Does Your New Foldable Phone Need an Extended Warranty?

Today's manufacturers have developed various kinds of foldable phones, but they're all designed to offer two primary benefits. First, users can fold the smartphones to enjoy a compact size to maximize portability. Next, users also have the option to fold out the phone to maximize the display size at other times.

The concept of foldable phones appears simple but requires quite a bit of innovative engineering. While the idea's perfect, the engineering technology may not have completely caught up with the primary concept.

In the past, many early adopters of foldable smartphone tech have complained about their product's durability. Find out more about the potential vulnerability of foldable phones and why they need good warranty protection.

Foldable phones usually cost quite a bit. For example, Samsung's latest Z Fold3 starts at about $1,800. And with this newest version of this flagship foldable phone, Samsung says they have improved its durability over previous models by 80 percent.

According to Business Insider, Samsung earned 88 percent of the foldable phone market this past year, so it's fair to use their flagship foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold, as an example of a market leader.

User reviews claim of improved durability sounds impressive, but the previous models were not very durable at all. According to The Verge, Samsung went so far as to warn customers on the company blog that they needed to treat their foldable phones with extra care after people reported problems with the original Fold smartphones. Commonly, reviewers complained they found it too easy to damage the large internal screen and that dust could make its way inside the hinges and, from there, into internal components.

Since then, the company has taken extra measures when designing the new Fold3 to improve durability, including using more robust materials for the body and screens. Samsung says these improvements make the Fold3 80 percent more durable than its predecessors.

Using the Fold3 as an example, it's fair to say that manufacturers have improved the durability of foldable phones, but users still find they need to take more care with them than with traditional smartphones. For example, Fold3 obtained an IPX4 rating, which guarantees water resistance but not dust resistance. As a result, using the device on a windy day at a sandy beach might expose it to contamination.

Foldable phones offer more versatility than traditional phones. As technology improves, they will probably move from a niche market to a mainstream one. However, many consumers understand the benefits but still hesitate to spend hundreds of dollars more on features that might make their device more vulnerable to damage from accidents or the environment.

A subscription warranty for foldable phones from Upsie can solve this dilemma. Upsie's warranties cost just $9.99 per month with a screen repair deductible of $0.

In addition, Upsie offers superior or comparable coverage to warranties offered by retailers and manufacturers. With Upsie, customers are protected from accidental damage, manufacturing defects, battery issues, and more. Upsie also maintains 24-7 live claims by phone and local and mail-in certified repair shops. Best of all, customers can purchase an Upsie warranty for smartphones bought at any time.

Upsie’s premium, comprehensive, and intuitive smartphone warranties are the best way to protect your new device.