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Folding and flip smartphones have gained massive attention over the last few years, with more and more people beginning to opt for the folding mechanism over the standard flat smartphone we typically see. And maybe you’re also considering the same? Have you seen someone you know switch to a folding smartphone and are wondering what the perks are?
The quick verdict
A standard smartphone is the better choice if you want a screen that stays clear and uncreased and a phone that lasts longer, with plenty of sizes to choose from. A folding phone suits you if you want something that shrinks down to fit in a pocket or bag and can be propped up for hands-free photos, as long as you can accept a crease in the screen and a limited number of folds.
Flip phone vs standard phone at a glance
| Feature | Standard smartphone | Folding phone |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | Stays clear and uncreased | Creases in the centre over time |
| Portability | Mini and Pro Max size choices | Folds into a small square |
| Durability | Lasts longer, no fold to wear out | Rated for a set number of folds |
| Drops | Screen can smash | Fold helps protect the screens |
| Photos | Standard handheld shots | Can be propped up hands-free |
| Examples | iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25 | Galaxy Z Flip 5, OnePlus Open |
We’ve compiled a list comparing the two types of smartphones, so you can see the pros and cons of each device and see which one is best for you.
What are the advantages of a smartphone?
To begin with, we have the classic smartphone which we’ve nicknamed as the ‘standard smartphone’. This is the smartphone type you probably have, no bending screens, no folding clasps, just a standard smartphone. It’s the original and by far the most popular type of smartphone, we know this because Apple hasn’t even attempted to create a flip smartphone to compete with the rest, it’s clear they’re confident that the standard smartphone will stay the most popular type amongst customers.
To begin with, the standard smartphone is great because if you’re looking for a smaller or bigger option to fit in your bag or pocket, there are many smartphone size alternatives like Mini-series and Pro Max editions. With rumours like the iPhone 17 Air releasing soon (a slimmer/thinner mobile design) we don’t have to worry about these smartphones taking up too much room or being too heavy. Because the standard phone doesn’t bend, the screen stays clear and uncreased, which is possibly the biggest downfall of the folding phones. Because the screen isn’t slowly decreasing in quality over time the more it’s being used like a folding phone, a standard smartphone will last longer.
However, there are still a couple of issues with a standard smartphone. Firstly, because the phone can’t bend, fewer storage options won’t risk the phone breaking. If a folding phone is dropped, because the screens are protected by the fold it stops the phone from getting smashed whereas a standard smartphone doesn’t have this luxury.
Examples of standard smartphones:
- iPhone 16
- Samsung Galaxy S25
- Google Pixel 9
- iPhone 12
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
What are the pros and cons of having a flip phone?
Throughout this article, you may have noticed that we have referred to the folding phone in two terms, the flip phone and the fold phone. Folding phones tend to be more expensive, they fold across going left to right and make the phone appear bigger in width. A flip phone flips upwards like the classic devices from the 90’s, they make the phone longer in height because it’s two screens sitting on top of each other. (For the rest of this blog, we will be referring to these types of phones as folding phones.)
Folding phones can change from a regular smartphone size to a smaller and easier-to-transport shape. This makes them easier to transport in bags and pockets and they are literally tiny squares. The screen of a folding phone is the same quality and performance as a standard smartphone, there will be no difference in other features like taking photos, taking calls and more. A benefit that folding phones have compared to standard smartphones is that they can be propped up to take hands-free images wherever making your photos even better!
However, due to the fold/flip nature of these devices, naturally, the phone screens will crease in the centre which could be distracting when viewing content on your phone. Usually, folding phones are given durability numbers, like how many times the phone can be folded before it’s ‘unusable’ which you could argue means the phone has poor durability. Despite these negatives, however, in the news recently we’ve discovered that there have been a couple of tri-folding phones entering the market. Although not in the UK this is proof that the folding smartphone industry is only getting bigger!
Examples of folding smartphones:
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
- Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- OnePlus Open
- Huawei Mate XT
Conclusion:
We love how folding phones have come back into fashion in the smart-tech era. It’s great to see old tech trends re-invent themselves in a much more modern light. Would you ever consider buying a foldable phone? Maybe you’ve already made the switch and would never go back to standard smartphones. We have plenty of folding smartphones on our website if you fancy making the switch… remember, they’re at refurbished prices!
Frequently asked questions
What are the advantages of a standard smartphone?
A standard smartphone comes in many sizes, from Mini-series to Pro Max editions, and its screen stays clear and uncreased because it does not bend. That means a standard smartphone will last longer than a folding phone.
What is the difference between a flip phone and a fold phone?
A fold phone folds left to right, making the phone wider, and tends to be more expensive. A flip phone flips upwards like the classic 90s devices, with two screens sitting on top of each other to make the phone taller.
What are the pros and cons of a folding phone?
A folding phone shrinks into a small, easy-to-carry shape and can be propped up for hands-free photos, with the same screen quality as a standard phone. The downsides are a crease in the centre of the screen and a limited number of folds.
Are folding phones less likely to smash when dropped?
Folding phones have an advantage when dropped because the fold protects the screens and stops the phone from getting smashed. A standard smartphone does not have this protection.
Which folding phones are available?
Examples of folding smartphones include the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, OnePlus Open and Huawei Mate XT. Envirofone sells folding smartphones at refurbished prices.
