[r00fus]

I think you hit on something here - if you can get it for 750 (in any currency) it becomes interesting.

If it's nearly 2k, it's a plaything for the rich that's both fragile and may have issues that are likely to be poorly supported by the vendor.

[mlyle]

Early adopters always have this experience: expensive products, with issues preventing mass-adoption, with uncertain vendor support in the long term.

I'm not sure whether foldable phones will become what everyone uses, but this is typical for new products that have not started zipping up the S curve.

[caddemon]

Dunno if they'll become ubiquitous, but I think various foldable forms will at least stick around as a viable market segment. Most early-ish adopters I know from the zFold and zFlip 3 generation are planning to get another when it's time to upgrade. Granted that's a biased sample of like 5% of the people I know IRL, but still it's not too common to see that much agreement after a year+ of use for a product that's just a gimmick.

[User23]

Lots of great technology like indoor plumbing and electric lighting started as playthings for the rich. Early adopters serve a useful purpose for everyone.

[caddemon]

Not sure about the Fold 3, but the Flip 3 has been surprisingly durable for me. Dropped it multiple times getting out of Uber, fell off desk onto hardwood floor, etc. never with a case on and most recently without even the plastic screen protector.

I thought for sure when I first bought it I'd have to be super careful about the hinge but by now I'm constantly opening it and closing it during the day (though not quite jerked around like an old school flip phone).

I'm amazed at how perfectly it still works almost 2 years later for me, I made a point of keeping my old pixel phone instead of trading it in when I made the upgrade because I was so worried the Flip wouldn't last.

Definitely going to be getting another Flip when I do upgrade again, unless maybe Google launches its own version of that configuration.