Huawei recently announced that it is launching a new foldable smartphone, the Pocket S, which looks to be a pretty solid addition to the current foldable landscape — touting decent specs and a competitive price point. The only major problem with it is that it’s launching as a regional exclusive, something that seems to be a recurring issue with foldable devices.
Foldables are clearly on the rise, with new options launching at a more rapid pace, and many in the U.S. want in on it — but there’s one problem: in the U.S., there simply aren’t that many foldable phones to choose from. Here, the list of viable foldables on the market is pretty small. We’ve got the one-two punch of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4, as well as the 2020 Motorola Razr, but that’s about it.
To be clear, the two Samsung smartphones are excellent picks for anyone looking to go foldable. But those looking for the options we’re seeing overseas simply will not find them here. The U.S. also has the 2020 Razr, but it’s not what most would call a first-round pick when compared to just about any other foldable smartphone, and it’s nearly impossible to recommend over the Fold 4 and Flip 4.
With devices like the Oppo Find N, the Vivo X Fold, and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 — just to name a few foldables available outside of the U.S. — it’s hard not to feel like we’re missing out on a major portion of the smartphone market. There are always the vague promises of the rumored foldable iPhone that could be coming in a few years. However, they’re little comfort when we’re watching plenty of excellent devices launch month after month just outside our reach.
It makes a certain amount of sense why foldable smartphone manufacturers might be a little cautious about launching their devices in a market like the U.S., where Apple, Samsung, and Google are seemingly untouchable giants in the space.
That said, it’s clear that foldables aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, as foldable smartphone sales are expected to reach $29 billion in just over two years. If that’s the case, then we should be seeing more plans for U.S. launches of the world’s biggest foldable devices. But so far, there’s not much to suggest that devices from established foldable manufacturers are coming.
We can expect the Pixel Fold to launch stateside if and when it eventually debuts, as well as the aforementioned rumored Apple foldable. But the addition of just two new devices from manufacturers that we’ve seen endless releases from over the years doesn’t really fix the lack of variety that’s currently plaguing the U.S. market. When 2023 rolls around, we’ll likely see two new updated foldables from Samsung, possibly a new Motorola flip smartphone, and maybe the Pixel Fold. But that seems to be it.
Even if the Pixel Fold launches next year like it’s rumored to, that would only increase the number of options for foldable fans in the U.S. by a single increment — a far cry from the seemingly endless foldable launches overseas. At the end of the day, it’s just hard to be excited about the future of foldables when the most interesting innovations in the space pass us by entirely. I hope 2023 brings with it a surprising number of new U.S.-based foldables, but I certainly won’t be holding my breath for it.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.