The thing about foldables is that they are great and great for a while now - hardware wise. Like, my Fold 4 is amazing. The hole when it’s closed is a bit strange, but now they managed to close these phones technically flushed - so the only “real” problem disappeared.
the software side of things is what more important. how the OS handles the two (or three) and foldable screens.
It’s nice that Google too is pushing this market. This means the support for folding screens will be eventually completely baked into the OS and the manufacturers don’t have to hack up apps and services for it.
Now we need people to buy these to make the tech even more cheap and better. Though, if I look into the future in a kind of sci-fi glasses, folding and flexible screens are evident so I think we will be there eventually.
the software side of things is what more important
Nice thing about that is software is updatable, I find it silly when people say the hardware is nice, but the software isn’t there so nope. As if the software was as permanent as the hardware lol
As if the software was as permanent as the hardware lol
There’s no guarantee that the software will ever be updated to something that the user finds usable though.
Google could just one day go “meh, we don’t think folding displays are where we want to be right now”, and - ta-da! - you’re left with a folding doorstop and Google’s got yet another entry on the “killed by Google” list.
It’s a valid concern, though. The tablet experience has always sucked on Android, so the foldable experience is trying to hybridize with something the OS has never been able to get right.
But the inverse is also true. There’s no telling if a future software update will take a good experience and make it terrible.
That’s true, but software is software, it can be modified by end users to suit their needs, especially on Pixel foldables which are one of the few remaining US brands that still somewhat freely allow you to unlock the bootloader.
So in that case with an unlockable BL, one could even flash a custom ROM that fixes any issues
Of course, but I think when people complain about the software, it’s that out-of-the-box experience they are describing. The vast majority of users are not savvy enough to flash custom ROMs, sideload, or even install a new launcher. And even for those with the expertise to do so, it’s extra work.
But then that also doesn’t quite address the app situation either. Android, for better or worse, is all about scalable interfaces to accommodate an infinitely wide array of devices, but most people with a tablet will tell you that they don’t like “tablet” apps that are just rescaled phone apps with way too much whitespace. So there may be something to be said about the way Apple maintains iPad OS separately from iOS, with more stringent design standards to adhere to for app developers to have their iPad apps listed in their app store.
The thing about foldables is that they are great and great for a while now - hardware wise. Like, my Fold 4 is amazing. The hole when it’s closed is a bit strange, but now they managed to close these phones technically flushed - so the only “real” problem disappeared.
the software side of things is what more important. how the OS handles the two (or three) and foldable screens.
It’s nice that Google too is pushing this market. This means the support for folding screens will be eventually completely baked into the OS and the manufacturers don’t have to hack up apps and services for it.
Now we need people to buy these to make the tech even more cheap and better. Though, if I look into the future in a kind of sci-fi glasses, folding and flexible screens are evident so I think we will be there eventually.
No, we need the tech to be cheaper and better for me to buy it. This isn’t my problem, the stuff is just not in a price segment where I can afford it.
Yet.
I’m waiting for it to get to Westworld quality haha
Nice thing about that is software is updatable, I find it silly when people say the hardware is nice, but the software isn’t there so nope. As if the software was as permanent as the hardware lol
There’s no guarantee that the software will ever be updated to something that the user finds usable though.
Google could just one day go “meh, we don’t think folding displays are where we want to be right now”, and - ta-da! - you’re left with a folding doorstop and Google’s got yet another entry on the “killed by Google” list.
That’s true, but Google Pixels are also one of the few remaining US brands that allows you to somewhat freely unlock the BL
So custom roms can easily be had, in fact GrapheneOS is one that specifically targets Pixels in general
It’s the 2nd biggest reason I didn’t jump onto the Foldy bandwagon with Samshit (#1 being how damn narrow the cover screen is)
Everyone of my phones aged out from lack of OS updates, not because the hardware failed or was too slow.
I have a box of them.
It’s a valid concern, though. The tablet experience has always sucked on Android, so the foldable experience is trying to hybridize with something the OS has never been able to get right.
But the inverse is also true. There’s no telling if a future software update will take a good experience and make it terrible.
That’s true, but software is software, it can be modified by end users to suit their needs, especially on Pixel foldables which are one of the few remaining US brands that still somewhat freely allow you to unlock the bootloader.
So in that case with an unlockable BL, one could even flash a custom ROM that fixes any issues
Of course, but I think when people complain about the software, it’s that out-of-the-box experience they are describing. The vast majority of users are not savvy enough to flash custom ROMs, sideload, or even install a new launcher. And even for those with the expertise to do so, it’s extra work.
But then that also doesn’t quite address the app situation either. Android, for better or worse, is all about scalable interfaces to accommodate an infinitely wide array of devices, but most people with a tablet will tell you that they don’t like “tablet” apps that are just rescaled phone apps with way too much whitespace. So there may be something to be said about the way Apple maintains iPad OS separately from iOS, with more stringent design standards to adhere to for app developers to have their iPad apps listed in their app store.