I’m a foldable fan, but cases and accessories still need a lot of work

While 2023 was a big year for phones across the board, the most significant changes came to folding phones. More and more brands hopped onto the foldable train this year, with the US market finally getting some much-needed competition for Samsung. But even with all the innovation and growth in the space, folding phones are still on the chunky side (aside from the impossibly thin Honor Magic V2, of course — a phone that will never touch down in the US).

For the most part, I’m still OK with this. In the bigger picture, this product category is still quite young, with plenty more innovation lying ahead of us. Unfortunately, this means that until our beloved foldable phones reach maturity — whatever and whenever that is — there are going to be some hardware challenges for device makers and accessory brands.

Protection or function?

Protection or function? Put simply, that is the question when you’re shopping for any of the top foldable phones. One of the first things you’ll notice holding a device is how hefty and thick you will notice the heft and general thickness when the device is closed. This applies to both clamshell and book-style foldables, though certainly more so to the latter. The other thing you’ll notice is how expensive these phones are, again, more towards book-style devices like the Google Pixel Fold, as you can get the clamshell-type foldable, like the regular Motorola Razr, for around $500. So, between the cost and the fragile states of these devices, the natural inclination is to put a case on your new phone.

Of course, this is what we’ve done with the traditional slab phones for years. While phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra have a high price tag, similar to some folding phones, it doesn’t fold and is quite thin. So, adding the bulk of a case to keep it safe is far less of an issue because you are starting from a thinner place. If you opt for one of my favorite S23 Ultra cases from the brand Thinborne, you’ll keep even more bulk off your phone.

But even the thinnest case adds extra thickness to an already bulky foldable. When open, your foldable will feel much like a normal phone with a case on. But when you close it to put it into your pocket, your phone is now extra stocky. You could do like I’ve tried and only use half of the case because you have two parts for a folding phone, but then you’re still risking part of your expensive gadget. This is why my collection of folding phones has gone naked since I got the Galaxy Z Fold 4 last year. Yes, I’ve dropped that device onto concrete, but aside from some scratches on the frame and a chip in the corner of the front display, it’s fine. The same can be said for my colleague Will Sattelberg’s OnePlus Open.

I tried many cases on the Z Fold 4, as well as my current OnePlus Open and the Pixel Fold when I tested it. But no matter what, I ended up taking the case off because it made the device so much less comfortable to pocket or hold. The other thing I noticed is that even though the cases added texture to make gripping the device easier, the phone became so much larger overall that it actually became more difficult to hold.

The solution isn’t as simple as it seems

Solving this problem is going to take time and some creative engineering from both phone makers and accessory brands. Let’s start with the device itself. Folding phones have been thought of as fragile pieces of tech for enthusiasts, and that isn’t entirely inaccurate. But it applied more to the first few years of the category than it does to modern products. When Samsung released the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 in 2022, it was the earliest example of maturity in this space, especially when it came to build quality. Sure, the internal display is still very delicate, but the rest of the device is far less so.

While these phones are still prone to damage in ways a slab phone isn’t due to physically moving parts and a flexible inner display, there are plenty of instances of foldable surviving drops just as a regular phone would. So the durability is improving for these products, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. Until the inner display is more durable, folding phones are as thin closed as traditional devices, and moving parts can be further reduced — foldables will always be easier to damage than the non-folding counterparts.

So, we have device makers working to try to create more durable folding phones. Now, it’s time for the accessory makers, specifically cases, to put in the work. Creating a protective case for these foldable phones is no doubt a challenge, but it is a problem that needs to be solved. In general, I’m not a fan of using a case, but there is a part of my brain that would smack the other half if I broke an expensive product simply because I didn’t want to put a case on it. But that’s what I do much of the time, especially with my folding phones. Despite the high price tag of my OnePlus Open, I feel more confident carrying it without a case than with it. I also intentionally chose the black, faux leather model of the phone to add texture and grip to the back of it, rather than risk the matte glass on the green model.

From dealing with multiple parts to cover as much of the phone as possible to using adhesive strips to keep the case in place, case makers are in a tough place. I’m not saying there aren’t some good case options for the OnePlus Open or other foldables, but we are still in a time when thick phones get even thicker with the current crop of cases. Thick to the point where using these cases can increase the chances of dropping the phone.

It’s going to take some major effort

Like I said, this isn’t an easy fix. But it’s one that needs to happen. Folding phones are never going to be inexpensive, so if phone makers want more people to experience the foldable revolution, hardware evolution is a requirement. The devices need to become thinner overall, reduce moving parts, and get more durable inner displays. That helps to resolve the durability of the phone itself. This will take time.

In tandem, case makers need to work on finding new ways to reduce case thickness, adapt to moving parts, and ditch the double-sided tape. You can absolutely find a good protective case for your folding phone right now. But you may find, like me, that unless you are in an environment where you know there’s a high chance for your phone to get dropped or dinged by something, you feel more confident using it without a case. I’m looking forward to seeing how both sides of this journey solve these issues in the future, because I want more people to experience folding phones — safely.

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  OnePlus Open

  $1500 $1700 Save $200

  OnePlus’ first foldable packs an impressive specs sheet and boasts some equally remarkable features. The lightweight design, the super-bright cover and folding screens, the high-end internals, and the triple-camera setup make the OnePlus Open a great alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup.

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  Google Pixel Fold

  Google’s first foldable improves on Samsung’s models in a lot of ways. For instance, the switch to a wider phone means the front screen feels much more comfortable in daily use, plus the inner display opens up perfectly for video. It does have some first-gen issues on the hardware and software side of things, but if you want a Pixel phone with the flexibility of a tablet, this is the one to get.

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  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

  The Z Fold 5 is here, and it’s nothing short of splendid! While it doesn’t particularly blow us away with what it offers, we surely appreciate the subtle improvements it sports over its already-decent predecessor, the Z Fold 4. Even though we didn’t get to see some of the changes we’d hoped for — such as improved battery life — the disappointment was compensated by a powerful chipset, an aesthetically pleasing hinge, and an upgraded camera setup.