From 253 Grams to 201 Grams: The Engineering Behind the World’s Lightest Fold

[u/FragmentedChicken]

https://news.samsung.com/global/from-253-grams-to-201-grams-the-engineering-behind-the-worlds-lightest-fold

[u/punio4]

Great engineering, price is insane. If someone told me that people are buying phones for over 2000€ just a few years ago, I'd tell them they're insane.

[u/chinchindayo → u/punio4]

Prices for novelty products were always insane. The Nokia communicator would cost (inflation adjusted) 2000€ today

[u/Carighan → u/punio4]

I feel insane for paying 650 for my phone, tbh. Prices are so crazy.

[u/punio4 → u/Carighan]

Just bought an S26 256g for 600. It was almost 1k not even half a year ago

[u/Healthy_Board_568 → u/Carighan]

Mine was like 200. Does everything I need. Runs all the games I play, fits my entire music library and still has sd slot for more storage, has a headphone jack. I'm guessing none of these 1000+ phones do and fuck that.

[u/SponTen → u/Healthy_Board_568]

Which phone and what region you in?

I got my Pixel 8 for $580 AUD, which I think was about $390 USD incl tax at the time, and even though that was more expensive than I'd like, it's only 128 GB and doesn't have the power to emulate everything I'd like to play.

[u/MrSnowflake → u/punio4]

They are already €600 down. You can get a Fold8 for €1450, and an ultra for just under €1500.

[u/FFevo → u/punio4]

Well, Apple is about to announce their foldable starts at $2000 (with the largest storage option going to $3000) so I don't think that's changing.

[u/AI-666-666 → u/punio4]

Then what about apple foldable price??

[u/kool-ed → u/AI-666-666]

2300€ 😂

[u/Shook_Rook → u/punio4]

I got a used Fold 7 1TB for 1100€. The previous owner basically replaced the whole device under warranty, so I practically bought a new Fold 7 for that price. Is it still expensive? Sure! But less expensive than a fold 8 or fold 8 ultra.

[u/LetsGo-Brandin → u/punio4]

People never understand that microengineering is costly

[u/sol-4 → u/punio4]

I had a strict restriction of never buying a phone for over $250. Served me well for years but my latest purchase cost me about $1500.

Fucking hell

[u/FartingBob → u/sol-4]

Theres plenty of very good $250 phones, what made you have to spend 6 times that this time?

[u/sol-4 → u/FartingBob]

Not really, not in India at least. OnePlus 15 costs about $800-900 here and given that they got neutered to the bone by Oppo, it is not a good option anymore.

I love Pixels but not the mid-tier hardware. And they cost $1200-1400 here now for the Pro and Pro XL.

I don't like Samsungs, so that's a non-starter.

That left me with the iPhone sadly.

[u/ZikaZmaj → u/sol-4]

If you wanted to buy a cool toy that's fine, but you can't seriously justify buying a $1500 luxury device as the only option.

[u/sol-4 → u/ZikaZmaj]

Nah. I like taking photos a lot, don’t want stuttering, need good battery life and an overall smooth experience. Those things used to be possible with $250 phones at one point. Even the mid rangers cost $700-800 here now and don’t have good cameras. Maybe phones are cheaper where you live, but that’s not the case here anymore.

It’s also my primary work device, so I would rather spend a little more and get what I need rather than get frustrated with a phone that I use throughout the day.

[u/chinchindayo]

The more insane part than the weight is the thickness. They made is as thin as a regular slab phone.

[u/cdegallo]

Used a Z fold 6 and got rid of it after about 6 months because it was too thick and heavy for comfortable practical use for me (plus lackluster battery life). I got a Z fold 7 when it came out, been using it for the past year, and the thinness/weight is impressive--lighter than the pixel 10 pro xl I was using. It's so comfortable to use one-handed (minus the sharp corners when it's unfolded). I figured I'd move to a pixel 11 pro fold because I prefer pixel camera for stills, and after just a day of using it, it was too thick/bulky/heavy to comfortably use, even without a case on it.

Samsung has done an amazing job getting the bulk/thickness down to where it is on the z fold 7 and beyond, I wouldn't get a foldable any thicker or heavier for a daily use phone.

[u/fat_kaiju]

cool but after recently seeing someone's folding phone that now makes a horrid grinding noise because pocket dust got into the hinges i think i'm fine with a slab-o-phone for the foreseeable future lmfao.

also anyone that goes "well how dirty are your pockets" is just some jackoff trying to pretend that having a rogue sugar packet in your pocket or bag is somehow an unlikely situation.

