Best Foldable Smartphones Available Now, Plus Top Rumors

Readers of a certain age will remember the original Razr craze in the early 2000s. Motorola has drastically updated this brand, introducing a clamshell-style foldable smartphone. It retains the cool factor, certainly, though the eye-popping price increase is a bit of an issue.

Unfolded, the Razr 5G features a 6.2-inch display right in the ballpark of most mainstream single-screen smartphones. Folded closed, it offers a dainty 2.7-inch front screen with Quick View and gesture controls. It’s lightweight and compact in a way that most others aren’t.

One downside is the processor, a slightly dated Snapdragon 765G chip. Especially given the $1,399 price tag, a better processor would be nice.

Samsung’s version of a clamshell or flip-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip gets many things right. This is a premium, compact device with a 6.7-inch main screen and a tiny 1.1-inch front screen.

The price is less exorbitant, too, at just $1,199 for the 5G model, which sports a spiffy Snapdragon 865+ chipset. For price and portability, the Galaxy Z Flip is the best foldable you can buy at the moment.

Google hasn’t yet jumped on the foldables bandwagon, but there’s a better than decent chance that the company behind Android jumps in later this year. There isn’t much to say about the rumored Google Pixel Fold yet, other than a likely 7.6-inch unfolded display, probably provided by Samsung.

The Android 12 beta makes reference to a device called Google Pixel Fold, so it’s a very sure bet that something foldable is coming. Likely, Google plans for it to arrive during the life cycle of Android 12. A late 2021 or early 2022 time frame seems likely.

Will Google overcome the technical challenges and market hesitancy with its own attempt at a foldable? Only time will tell.

Rumors about a foldable iPhone, maybe called the iPhone Flip, have been circulating for years. And there are good reasons for the rumors: Apple has been filing patents on foldable phone technology for at least a decade. And for at least half of that time, there have been long-shot rumors of a foldable iPhone coming in the next few years.

Recent reporting suggests Apple now has a prototype folding display, and some analysts predict a 2023 arrival for the iPhone Flip.

But there’s no guarantee Apple will make this date, or even develop a foldable iPhone at all. Current foldable phones haven’t exactly overtaken the market. High price tags and iffy user experiences plague most of the Android sets currently available. If Apple stays true to form, it won’t release a folding iPhone until (and unless) it can get everything right.

All these models and specs ignore one foundational question: should you actually get a foldable phone?

Given the mixed user experiences and high prices, foldable smartphones are a tough sell for most consumers, at least for now. However, if you have significant cash that you don’t mind parting with — and you’re willing to put up with questionable hardware integrity and usability quirks — then the novelty and screen real estate of a foldable phone might be worth it.

But for most everyday phone users, foldable tech just isn’t quite there yet. It’s too expensive, too buggy, and too fragile. Get a better single-screen phone for less money this time around. Maybe foldable tech will be better in a few years and the landscape will change.

The foldable phone market is an exciting one, even if the current user experience isn’t perfect. Whether you choose a foldable phone or a conventional one, you don’t want to be stuck shouldering costly repairs if something goes wrong. Your manufacturer warranty only goes so far and probably only lasts a year. For something this integral to your life and routine, you need more protection.

Upsie’s subscription smartphone warranties offer protection for traditional smartphones and foldable smartphones. Coverage includes protection for accidents like drops and spills. If something goes wrong while you’re covered with Upsie, you’re protected for unlimited repairs up to the cost of your device.

And Upsie warranties are affordable. You get more coverage for less money, which is a real win.