Why foldable phones are so incredibly expensive

The phone's crash detection tool saved his life when he was involved in an accident a few year ago.

Pantons, a 33-year-old who has made hundreds of YouTube videos on Pixel phones and other products, said: 'I have owned virtually every Pixel device.' 'I have influenced many in my family, including my sister-in law, mother, wife, and brother. I also had a colleague switch.

The price of a foldable phone starts at $1799. CNN reported that he said, "I would love to have it." I don't have enough money to buy it. The price of a device from the first generation is astronomical.

A foldable smartphone promises to give customers all of the features they expect from a phone with a display the size of a tablet. Pantons was not the only person who experienced sticker shock.

Twitter user: 'My first vehicle cost $1800'. Google [lost] its mind. One user stated that they have been saving money, knowing the price of a Pixel Foldable Phone would be high when announced.

Pantons said that the fact you can get a Pixel, Pixel Tablet and Pixel Watch at a lower price than the Fold, and still have a variety of devices to suit different use cases, is a much better value.

Google is not the only company with a pricing issue. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold cost $1,999 when it was launched in 2020. The price has dropped a bit, but the Z Fold's latest version still starts at $1799, the same as Pixel Fold. Even models that fold from budget brands are sold for more than $1,000 on foreign markets.

The Pixel Fold is priced at less than half of the flagship iPhone, which starts at $799. Again, this can cost as low as $20.

One of the reasons for the smaller market is the higher price. Samsung is currently the leader in this category. Motorola, Lenovo Oppo and Huawei are also amongst those who follow. ABI Research estimates that foldable and flexible screens will make up 0.7% of smartphones in 2021 and just under 2% in 2022.

Although lowering the price would help increase sales, manufacturers are unlikely to be able to achieve this anytime soon.

One of the main reasons that foldable phones are so expensive is because they have a flexible screen.

Flexible displays are more complex and expensive to produce than traditional displays. The Google Pixel Fold comes with two displays: a cover display of 5.8 inches and an inner display of 7.6 inches.

The cost of foldables is also influenced by other components that are unique. Pixel Fold for instance, has a 180-degree hinge that is custom-built. According to the company, the mechanism is removed from the display in order to increase dust resistance and reduce the overall thickness of the device. It also requires expensive manufacturing and complex engineering.

Prices won't fall until vendors reach scale.

The technology of foldable smartphones is still very young. Manufacturers will have to fine-tune their products.

Nabila Popal is the research director of market research firm IDC.

Foldable phones are also a niche item for now. Manufacturers target the price at those who will buy them in advance to offset costs.

The future of foldables is still uncertain. The majority of apps are not yet optimized for foldables; Apple, Google's main rival, hasn't embraced the option. And splurging on a first-generation, untested device is a risky gamble for anyone.

Foldable phones can be fragile. Repairs of foldable phones can also be expensive.

Google's decision may encourage more consumers to try it.

Sean Milfort is a PhD student from Northcentral University. He said that he ordered the Pixel Fold as he wanted to have a foldable phone and did not want to leave the Pixel Brand.

He said: 'I am a huge fan of the Pixel series and I have always loved the idea that a phone could fold.' The fact that this device is from Google, who make Android, gives me hope they will invest in a larger form factor Android device.

Pantons, for example, may be waiting to see if the price drops.

He said, 'If there is a later trade-in offer or if it becomes on sale I might buy one'.