pay Apple prices to get an updated model for that again. Dear God, I miss my Surface Duo 2 as my daily driver so much...
For me, phones and regular tablets are no go. LCD/OLED screens really aren't good for your eyes. I got a base Kindle a couple years ago and recently replaced it with a Boox large tablet (10,3"),...
For me, phones and regular tablets are no go. LCD/OLED screens really aren't good for your eyes. I got a base Kindle a couple years ago and recently replaced it with a Boox large tablet (10,3"), also with an E-Ink display.
I think there are two audiences: people who want the fanciest gadget who won't notice the price difference until it hits 5 figures (think: FAANG tech workers, finance workers, doctors, highly...
I think there are two audiences:
people who want the fanciest gadget who won't notice the price difference until it hits 5 figures (think: FAANG tech workers, finance workers, doctors, highly successful lawyers, etc)
people who are so utterly addicted to their phones that the price increase is worth it (essentially dopamine addicts who really need a stay in airplane mode rehab)
I suspect the first audience is large enough to sustain the product, given a 40-50% markup (better than the iPad or a Macbook, most likely)
I fall close to the first group, but with enough self-discipline, frugality, and skepticism of the current tech landscape that I'd never buy the Duo. However... if Apple released a phone with dual e-ink screens on the inside, I'd probably drop $3k on it because I'd love to combine my phone and ereader. And if someone released a Mini-sized phone again I'd pay damn near $5k just to have something that isn't the size of a brick swinging around in my pocket whenever I walk, or bike, or run, or sit down, or do damn near anything besides laying down hooked into the Matrix.
I think a lot of people are waiting to see if a foldable phone is doable after Samsung. But I honestly think this phone is kind of like a bread and circus moment in relation to apple watches now...
I think a lot of people are waiting to see if a foldable phone is doable after Samsung.
But I honestly think this phone is kind of like a bread and circus moment in relation to apple watches now listening in to transcribe your real time conversations
I'm also considering buying the iPhone Duo, based in the US if that makes a difference. I currently have a phone, tablet, and laptop I can use to do things. I specifically use my tablet and phone...
I'm also considering buying the iPhone Duo, based in the US if that makes a difference.
I currently have a phone, tablet, and laptop I can use to do things. I specifically use my tablet and phone daily. For me, the value is in not having to switch devices and just being able to do more in a single device. I previously tried using a folding phone for a few months last year. I bought a used Samsung foldable and then sold it at the end of the summer. I didn't end up using it more than my normal phone, I was using it less actually. I instead became more intentional with my phone use. For the odd reply to message, glance at email, check transit directions, etc, I'd just use it like a normal phone. However, if I wanted to look closer at maps, watch videos, browse websites, and even just multi-task for a brief period, it was immensely useful to be able to quickly bring out a compact tablet and go. This is obviously possible if you purchase a separate tablet, but now you have to ferry around that tablet, keep it charged, updated, make sure it has the data you want/need, etc. I eventually sold the Samsung since I have come to really dislike Samsung's One UI software and the square form factor was awkwardly used by apps but even that brief experience showed me there's some value.
For the foreseeable future, folding phones will be a compromised phone and compromised tablet experience. I don't think anyone will argue against that. There is a growing market for them however, even if it's not readily apparent. @stu2b50 points out foldable's popularity in China but I think it applies to a lot of east Asia, at least from what I witnessed in my travels. I think part of that is people there consume a ton of media on their phone while they're out in the city or down in a subway train. I follow this YouTuber named Ben Sin who travels around east Asia and reviews a lot of phones not available here in the west and he also points out that folding phones are incredibly popular across an incredibly varied demographic. It's not just young tech nerds buying them but suburban moms, salarymen, and other kinds of people too. Given Apple's growing popularity in these regions too, I think Apple will see some decent success. It won't be the best selling iPhone but the original iPhone also wasn't the best selling phone when it first launched.
I don't quite mind you posting your blog posts here, but this one was kind of reaching to the point that it feels like bait rather than sincere. The most obvious customer is the one with disposable income who's willing to pay more for some additional convenience.
