You can only get with sacrifices

We have been dreaming of a fantasy for years that Does not finish complying: That folding mobiles fall in price. Generation after generation we are seeing a trend rather on the contrary: they are increasingly expensive and exclusive, aimed at a premium audience.

As in almost all sectors, Chinese manufacturers have had to arrive to reverse the situation: there is a clear wave of folding phones from China to offer alternatives. As long as we are willing to deal with the sacrifices that this entails.

The price of current folding. Buying a folding mobile, in the event that we want one of the book type, is still available to very few. A Samsung Galaxy Z fold6 exceeds 2,000 euros, Magic v Honor around the same figure, and 1,999 euros Ask Huawei for his mate x6.

A cheaper solution are Flip folding, with 1,200 euros for Z flip61,299 euros for the Xiaomi Mix Flipand 899 euros / 1,199 euros for Motorola folding.

As always on Android, these are the starting prices and, a few months later, we can buy these much cheaper phones. Despite this, the tonic is clear: the folding ones have the price of a high range, even with specifications below.

The Chinese war. Zte put the first stone. The company launched its Nubia Flip For 599 euros, a price quite below (practically half) of what these phones usually have. This figure has risen with the Nubia Flip 2which part of 699 euros. It is still much more “cheap” than its direct rivals.

The key? Bet on mid -range specifications, maintaining a flexible panel. And there is no other left: if we want folding phones to be cheaper, you have to cut Specs.

It is something we saw in the Mobile World Congress with Doogee, a Chinese manufacturer specialized in economic mobiles. This one that you see above is your V Flip, a processor phone Helio G99 (Mobile chip of about 100 euros), although with 8 + 256 GB of memory, 100 megapixel camera, 4,500mAh battery (with 18W, yes) and an AMOLED Full HD + screen of 6.9 inches next to an external 1.9 “.

The company expects a price of about 399 euros for this phone, although it will be confirmed according to markets. They were not alone: ​​brands like Tecno sell their Phantom V2 Flip for $ 600 outside the European market, and companies like Frog Mobile (yes, as it sounds) also had a flip with the helium G99.

We continue from folding as a mainstream device. Foldables continue to assume less than 1% of the total mobile devices sold in the world. With these numbers, and despite the effort of the manufacturers, we have serious doubts about the potential of this format to become a regular.

Image | Xataka

In Xataka | There are few folding mobiles that would buy me right now. Xiaomi’s is one of them, especially for his new price