How to Choose Between a Flip Phone and a Folding Phone ...Middle East

For a while after the first iPhone came out, way back in 2007, it felt like we knew what all smartphones would look like from then on out: Big, rectangular “candy bars.” It’s not a bad approach, since it keeps things simple and lets the apps take center stage, but there’s no denying that the sheer variety of the pre-iPhone landscape had a special kind of excitement to it. 

Over the past few years, two major formats that deviate from the iPhone shape have been embraced by companies including Google, Samsung, and Motorola. These foldable phones have stuck around long enough to span multiple generations, proving they’re not just a flash-in-the-pan gimmick. Even if they’re still a small percent of the overall market, they seem like the best opportunity we have to escape the original iPhone’s dominance.

Right now, the foldable phones with the most support come in two versions: one that opens horizontally like a book, and one that calls back to the flip phones of the ‘90s and early 2000s, opening vertically like a makeup compact. These tend to get called “folding phones” and “flip phones,” respectively, which is a bit annoying to me given that they both technically fall under the umbrella of “foldables,” but it’s the language I’ll use for the rest of this comparison.

Portability

By far, the thing that stands out to me most about foldables is portability, but folding phones and flip phones each have different priorities in this case.

Folding phones, for instance, don’t tend to look that different from non-folding options when they’re closed, and can actually be a little thicker. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, for instance, is 0.35 inches thick when folded, while the iPhone 16 Pro is 0.32 inches thick. That’s not bad at all, especially compared to previous models or alternatives like the 0.4 inch thick (when folded) Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it also doesn’t immediately make folding phones look more portable. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) next to an iPhone 15 Pro (right). Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Flip phones, meanwhile, do actually give you a smaller overall package. With these, you don’t get more screen space, but instead pack a normal phone’s screen space into less overall area. When unfolded, they look like any other candy bar phone, but when folded, they call back to the clamshell phones of many a millennial’s youth.

Razr Ultra halfway between being flipped open. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Plus, like folding phones, flip phones also tend to be thinner than their non-folding counterparts when unfolded. The Razr Ultra is 0.29 inches thick when opened up, and the Z Flip 7 is a slender 0.26 inches thick.

Usability

The next big advantage to folding and flip phones is their enhanced feature sets. Sure, they tuck away well, but when you actually have them unfolded and in your hands, what do you get for your extra investment?

While tablets tend to use rectangular screens that work well for gaming and videos, a folding phone’s main display is essentially just two regular smartphone screens side-by-side—therefore, these devices usually have to try to contort content to fit into a more square space.

Multitasking on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

To be fair, folding phones also come with cover screens, so you can use them like a normal phone while they’re closed. That’s great for quick one-handed use, and more recent models like the Z Fold 7 have now made sure their cover screens are no longer thinner than the displays on non-folding phones (a big issue on older models), which means you can swap over to using the cover screen for a more traditional aspect ratio. But again, that still means that unless you’re planning to use apps in a side-by-side multitasking mode, or use text-based apps that are more easily resized, you can’t rely on getting the same experience that you would on a typical tablet.

Razr Ultra fully unfolded. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Before I move on, I should also mention one extra feature that both folding phones and flip phones have. Because they have cover screens right next to their rear cameras, it's easy to take selfies with them. That’s a boon for influencers and social media butterflies, since rear cameras are usually much more powerful than the pinhole cameras built into most phones’ main displays. Usually, folding and flip phones will feature pinhole cameras as well, but you’re probably better off turning the phone around to take your selfies with a more powerful camera setup.

A selfie taken using the Razr Ultra's rear camera. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Whether you’re buying a folding phone or a flip phone right now, both come at a premium. The cost of manufacturing a durable screen and all those moving parts is just too much for foldable devices to compete on pricing with comparable non-folding configurations right now. But for my money, flip phone pricing is a lot easier to stomach.

Meanwhile, folding phones tend to cost more than even a really good laptop. The two most popular ones right now, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, start at $2,000 and $1,800, respectively. That’s a lot to spend on extra screen space that a lot of apps can’t even make use of.

With that in mind, I’m going to have to give pricing to flip phones. You’ll be able to make great use out of every bit of your dollar on these devices, and because of their unusual aspect ratios, I just don’t think folding phones can say that yet.

Should you get a flip phone or a folding phone?

Razr Ultra cover screen. Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

But for everyone else, I think a flip phone is still the better choice. They simply offer more value for your money, while still being able to pull off neat tricks like taking selfies with their rear cameras or showing texts on their cover screens. Plus, they actually have folding phones beat when it comes to portability.

This could change over time, if phones with other unusual form factors start to make more of a dent in the “candy bar” look. But for now, flip phones do a great job of offering something new while still fitting into the candy bar ecosystem when needed. Folding phones, meanwhile, are just too strange when opened up for most developers to bother with supporting.

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