I had an iPad Mini that I gave away because I never used it. Every time I wanted to use it, like when I spontaneously found myself enjoying some quiet time at a cafe, it was never on me. So when I go to buy a new phone and tablet, which will cost ~$1000+$600, I'll find myself wondering why I don't just pay another $400 and get something more usable.
Don’t be mad, my friend. I know there are people who benefits from foldable phones and aren’t rich assholes. I was just extrapolating.
Bad premises extrapolate to bad conclusions.
Replying to self: I am packing for a flight right now, but this is my first time traveling with a CPAP and it's taking up a lot of space. I have to remove my personal laptop to get everything to fit (I also have my work laptop). I would love a large screen with me on this trip because I have some real estate crap to deal with. A Duo would be perfect here. I already travel with a Roost V3, folding bluetooth keyboard, and trackpad for use with the work laptop; could easily use the same setup with a Duo.
I’m considering buying one, AMA
On the statistical side, the Z fold 8 is selling very well. For reference, it’s sold more than the entire pixel 11 line COMBINED. The somewhat weird $1900 Foldable sold more than google’s flagship + budget model. So evidently the market is quite a big larger than the “clean reference android” market.
Globally, it’s particularly popular in China. Almost half of all foldable sales globally are in China.
Do you have absolute numbers? I mean, Google sells so little Pixel phones… you know what I mean.
Fold 8 has sold an estimate 2.9 million units, and the combined pixel 11 lineup has sold 2.5 million units. The entire fold lineup (including the fold 8 and the z-flip) sold 5.2 million units.
Thanks! These numbers don’t move the needle, do them? Apple alone sells ~60 million iPhones per quarter.
It’s not trivial, either. And the sales grow fast. Every galaxy gold has sold 30-50% more than the one before. The original fold only sold 500k units.
The fold lineup sold more than the iPhone 12 mini did in a quarter, much beloved on the internet, while being a much higher priced unit. If you could either sell 50k BMWs or 50k ford fiestas, you’d rather be selling 50k BMWs.
It’s particularly competitive in China, where Huawei and Oppo have their own folding phones that are popular and sell well domestically.
I asked my friend yesterday if he'd pre-ordered the Duo as a joke. And to my surprise he complained you can't pre-order it just yet and he plans to get one ASAP. I think they'll be moderately popular. Out of the price range of most people, but desirable enough for those with disposable income as both a showpiece and for the genuine convenience of having a folding tablet in your pocket. I've never owned an iPad because - unless you're an artist - it seems like a computer designed purely for wasting time on content consumption. But I could be tempted into getting a phone with an enhanced content consumption mode.
I expect I’ll buy this sometime next year. I don’t have any “good” reason to get something like this—I’m not a power user, I don’t do work on my phone, I’m not someone who consumes a bunch of media on the go, etc—I just like niche tech I guess. For example, my current laptop is this wacky thing, not because it’s especially good at anything, nor because it particularly fits my use cases, it just makes me happy to have/use. The folding phones have always interested me in that way, which is why I‘ve ended up with both of the Surface Duos (which aren’t great as phones, I’ll admit), and why I’ll probably get this one (also called Duo…) at some point.
I imagine there are a decent number of other people who would buy a folding phone just because they think it’s interesting, rather than thinking it’s the most practical. Obviously that’s not enough for a market, and I’d assume that’s not the reasoning most people have for buying one.
I can dig that. Perhaps niche isn't how I would describe my tendencies, but I do appreciate pieces of tech that are out there or if they're pushing boundaries.
I must say that I appreciate a superb price to quality ratio more than I appreciate the extreme end of performance or price though. This results in most of my tech being a mix between well known established devices at a good price and rarer choices that see (sometimes unfairly) smaller market shares.
A €2000 phone is a bit much for my liking but I can totally understand the appeal of something that's niche and well made. If I were in the market for a foldable it wouldn't be outlandish to look at this one.
Apple has entered the foldable phone market. Which got me thinking about the audience for this kind of device — if there even is one. People who convince themselves that a phone that folds and costs double the most expensive conventional models is worth it. Do they exist?
I might get one. I moved off of ios to get an android foldable a couple years ago. I love having a foldavle for reading and gaming. The rest of my family is in the ios ecosystem still so it's worth consideration.
I think the requirements in a phone for users that do most of their computing on a computer (ie, older people) is much different than the use cases of users who do most of their computer related tasks on a phone (increasingly, younger people).
