In the world of mobile technology, change is the only constant. Just as the smartphone settled comfortably into our lives, foldable and rollable phones have arrived to shake things up once again. As we enter the latter half of 2025, these innovations have become impossible to ignore, promising dynamic form factors and next-level versatility for users seeking more from their devices than ever before.
The Rise of Foldable Smartphones
Foldable smartphones have moved well beyond their “gimmick” phase. What once seemed a futuristic novelty is now a robust, fast-evolving market, with leading tech brands racing to deliver sleeker, more powerful devices. Consumer favorites like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Oppo Find N5, and Honor Magic V3 headline a field that offers everything from productivity-boosting book-style designs to ultra-compact flip phones with serious style.
Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 represents a significant leap, delivering a thinner profile, improved usability, and a stellar 200MP camera—features that now rival the best offerings from Chinese innovators. Brands like Vivo, Motorola, and Google are also making impactful strides, offering foldables that cater to diverse user needs—from marathon battery life to smooth multi-tasking workflows.
Why Users Love Foldables
Flexibility and Multitasking
Foldable phones are loved for their flexible designs. With a device that transforms from a palm-sized smartphone to a small tablet, users get the best of both worlds. These displays unlock entirely new ways to work and play: jotting quick notes with a stylus on the go, splitting the screen to send emails and watch videos at once, or enjoying immersive gaming far beyond what standard phones could offer.
Multitasking is the main draw: on a Z Fold 7 or Pixel 9 Pro Fold, users move seamlessly between calls, streaming, browsing, and messaging. Flexibility extends to content too—creators can format their work for larger canvas-style screens, while readers enjoy uninterrupted comics, magazines, and ebooks in a more natural spread.
Premium Design and Build
Today’s foldables impress with their durability and class-leading aesthetics. Foldable hinges are reinforced with materials like titanium, and improvements in screen tech mean fewer creases and brighter, more color-rich panels that almost make you forget you’re using a folding device.
Manufacturers have responded to early durability concerns, offering devices that withstand thousands of folds, sweeps, and taps. Many models are splash-resistant, with increasingly robust software updates and support cycles.
Software Experience
The software experience is evolving fast; adaptive UIs ensure a seamless transition as users open and close their phones. Responsive layouts, customizable multitasking panels, and gesture-friendly interfaces help bridge the gap between smartphones and tablets.
It’s now common for apps to support “app continuity,” so switching from folded to unfolded states happens fluidly, preserving your place in a movie, document, or game. Large touch targets and customizable gesture zones improve usability, even as devices switch screen modes.
Challenges Foldables Still Face
Of course, all this progress comes with caveats. Foldable phones still cost significantly more than their slab counterparts, pushing them out of reach for many consumers, especially in the premium tier. While hardware strength has improved, the complex hinge systems and folding displays can still be points of concern for long-term durability and water resistance.
Battery life, while improving, sometimes struggles to meet users’ all-day needs. And there’s the software gap: some apps are still catching up to the foldable revolution, delivering awkward layouts or limited continuity across screen modes.
The Reality of Rollable Smartphones
If foldables redefined the smartphone, rollables may be about to rewrite the rules altogether. Rather than folding, rollable smartphones “stretch” the display outward, transforming from a compact handset into a tablet with a simple swipe.
Where Rollables Stand in 2025
2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for rollables. Samsung is poised to introduce what could be the world’s first true rollable phone, with a massive 12.4-inch display that unrolls like digital parchment—eclipsing even the largest foldables in screen real estate. Reports suggest the device, rumored to launch alongside the Galaxy S25 series, will showcase not just innovative hardware but also a new level of multitasking potential for power users.
While still at the proof-of-concept stage for many other brands, Samsung’s move is expected to spur rivals like Huawei into introducing their own rollable offerings. Early design leaks point to rollables as both more compact (when closed) and potentially less prone to hinge damage or creases, thanks to their unique construction.
User Experience: Expectations vs. Reality
For users, rollables promise all the versatility of foldables—plus even more flexibility. Imagine a device that slips into a small pocket but expands to a full workspace or movie theater display with a gesture. This could finally deliver the pocket-to-tablet dream in a truly flat, seamless way.
However, some unknowns remain:
- Durability — Will the rolling mechanism stand up to daily wear and tear, or will dust and particles cause issues?
- Software — As with foldables, software support must adapt to dynamically changing screen sizes, a challenge for app developers.
- Price and Availability — Initial rollable devices are expected to launch at the upper end of the price spectrum and may be available in limited markets at first.
Foldable vs. Rollable: The Big Debate
Both form factors promise to reshape the smartphone market, but each has its current strengths.
What’s Next for Flexible Smartphones?
As we look to the future, foldable phones will get thinner, lighter, and tougher. Expect innovations in battery tech, new folding mechanisms (tri-folds are on the horizon), and even more refined user experiences that blur the lines between smartphone, tablet, and laptop.
Rollables are expected to hit the mainstream within the next one or two product cycles, driven by industry giants aiming to win the hearts of early adopters and productivity enthusiasts. While the price gap between flexible and traditional smartphones may remain for now, growing competition could see these advanced devices become more accessible over time.
Conclusion: The Future in Your Pocket
The transformation from flat slabs to foldable and rollable marvels is more than just a design shift; it’s about changing how people engage with technology throughout their day. In both categories, the focus is on versatility, creativity, and the ability to adapt—the very things modern users crave.
Will the next few years be dominated by rollables, new types of foldables, or some hybrid approach yet to be imagined? One thing is certain: the way people use their smartphones in 2025 and beyond will be shaped by this exciting era of flexible innovation.
Want to experience the future today? Stay tuned, explore hands-on reviews, and don’t hesitate to make the leap—because the next revolution in mobile technology is unfolding, rolling, and waiting for discovery.
Ready for the next evolution in mobile tech? Share your thoughts about foldables and rollables—and discover which device fits your future!