Foldable phones are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, with shipments expected to increase by more than 20% in 2026 alone, according to a report from TechRT. In China alone, sales of foldable phones increased from 1.5 million in 2021 to more than 10 million in 2025. The trend is supported by big (and expensive) releases like the Galaxy Z TriFold, which Asia got in 2025 and is expected to come to the West sometime in 2026, and persistent rumors about an upcoming foldable iPhone. At the other end of the spectrum, cheap options like this Android foldable mean they’re not out of reach for the typical consumer.
That said, foldable phones remain very divisive. There seem to be two camps of foldable owners: those who bought one and were excluded from the category forever, and those who became lifelong adherents after their first exposure. Even among fanatics, however, there are clearly lingering issues around foldables that owners of traditional panel phones don’t have to deal with. Which one is more problematic is hotly debated, but some of the top contenders are the hinge durability, lower battery life, and odd aspect ratio.
The most notable problems with foldables
Battery life is a sticking point for most portable electronic devices, whether phones, tablets or laptops, and it’s an area where foldable devices face significant challenges. Foldables are considerably thin, so they’re not completely bulky when folded in half, but that means less space for bulky batteries. They also have large screens (or in some cases, multiple ones), which drain the battery faster.
Hinge durability has been the bogeyman of the foldable market since the beginning, and it’s still not a solved problem. Smartphone-scale hinges are small and delicate components that inevitably wear out over time. This means that a phone with a strong, reliable hinge may feel loose after several months (or years) of use. Many users also report that the hinges on their foldable devices are particularly sensitive to dust, sand, and other particles, and that once a bit of particles seep into the sensitive seam, they never work the same again. This is one of several issues that can contribute to the widely varying lifespan of Android foldable devices.
Other complaints, from minor to major
The extra height or irregular shape of most foldable devices means odd aspect ratios, which can cause compatibility issues with apps or when viewing photos or videos. Since much of the appeal of a foldable is the extra screen real estate you get, these incompatibilities can cause the category to lose one of its biggest advantages. Then there’s the sewing. No matter how smooth and flat a foldable is when you lay it out, there will always be a tactile crease along the hinge. For some, the feeling of that little bump when you scroll is annoying enough to go from a minor irritation to a major problem.
Foldable screens are also more prone to damage. Making a screen foldable means making it softer and more fragile, which is why many foldable screen manufacturers cover their screens with a plastic screen protector. The problem is that the protector tends to warp or bubble over time, leading to ugly discoloration, or it may get stuck underneath. Even though a screen protector on a traditional phone can last for years without noticeable wear and tear, because you’re constantly bending a foldable’s protector, it breaks down much faster.