If I need to fill out a resume, or pay a bill, or write an email longer than a couple of sentences, I'm not using my phone to do that. Touchscreens are a really terrible compromise that are a necessary tradeoff of input usability against screen real estate. I find them really frustrating to use, and I'm way more comfortable using a mouse and keyboard for anything requiring a lot of input.
There are a lot of people that don't feel that way, and it seems to be the case more as time goes on. There are a lot of people who don't own a computer of any kind except for their phone. They do everything on their phone, from reading news, to filling out job applications, paying bills, investing, writing and so on.
For those kinds of people, it might make sense to have a phone that can transition to having a gigantic screen.
For me, I just want something small that fits in my pocket, has decent battery life, and mostly gets out of my way.
I would never buy something like this in a million years. If I was forced to only use a phone for everything technology related though?
Maybe it becomes more appealing at that point.
What I don't understand is who is forcing these people to only use a phone.
For the price of the base Duo it is possible to buy an okay phone and a fine laptop and have a better experience with the benefit of being less exposed to the addictive properties of smartphones.
Only having a smartphone also carries an opportunity cost as it is terrible for anything besides consumption.
I don't think it's a matter of someone forcing them to use phones, it's that they're more comfortable using them.
A lot of young people just didn't grow up using computers. They've been able to theoretically do everything they needed to do on a smart phone their whole life, so they've never been really exposed to anything else. Makes sense that they wouldn't seek out a computer unless they were required to by a job or something. Even though doing any sort of long form input on a phone seems like torture to me, if it's all you've ever known, it probably feels normal.
Why should anyone force them to buy two devices instead? Having only one device is more convenient, less to carry around, less to charge, etc.
I enjoy having separate devices for different things, but I fully understand why people wouldn’t. If you do laptop type things on your devices a handful of times per year, just doing it on the device you have is probably better than having a separate device.
Ultimately it fills a niche in the marketplace, and is priced at an iPhone pro plus iPad Air, and can comfortably fill both roles for certain people. I don’t understand why people are so upset about the price. Just don’t buy it. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy it.
My iPad is no longer receiving updates, and I’m considering getting a Duo when my phone packs in (probably not for a good while though, it’s only 3 years old).
I use my phone as a recipe book an awful lot, and it would be nice to not have to prop it up or keep it just flat on the counter top and crane my neck to see what I’m doing. I frequently feel like I need to migrate what I’m doing on the phone to a larger device because I find that less constraining, being able to flip to the bigger one immediately and with perfect continuity would be awesome.
I don’t know. I think your point about it being more expensive that a phone and a tablet combined is a really valid one. But when you’re considering a pro phone and a pro ipad, suddenly that calculus shifts quite a lot. The Duo is definitely a luxury product, and not one I expect a ton of people to buy. But I have liked the idea of foldables since I saw Westworld and think there’s something inherently very cool about them. I think the tech is still maturing and we’re throughly inside the “enthusiasts only” stage of its marketing life, but I do expect the tech over time to become far more ubiquitous. I fall firmly into that first camp, and I just wanna enjoy the novelty.
Genuinely asking: what do “pro” phones and tablets do that justify their prices? Tablets, specifically, are nonsensical to me. I mean, even base iPad can show recipes, play Netflix and be used as an e-reader just as much as an iPad Pro, no?
I use an iPad Pro 11 in as my primary “computer” when I travel. Beyond the usual web browsing, I use for editing photos on Lightroom and editing videos with FCP.
The pros also have USB 4.0 capable ports which really helps with moving files on and off SSDs.
My iPad is 9 years old now, so maybe I'm not the best to answer this question, but at the time I bought the Pro because the audio quality was phenomenal compared to the base model, and I knew I'd be using it for media consumption in addition to other uses. It was also the first to offer ProMotion (120Hz), had an anti-glare laminated display, True Tone w/ P3 gamut, and had a larger 10.5 vs 9.7" screen, A10X vs A9, external keyboard smart connector (which I did use), pencil support, better front camera, and double the storage. At the time the Pro iPad was a definite upgrade over the non Pro model.
I think paying extra at the time is part of why I still find it tolerable to use 9 years later, vs a non-pro model of the same year.
