Okay, let’s get this bit out of the way. I’m a huge fan of mobile phones. As a true nerd I love all technology – but I’ll always have a soft spot for mobile phones. To the point where I spent five years of my life working full time in the industry.
In 2015, and as a Carphone Warehouse employee, I entered a little competition called ‘Shop Idol’. Think of it as the Oscars for the mobile phone industry. Riveting stuff, right? Well actually, it was a huge deal to us in the business – and the BBC must have thought it was somewhat interesting as they made a six-part reality TV series out of it. That’s right – I was on TV. In fact, I won the entire thing. Told you I like mobile phones.
So, I thought this edition of Tech Talks would be about phones. There’s a lot of ridiculously exciting stuff happening at the moment that could completely flip the industry on its side – or should I say ‘fold’ the industry…?
FLIP YOUR LID
I can’t even consider starting an article about phones and not have it be about the new foldable screen thing. This whole concept is the perfect example of trends coming back round, but adapted for the current climate. Flip phones used to be all the rage. There was the Motorola Razr (admit it, you wanted/had one); the abstract-looking Nokia 7200 that had what was basically a patch of carpet on it for no reason whatsoever; and the Motorola Pebl, which was just flat-out adorable.
And now, flip phones are coming back. Don’t worry – not in the form of a tiny square screen and polyphonic ringtones. The big touchscreens aren’t going anywhere – in fact they’re only going to get better. By being foldable. That’s right, the future is finally here ladies and gents: mobile phone screens can now be folded. So what appears to look like a normal smartphone from afar can be ‘opened up’ into a grand, top-of-the-range tablet. I know what you’re thinking because I can’t get my head around the idea of a foldable screen either. But it’s here. And there are already different models to choose from. Here are some specs to whet your appetite.
SAMSUNG GALAXY FOLD
You don’t get innovation in the smartphone world without hearing the
Samsung name cropping up. Here’s what they’ve got to offer:
- 12GB RAM (honestly)
- 4380mAh battery
- 512GB internal hard drive
- Triple lens main camera (2x 12MP; 1x 16MP).
HUAWEI MATE X
They used to be the underdogs. The company that everyone would go ‘who are
they?’ – which is ironic considering their name sounds a bit like that
(pronounced wah-whey). But they have a strong habit of kicking a lot of mobile
phone bum, and they’re not shying away with their foldable offering:
- 8GB RAM
- 4500mAh battery
- 512GB internal hard drive, expandable by an additional 256GB
- Quad lens main camera (1x 40MP; 1x 16MP; 1x 8MP; 1x TOF camera).
MOTOROLA RAZR 2019
I alluded to this classic flip phone earlier. And guess what. Rumours have it that it’s back. And it’s still a flip phone. But just a big screen. I can’t cope. Here are the expected specs:
- 4/6GB RAM
- 2,730mAh battery
- 64/128GB internal hard drive.
And it’s not just these three – LG and even Energizer (yes, the battery people) are said to be bringing their own foldable phones out, too. Sadly none of them have arrived in the UK yet, and whether they’re successful or not only time will tell. But I tell you something – I want one.
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