Lydia Scott
[Gearbest Technology]Recently, Gearbest noticed that according to overseas media reports, a small folding screen mobile phone, Libero Flip, has been launched in the Japanese market. This phone is a product of Ymobile, a smartphone brand under SoftBank, but in fact, its manufacturer is the Chinese mobile phone manufacturer ZTE. At present, local mobile phone manufacturers in Japan are gradually declining. Data shows that brands such as Sony and Sharp seem to have difficulty in maintaining their local market. If they want to launch folding screen mobile phones, they can only rely on the help of “overseas manufacturers”.
The strength of Chinese manufacturers does not seem to disappoint SoftBank. The Libero Flip broke the price limit of foldable screen phones as soon as it was released. It is reported that this Libero Flip is a foldable screen phone that folds up and down. In terms of price, the new phone is priced at 63,000 yen (about 3,000 yuan), and the lowest price after choosing a contract plan is 39,800 yen (about 1,910 yuan). It will be officially released on February 29.
A thousand-yuan folding screen mobile phone, this term that seems to be very far away, has become a reality today in 2024. Although it is still a “contract phone” for the time being, the emergence of Libero Flip has made many people realize that the current entry threshold of folding screen mobile phones has dropped significantly. Once upon a time, consumers had to spend a five-digit amount to buy a folding screen, but in today's Chinese market, this number has dropped again and again. Many netizens have begun to wonder whether they can buy a folding screen mobile phone in 2024 to try it out?
Price trend
Although the Libero Flip is cheap, it is a product for the Japanese market after all, and ZTE does not seem to have any intention of bringing it to China in the short term. However, in addition to the Libero Flip, there are actually many affordable folding screen mobile phones in the Chinese market, but if consumers don’t pay special attention, it is difficult to find them.
As for small folding screen phones, the prices of several products such as Samsung Z Flip 3 and moto razr 2022 have dropped to around 3,000 yuan, and all are 8GB+256GB versions. Among them, Samsung Z Flip 3 has been released for two years. Its core processor is Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, with a battery capacity of 3300mAh, a 6.7-inch inner screen and a 1.9-inch outer screen. The moto razr 2022 is equipped with Snapdragon 8+, a 6.7-inch inner screen, a 3500mAh battery and a 50-megapixel main camera, which is slightly better than the former.
As for large folding screen phones, the price of Xiaomi's MIX Fold 2 has now reached a new low. JD.com's third-party 12GB+256GB version is only about 5,500 yuan, and even JD.com's own sales price is less than 6,000 yuan. The vivo X Fold+ is similar, and the current 12GB+256GB version is priced at less than 6,000 yuan. Both folding screens use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ mobile platform. Although the parameters such as battery, imaging, and screen are not the top in the industry, they are not out of the mainstream.
The above-mentioned products are all old models of foldable screen mobile phones. The reason why their prices have dropped significantly is largely because they have been replaced by newer and more advanced models. However, for foldable screen mobile phones, some important parameters of traditional mobile phones, such as performance and imaging, may not be the most concerned by users. The core appeal of foldable screen mobile phones lies in their unique form and portability, which has little to do with the age of the model.
Watch out for hidden pits
At present, judging from the price alone, foldable screen phones seem to be almost the same as ordinary mid-to-high-end or flagship phones. But after browsing the discussions of foldable screen users in major communities, we will find that in addition to these obvious costs, foldable screen phones actually have a very large hidden cost of use, that is, its after-sales repair price. After the big price cut, the cost of repairing the internal screen of many foldable screen phones is undoubtedly different from buying a new phone.
The above mentioned mobile phones are ranked. A moto rThe azr 2022 8GB+256GB costs just over 3,000 yuan, but once the inner screen is damaged, the price of replacing it alone is 1,979 yuan, and the labor cost exceeds 2,000 yuan. Although the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 12GB+256GB only costs 5,500 yuan, the repair price of the inner screen is still as high as 4,139 yuan. Therefore, in many communities, many users are complaining about the high cost of repairing foldable screen phones.
The repair prices of various parts of a mobile phone are basically determined before the phone is released and sold. In the subsequent sales cycle, thanks to economies of scale and other reasons, the price of the mobile phone itself will drop again and again. It is not uncommon for a flagship phone that costs 5,000 yuan to cost 2,000 yuan two years later. However, the price of after-sales repairs for mobile phones will not change. And how many consumers who buy mobile phones will notice this problem? If it is a regular mobile phone, it is okay, but for folding screens, this becomes a hidden pit and needs special attention.
Be careful with your spending
In recent years, thanks to the continuous research of mobile phone manufacturers, foldable screen mobile phones have indeed brought many innovations and breakthroughs in technology, but they still have some challenges and limitations, especially the reliability and durability of the inner screen. These problems are often not fully presented through a simple PPT conference, but require real feedback during actual use. Many consumers have not noticed this problem with foldable screen mobile phones, and they just fall into the trap because of the novelty and impulse, but due to the existence of the inner screen problem, its long-term use cost and maintenance cost may far exceed that of ordinary mobile phones.
In fact, foldable screen mobile phones are a bit like “luxury cars” in the mobile phone market. Nowadays, many old second-hand luxury cars are priced at less than 100,000 yuan, but they are still difficult to sell. Many people know that they can afford to buy old second-hand luxury cars, but they may not be able to drive or repair them. Sometimes, the repair price of an old luxury car is even higher than its second-hand transaction price, and the same is true for foldable screen mobile phones after the price reduction.
Therefore, it is very important for consumers who want to buy foldable screen mobile phones to fully understand their technical characteristics, usage costs and maintenance costs. This can not only help them make more informed purchasing decisions, but also avoid buying products that are not suitable for them because of impulse.
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