I’m assuming you’re based out of Brazil? If so I think you basically just don’t understand how rich upper-middle class Americans are. $2k for a phone is a little steep but it’s not actually that painful amortized over a couple of years.
I’m not even in that class and it wouldn’t have been that gobsmacking for me before having kids.
Yes, I am. Here these prices are more obscene, indeed, although upper class people (5–10% richest) can easily travel abroad and buy these things in the US and Paraguay is a shortcut to pay way less than the MSRP of electronics.
Anyway, still outrageous 🥲😁
For me, my last 3 phones were foldables and I get them for exactly 1 reason: reading.
Foldable phones are the closest thing we have to simulating analog books in a electronic format. As someone who grew up with regular books, having a foldable like this feels downright comfortable and makes it easier for me to read. There is also the added convenience that I don't have lug multiple devices, where the phone acts as a communication device, music player, payment method, and reader all in one.
Is it worth the $1800 that I shelled out for it? For me, yeah, but that's also mainly because I'm single with a decent amount of disposable income. If I had a family, it'd be a much bigger ask.
As a side note, the absolute best phone that I've ever used in my life is the Microsoft Surface Duo 2. For everything that I mentioned above, it has the absolute BEST form factor for a foldable and I would happily pay Apple prices to get an updated model for that again. Dear God, I miss my Surface Duo 2 as my daily driver so much...
For me, phones and regular tablets are no go. LCD/OLED screens really aren't good for your eyes. I got a base Kindle a couple years ago and recently replaced it with a Boox large tablet (10,3"), also with an E-Ink display.
I think there are two audiences:
I suspect the first audience is large enough to sustain the product, given a 40-50% markup (better than the iPad or a Macbook, most likely)
I fall close to the first group, but with enough self-discipline, frugality, and skepticism of the current tech landscape that I'd never buy the Duo. However... if Apple released a phone with dual e-ink screens on the inside, I'd probably drop $3k on it because I'd love to combine my phone and ereader. And if someone released a Mini-sized phone again I'd pay damn near $5k just to have something that isn't the size of a brick swinging around in my pocket whenever I walk, or bike, or run, or sit down, or do damn near anything besides laying down hooked into the Matrix.
I think a lot of people are waiting to see if a foldable phone is doable after Samsung.
But I honestly think this phone is kind of like a bread and circus moment in relation to apple watches now listening in to transcribe your real time conversations
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/audio-intelligence-apple-watch/
I'm also considering buying the iPhone Duo, based in the US if that makes a difference.
I currently have a phone, tablet, and laptop I can use to do things. I specifically use my tablet and phone daily. For me, the value is in not having to switch devices and just being able to do more in a single device. I previously tried using a folding phone for a few months last year. I bought a used Samsung foldable and then sold it at the end of the summer. I didn't end up using it more than my normal phone, I was using it less actually. I instead became more intentional with my phone use. For the odd reply to message, glance at email, check transit directions, etc, I'd just use it like a normal phone. However, if I wanted to look closer at maps, watch videos, browse websites, and even just multi-task for a brief period, it was immensely useful to be able to quickly bring out a compact tablet and go. This is obviously possible if you purchase a separate tablet, but now you have to ferry around that tablet, keep it charged, updated, make sure it has the data you want/need, etc. I eventually sold the Samsung since I have come to really dislike Samsung's One UI software and the square form factor was awkwardly used by apps but even that brief experience showed me there's some value.
For the foreseeable future, folding phones will be a compromised phone and compromised tablet experience. I don't think anyone will argue against that. There is a growing market for them however, even if it's not readily apparent. @stu2b50 points out foldable's popularity in China but I think it applies to a lot of east Asia, at least from what I witnessed in my travels. I think part of that is people there consume a ton of media on their phone while they're out in the city or down in a subway train. I follow this YouTuber named Ben Sin who travels around east Asia and reviews a lot of phones not available here in the west and he also points out that folding phones are incredibly popular across an incredibly varied demographic. It's not just young tech nerds buying them but suburban moms, salarymen, and other kinds of people too. Given Apple's growing popularity in these regions too, I think Apple will see some decent success. It won't be the best selling iPhone but the original iPhone also wasn't the best selling phone when it first launched.