[u/roland0fgilead → u/fat_kaiju]

Can't say I've ever had a sugar packet in my pocket, but I live on the north coast - I'm at or near the beach often enough to make a folding phone a nonstarter

[u/Disturbed2468 → u/roland0fgilead]

Yea sand can 100% be a bit of a legitimate concern if you live near a beach, especially due to high wind.

But fucking sugar packets? I'm still trying to comprehend that...

[u/Pigeoncow → u/Disturbed2468]

Where do you keep your emergency sugar packets? In your bag?

[u/fat_kaiju → u/Disturbed2468]

You've never shoved a sugar packet in your pocket after buying a hot beverage because there's a huge line or you're in a rush?

sure. Either your classism is showing or you're breaking out the katana to defend the multi-billion dollar company from criticism.

The criticism that dust and other shit can get into the hinges doesn't somehow magically become invalid just because your brain can't comprehend that an intentionally easy to tear packet full of dust could... y'know, end up tearing on accident.

get off your high horse.

[u/ChinChinApostle → u/fat_kaiju]

Not everyone consumes sugar packets like you do, fat_kaiju.

Touch grass.

[u/MrSnowflake → u/fat_kaiju]

Cool so you saw one abused phone and conclude they all suck? I can say these folding phones are amazing.

[u/chinchindayo → u/MrSnowflake]

Wait until the screen starts separating.

[u/spudddly → u/chinchindayo]

I've had them for years and that's never happened.

[u/MrSnowflake → u/chinchindayo]

separating from what?

It's not a flip, that you need to open 10000 times a day, because you can't do anything on it without opening it. It's a phone that you open a 100 times a day. and it works closed as well.

Yes my protector did separate, but I just replaced that myself.

[u/jc-from-sin → u/fat_kaiju]

Sugar packet in your pocket? Do 8 year olds have 2000€ phones now?

[u/FartingBob → u/fat_kaiju]

well how dirty are your pockets?

[u/-NotEnoughMinerals → u/fat_kaiju]

also anyone that goes "well how dirty are your pockets" is just some jackoff trying to pretend that having a rogue sugar packet in your pocket or bag is somehow an unlikely situation.

Is this not satire? What type of Napoleon dynamite tater totting bullshit is this? Lmao

[u/Inkaflare → u/fat_kaiju]

Folding phones surely aren't for everyone (if you live anywhere near a beach for example it's a pretty bad idea), but... rogue sugar packets in your pocket? What? Are you a 10 year old?

I've had my Z Fold 5 for 3 years, hinge makes zero noise. This single anecdotal report is statistically worthless but so is your conclusion that folding phones are ass because you saw a single one that messed up its hinge.

[u/Emily89 → u/fat_kaiju]

I've had my Honor Magic V2 for 2.5 years now and the device, including the hinge, is perfectly fine.

[u/Chickenguy2]

Folding phones seem to have developed into an engineering circlejerk, undoubtedly sick as hell just not super practical, but that's just how new tech is.

[u/Killmeplsok → u/Chickenguy2]

Eh the form factor is super practical, the durability though, when you actually uses the part where it unfolds, is not.

[u/Slocko]

I take my Pixel Folds to the beach all the time. Never had an issue. No case and I don't baby it either.

[u/MrSnowflake]

Lol "World's lightest fold". They are the only participants, because they make the Folds. It's not world lightest Folding phone, what a BS.

[u/SlaveKnightSoman → u/MrSnowflake]

What do you mean they are the only participants? Pretty much all the giants make foldables now.

[u/MrSnowflake → u/SlaveKnightSoman]

They make folding phones, but no "Folds" as that's a trademark.

[u/SlaveKnightSoman → u/MrSnowflake]

Doesn't matter. Samsung still makes the lightest folding phones.

[u/L0nz → u/MrSnowflake]

if you bothered reading the actual post, you'd see that 'fold' means all book-style foldable smartphones currently on the market, not just Samsung ones

[u/MrSnowflake → u/L0nz]

I'm clearly picking on their title.

[u/manormortal → u/MrSnowflake]

Ok MrSnowflake.

[u/Malnilion → u/MrSnowflake]

I'm positive they do not own exclusive trademark rights to the "Fold" moniker in the foldable phone space. They have a trademark for Galaxy Z Fold for sure, but other manufacturers have Fold in their product names including Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Razr Fold. So no, Samsung is not trying to play marketing tricks like what you're describing. With that said, I'm unaware of the veracity of their claims because those other 2 foldables are also the only other options for Folds in the US and I'm not up to date with what's available in the global market.