Foldable Phones vs. Dual-screen Phones
Foldable phones and dual-screen phones are competing for technology leadership in the emerging folding smartphone market. Foldable phones can be folded up and down or right and left, while dual screen phones connect two separate displays with hinges. .
Foldable phones are pioneered by Samsung Electronics, which launched the Galaxy Fold in Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Singapore in September and is set to launch the product in India, Asia, the Middle East and Europe this month.
Following Samsung, Huawei announced that it will release the foldable phone Mate X that can be folded outward later this month. Motorola is expected to release its own foldable phone Razr that can be folded up and down later this year or early next year.
Market research firm Counterpoint Research said the foldable phone market is expected to grow to 36.8 million units in 2023.
The biggest advantage of foldable phones is that even when their displays are unfolded, users can split their screens and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. In the case of the Galaxy Fold, you can work on two or three windows, such as watching a movie while sending a message through the multi-active window function. In addition, foldable phone users do not need to carry another display part to use dual screen functions. Popularity of foldable phones is growing as they are innovative and beautiful in design.
The pioneer of the dual-screen phone is LG Electronics. Earlier this year, it launched the LG V50 ThinQ, the first dual-screen phone, kindling a duel between foldable phones and dual-screen phones. LG Electronics also decided to release the next new V50S ThinQ on Nov. 11. In particular, the launch of the new product in the U.S., LG’s largest smartphone market, is expected to expand the dual-screen phone market. “Using dual screens, Twitch users can chat in real time on one screen while watching a broadcast on the other one,” an LG Electronics official said. “We plan to develop specialized functions for Twitch streamers.”
Compared to foldable phones, dual-screen phones are considered less innovative technologically. However, many users say that they like dual-screen phones as they offer them similar experiences but are much cheaper than foldable phones. In addition, while foldable phones suffered a setback due to durability problems such as cracked displays, dual-screen phones are relatively more durable than foldable phones as they are based on current proved technology.
As LG’s dual-screen phone outperformed expectations, overseas companies also announced their entry into the dual-screen phone market. Microsoft, which is considered to have virtually closed down its smartphone business, recently unveiled a dual-screen phone under development, the Surface Duo. The product scheduled to be launched next year has two displays that can be folded or unfolded 360 degrees. Like the LG V50S ThinQ, you can run different apps on two screens of the Surface Duo.