At the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, companies made a number of key announcements that will ultimately have a major impact on the smartphone market. While the technical details of the announcements have been well covered, let’s dig a little deeper and see what they mean for device futures and average users.

Foldable devices

One of the biggest headline grabbers was foldable smartphones. While Samsung went first and slightly before MWC with its Galaxy Fold, Huawei made a major splash with its Mate X at MWC. And even some non-household names had foldables (e.g., Royole). Is there really a future for a phone that cost $2,000 or more? The current models were specifically designed to be “halo” devices that appeal only to the elite buyer. And, yes, there are plenty of buyers who are willing to spend $2K or more on a premiere device that buys them a unique status position and bragging rights. But the better way to evaluate these devices is to look at what it means for the long term evolution of smartphones.

To read this article in full, please click here