Are Foldables Cooked?

Key Concepts:

• Foldable smartphones (book-style and flip phones)
• Hardware engineering and design
• Screen size and aspect ratio
• Battery technology (silicon carbide)
• Camera technology and limitations in foldables
• Performance and cooling
• Multitasking and window management
• Target demographic for foldables
• Betteridge's law of headlines

1. Introduction and the OPPO Find N5:

• The speaker has been following and defending foldable smartphones since their inception.
• The OPPO Find N5 is highlighted as the new thinnest foldable in the world.
• On paper, the Find N5 boasts flagship specs: Snapdragon 8 Elite, 512GB storage, 16GB RAM, 50MP primary camera (plus ultrawide and telephoto), and a 5,600 mAh battery.
• The phone's hardware and build quality are emphasized as its strengths.

2. Evolution of Foldable Phones:

• Early foldable phones had significant drawbacks (crazy bezels, candy bar shapes) and didn't feel like regular phones.
• The goal was for foldables to feel like regular phones that unfold into tablets.
• The Find N5, due to its hardware engineering, comes close to achieving this goal.

3. Design and Dimensions of the Find N5:

• The outer screen is 6.6 inches with a 21:9 aspect ratio, resembling a normal phone.
• The folded thickness is 8.93mm, and the weight is 229 grams.
• Comparison: iPhone 16 Pro Max is 8.3mm and 227 grams.
• The unfolded screen is 8.1 inches corner to corner, with 412 PPI and a 120Hz LTPO display.

4. Screen Size Comparison with iPad Mini:

• The Find N5 has more screen area than an iPad Mini.
• The speaker initially thought this was a major achievement, fulfilling the dream of a pocketable iPad Mini.
• However, the square aspect ratio of the unfolded screen limits its usability compared to the iPad Mini's rectangular screen.
• Examples: YouTube videos, keyboards, web browsers, and media windows are still better on the iPad Mini due to its aspect ratio.

5. The Question of Book-Style Foldables' Viability:

• The speaker questions whether the book-style foldable is "cooked" (finished or obsolete).
• The original goal was for foldables to become regular phones that unfold into tablets, with no downsides.
• Early downsides included thickness, bezels, price, and complexity.
• Even if future foldables solve these issues (thinness, battery life, camera quality, price), the square screen remains a challenge.

6. Betteridge's Law and the Nuance of Foldables:

• Betteridge's law of headlines: Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered with "no."
• Foldables are not a no-brainer solution for everyone, but they still have a place for some people.
• Flip phones cater to those who want a smaller phone that folds down.
• Even with square screens, book-style foldables have merit.

7. Multitasking and Target Demographic:

• Book-style foldables offer window management tricks for multitasking.
• Having two apps open side-by-side (e.g., referencing info and writing) can be beneficial.
• The form factor still has a target demographic.

8. Foldables are Evolving:

• Foldables are evolving and refining into smaller buckets.
• Some companies and devices are doing a better job of pushing the mold.
• The Find N5 is a good example of this for the book-style foldable.

9. Key Technologies in the Find N5:

• The phone incorporates three key technologies: Snapdragon 8 Elite, silicon carbide battery, and ultra-bright displays.
• The Snapdragon 8 Elite performs well but can lead to overheating due to limited cooling in such a thin device.
• The 5,600 mAh silicon carbide battery enables the phone's thinness.
• It supports 80-watt fast charging and 50-watt wireless charging.
• The outside screen reaches 1,600 nits max brightness (2,450 nits HDR).
• The interior folding display reaches 1,400 nits and has an anti-reflective coating.

10. Camera Limitations:

• Foldables typically have camera limitations due to space constraints.
• The Find N5 has a triple-camera system with a 50MP LYT-700 primary sensor (also found in mid-range phones), a 50MP telephoto with macro, and an 8MP ultrawide.

11. Engineering Marvel and OnePlus:

• The Find N5 is an engineering marvel that pushes current technologies to their limits.
• The speaker expresses disappointment that OnePlus is not releasing a foldable this year, as the Find N5's design would make a great OnePlus Open.

12. Conclusion:

• The speaker asks for viewers' thoughts on foldables in this shape.
• Two main takeaways:
  • We have achieved iPad Mini-sized screens in our pockets.
  • The next challenge is to lower the price of foldables.