Why I Prefer Foldable Phones Over Android Tablets

I like the idea of having a regular phone that unfolds into something resembling the same shape as a regular tablet—but after over a year of using a foldable, I've found that I actually prefer the aspect ratio of my folding phone over that of any Android tablet I’ve owned.

A Shape That's Easy to Hold One-Handed

Designing a foldable phone is tricky. You have not one display to take into account, but two, and each adjustment made to one impacts the size and shape of the other.

The Galaxy Z Fold series (the OG book-style foldable) has long had a narrow and tall cover display. This way, when you open up the phone, you get a device that’s taller than it is wide and is still easy to hold in one hand.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Brand

Samsung

RAM

12GB

Samsung’s thinnest and lightest Fold yet feels like a regular phone when closed and a powerful multitasking machine when open. With a brighter 8-inch display and on-device Galaxy AI, it’s ready for work, play, and everything in between.

Storage

256GB

Battery

4,400mAh

Operating System

One UI 8

Connectivity

5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

215g

IP Rating

IP48

$2000 at Samsung$2000 at Amazon Expand Collapse

I personally find other aspect ratios like that of the OnePlus Open, which is shaped like a conventional phone on the outside, to be more awkward to hold when open. It's too wide. I imagine I would have felt the same way about the original Pixel Fold were I to get my hands on that device. Yet both of these phones are nowhere near as wide as most Android tablets, which tend to have a widescreen aspect ratio for watching video or playing games.

Making a foldable phone shaped like an Android tablet would make them better for watching video, but it would make them more awkward to use for almost everything else.

An Aspect Ratio That's Better for Productivity

I speak from countless hours of experience. After all, I’m writing these words on a Galaxy Z Fold 6. I do all of my work on this device.

I start most mornings sitting back in a cozy round chair, holding the unfolded phone in my left hand and drawing on the virtual keyboard using a stylus in my right. I’m able to “type” as quickly this way as I can at a keyboard. I can actually write for longer, since my hands and wrist find this position to be less of a strain.

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I’m able to work this way because of my phone’s aspect ratio. It’s a workflow that I don’t find at all comfortable on an Android tablet. I know, because I’ve tried that too. For half a year or so, I used a Boox Tab Ultra C as my primary PC. It was on that Boox tablet where I learned how much I enjoy gesture writing with a stylus, but to do so, I had to find a surface to rest the tablet on, much like using a laptop. With my foldable, I can easily work anywhere.

My foldable's aspect ratio is better for various forms of productivity. Whether I’m working in a web browser or in a word processor, having a screen shaped more like a piece of paper is more practical than one shaped like a miniature widescreen monitor. And sadly, rotating most Android tablets into portrait mode only makes the situation worse.

My Foldable Is Also Better for Reading

I don't want to focus too much on productivity. Many people will never want to work on a touchscreen, and to each their own. But when not working, the shape and size of my phone has also changed what I do in my leisure time.

I now read far more ebooks, since the shape of my phone is roughly the same as a dedicated eReader. I’ve been able to fully enjoy digital comics now that my screen is an ideal size for reading them. Magazines, too, are a treat. If I had this device back when I was in college, it would have been great for devouring all the PDFs we were assigned to read.

Then there’s web browsing in general. We have several tablets in our house, and even with their larger screens, I prefer browsing on my phone. Webpages are tall, not wide, regardless of whether they’re designed for desktop or mobile. I don’t particularly like browsing on my family’s shared Galaxy Tab S10 FE. The screen's too wide to fit much, and holding it upright results in a tall view that starts to feel cramped like a conventional phone.

A Foldable Feels Larger Than It Is

Shape also determines how large a device has to be in order to feel like it’s big enough. My Nintendo Switch 2’s 7.9-inch screen is slightly larger than the 7.6-inch internal screen on my phone, but it seems much bigger when playing a game or watching a trailer in the eShop. On the flip side, when just browsing the eShop, I can see so much more at once on my phone. I sometimes feel compelled to put down the Switch 2 and reach for the seemingly larger display on my Z Fold 6.

I am very curious about the tri-fold phone Samsung is expected to launch in the next year. I’m not entirely sure a larger 10-inch display would actually be a benefit to my productivity or be any better for reading books or even comics. If I find myself needing to plop the device back down on a table to comfortably use it, the device suddenly becomes more limiting. A device can photograph well, but once you get your hands on the actual hardware, bigger isn't always better.

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I like the idea of Android tablets, but in practice, I never use them as much as I imagine I will. The Galaxy Z Fold has taught me that this is entirely to do with size and shape. Most Android tablets are too large to hold with one hand, and they alternate between being either too wide or too tall, depending on how I hold them.

Rather than wishing I could get a foldable that opened to be the same shape as a conventional Android tablet, I’d rather buy a tablet that’s the same shape as my foldable. It may not be as great for video or games, but it would be better suited for just about everything else. In other words, the ideal shape for a book-style foldable may just be the one that's already here.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Brand

Google

SoC

Google Tensor G4

RAM

16GB

Storage

256GB

Battery

4650 mAh

Ports

USB Type-C 3.2

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is powered by the Tensor G4 processor, offers 16 GB of RAM, and comes with advanced AI capabilities, making it a powerful and efficient device for creativity and productivity.

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3

Colors

Porcelain and Obsidian

Display type

Actua (external) and Super Actua Flex (internal)

Weight

9.1 oz

IP Rating

IPX8

Buy on Amazon$1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy Expand Collapse

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