Designer: Vivo
Old Plan, New Perspective
After a short period of experimentation, it seems that Samsung’s “innie” design has won the battle. Huawei has finally changed from an “outie” folding mechanism to something resembling the Galaxy Z Fold. Of course, there are important differences that embrace both OPPO and Vivo, but the general consensus seems to be that folding phones of this nature open and close like a book. What some still disagree on is how big these phones should be. OPPO Find N challenged the status quo with a phone that is shorter than most foldable phones and wider when unfolded. This created a tablet-like experience, where the full screen is mounted in landscape orientation, while the external screen remained useful when the phone was folded, unlike most complaints with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. In contrast, the Vivo X Fold almost matches Samsung’s fold in size and design and is actually taller than that. Although it looks like a Samsung on the surface, the devil is in the details inside. In particular, the Flexion hinge it uses is similar to the one used by the OPPO Find N and the Huawei Mate X2, which would allow the phone to fold completely without a gap. It also reduces the visibility of the fold in the middle of the screen, although this can only be confirmed in actual tests.
Specifications Sometimes they matter
Vivo also does some things that Samsung does not seem to care about yet, especially when it comes to cameras. The Vivo X Fold comes with a better set of four sensors, at least on paper, although some Samsung fans are hoping that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will fix its predecessor’s shortcomings in this regard. If you are paying a high price for a smartphone, it is understandable that you will want to make the most of it. That said, these cameras have little cost, at least in terms of design. The Vivo X Fold camera knob is a large circle enclosed in an even larger reflective rectangle on the back of the phone. It’s so “in your face”, although fortunately it does not have the same ridiculous proportions as Honor Magic 4 Ultimate. There is also the presence of fingerprint sensors below the screen, something that is common to most smartphones today except folding ones. While Vivo could be commended for taking the initiative, it also shows how wasteful such an application can be, as you have to have two such fingerprint scanners, one under the main, folding screen and another on the secondary external screen. There are ideas and patents on how this can be limited to a single “back-to-back” sensor, but the technology just isn’t there yet.
The price is right
One of the biggest reasons people stay away from these foldable phones, apart from the concerns about durability, is their extremely high cost. Samsung tried to reduce the number last year, but it is still beyond the capabilities of most people. The OPPO Find N tried to offer a more reasonable price and Vivo does the same, albeit with a hit that is justified by the features. The Vivo X Fold costs about $ 1,400, but its availability is limited in China, at least for now. This, unfortunately, means that Samsung still has almost no competition in the global market. With the rumors about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 being quite interesting, the company will undoubtedly continue to hold the top spot in this position. However, it is reassuring to see that there are other brands willing to challenge the giant in order to help differentiate foldable phones.
