See you on the flip-side: the return of the flip phone?

This is the big question. And our tentative answer is – yes… at least for a while. In the first year or two after release, much of the discussion surrounding flip phones focused on whether they were a gimmick or the future of mobile technology. In all honesty, we are still no closer to resolving that conundrum. But (and it is an important but), flip technology has established itself and is becoming an increasingly influential and well-respected player in the mobile market.

Like all technology, the flip phone format has a shelf life. Yes, it is part of our immediate future. But will it still be the dominant design in 10, 20 or 50 years? No. By then, we will all be using advanced wearables, biotech implants or some other outlandish sci-fi technology. So, the real question is: how long and to what extent will flip phones be an influential player in the mobile market?

It is an interesting question and one whose answer may have very little to do with the qualities of the technology itself.

If you think we are overstating the importance of market dynamics in determining flip technology’s success, think again. Conor Pierce, head of Samsung’s UK Mobile Division, stated explicitly that their flip phones are a deliberate attempt to shake up the industry and erode Apple’s influence.

At the moment, people view smartphone technology through the prism of Apple vs the others. To counter this, Samsung wants to shift the discourse away from operating systems.

“What we want to try to do is disrupt and change the game when it comes to an OS conversation. When you walk into a store, ‘do you want a folding phone or do you want a flat phone?’ should be the first question you’re asked”

Conor Pierce, in The Guardian

Marketing is another force at play in the flip phone debate. When originally released, several designs (most notably the Motorola Razr) appeared to rely heavily on the nostalgia vibe. For some companies, emerging flip technology seemed like a way to make money off a renewed interest in the light-hearted innocence of the pre-internet nineties and early noughties. Bucket hats, CDs, reboots of questionable ‘90s TV shows and clamshell phones are all back in. Didn’t you know?

This gave some credibility to the idea that flip technology was a bit of a gimmick. Three years on, this theory does not hold up well. The big tech players are investing heavily in flip and adoption is on the rise. If it was a gimmick at the start, it certainly is not now.

The other key issue for flip phones is app development. On the first release, app compatibility was one of the biggest complaints. Apps were not designed for this new type of device and a considerable number did not perform well. Some did not fit the screen, others did not function as they should and many were simply not available for download on flip phones.

While those early teething problems have eased, they are not entirely gone. Flip phones still pose several challenges for app developers. These include:

For many years, screens on mobile devices have largely adhered to using a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is great for app developers, who know they can create an optimise an app for format and it will work on most mobile devices. However, flip phones come in all shapes and sizes and employ a range of aspect ratios. This will place even greater emphasis on responsive and adaptive design while also increasing the need for rigorous testing.

Just as important is app continuity – how apps transition from one aspect ratio to another. Developers need to ensure that this transition is seamless and does not suffer from lag or bugs.

A bigger screen size means there is more scope for multi-window multitasking. Browsing your photos on one part of the screen while typing a message on the other, for instance. Running multiple apps at the same time has the potential to radically alter the way we interact with our devices and how apps interact with one another. Developers will have to factor in new actions and gestures (such as drag and drop) to accommodate these capabilities.

Flip phones also open up the possibility of a whole range of new display ‘states.’ With non-flip models, there are two principal states. Portrait and landscape. But flip phones can be folded, open, or half-open. Apps may behave differently in each state.

When half-open, the top screen could be a chat interface and the bottom a keyboard, resulting in a display that resembles a traditional laptop setup. When open, the keyboard may take up less space, allowing for easier multitasking.

Secondary screens are typically included on the exterior of flip phones to display notifications and other information, ensuring users don’t always have to open the device. These screens present another whole range of challenges and possibilities. What information should they include? How can they be used to streamline and simplify the user experience?

This is perhaps where flip phones show the most potential. Whether app developers can take advantage of these capabilities may also determine how successful the technology is.

With hindsight, it’s clear that flip phones were never just a nostalgic throwback or a short-lived gimmick. They represent a broader willingness within the industry to question long-held assumptions about what a smartphone should look like and how it should behave.

Whether foldables remain dominant over the long term is almost beside the point. Their real impact may be in how they’ve reopened the conversation around form factor, interaction and adaptability. Even if the industry eventually moves on to something else, the lessons learned (in hardware design, operating systems and app development) will shape whatever comes next.

And for teams building digital products today, that makes foldables worth paying attention to, not because they’re guaranteed to win, but because they’re forcing better, more flexible thinking across the board.

If you’re looking to create a foldable-friendly app for your business, The Distance can help!