Hello.
Smartphones with flexible screens are produced today by dozens of manufacturers. They have a more or less similar design, two form factors are common on the market – Fold and Flip. Global sales are about 15 million devices, which is not much. For me, this form factor is familiar, since I have been using such smartphones since 2019, when the first Fold appeared. And many things seem obvious, requiring no explanation. Nevertheless, I am constantly bothered by questions about what can be done with a smartphone with a flexible screen, and what should not be done. The novelty of the form factor for many people remains enduring, their acquaintance with flexible screens is just beginning. I decided to put together what can help not to be afraid of this form factor, and most importantly, not to ruin your expensive device through carelessness. You can call this material whatever you like, but let these be the rules for using smartphones with flexible screens, caring for them.
Table of Contents
Opening and closing your smartphone correctly
Opening a smartphone with a flexible screen with one hand is almost impossible, even a small Flip from any manufacturer requires the use of two hands. I know several people who tried to learn how to open such devices with one hand, but they never succeeded. The mechanism is relatively tight and the manufacturers themselves made the design so that you use two hands. The reason is that the load on the screen should be distributed evenly, otherwise, when opening, there is excessive tension, which should be avoided.
I am sure that everyone will learn to open the folding phone on their own, and will choose the movement that they like. It is important not to do it with a sharp movement, you can drop the device, you do not need to tear the halves apart. It is clear that you can do this in the heat of the moment, when something upsets you. But you should not abuse this, it is better to use a normal movement with a familiar amplitude.
It is not difficult to pry the halves apart, but since you are using two hands, pay attention not to insert your nails between the halves, and to place the pad of your finger correctly on the side edge.
That’s so wrong.
Closing the smartphone is possible with one hand, but this is not always convenient for the Fold, so try to use both hands here too. To avoid dropping the device if something goes wrong.
Film on the inner screen. Consumables
Since the first generations of such smartphones, a protective film has appeared on the internal screen, it is a consumable material and can be changed periodically. You can see that the film has a small gap between it and the edge of the display.
To make the film last as long as possible, do not try to clean off dust or dirt that gets into the gap, especially using a toothpick or other objects. The maximum is a regular velvet cloth that can be run along the edge of the screen.
It is definitely not worth using water or other liquids to “wash” the screen, only a dry cloth and nothing else. Stains remain on the screen, as on any surface, but they are only visible when the display is turned off. My advice to you is not to overuse wiping the screen, you will not achieve anything useful with this, but the service life of the film will be reduced.
It is not worth changing the film at home, you will not stick such a film yourself, it will quickly become unusable. And such a film is not cheap. The best choice is to go to a service center, where they will replace everything for you. It is clear that, except for Samsung, most companies do not have service centers throughout the country and it will be difficult to make such a replacement near your home. Some people peel off the film, especially if it is bubbled. And use the device without the film. With a high degree of probability, nothing will happen to the screen within a year or two even with such use. But it is still better to find the time and opportunity to stick the film.
On the same Fold5 after a year of use the film remains in excellent condition, on the previous model it failed after 7-8 months. On Flip the film lasts much longer, two years is not a long time.
The internal screen has no protection except for the film, so you can’t use a pen or other sharp objects (including nails) to press it. Press the screen with your fingertips, most people have no problem with that. As I write, I catch myself thinking that this sounds like some kind of unimaginable limitation, although in real life you just use your phone and don’t think about it.
Raindrops and the inner screen
There is no problem with water getting on the internal screen, for example, if you watched something during the rain. You can close the device and forget about it. But I still recommend wiping raindrops off the screen so that they do not remain on the film when closed. This can be done later indoors.
Drops on the internal screen can affect the film, and not all models have full protection from water. So wiping the screen from drops will never hurt, you can do it with your hand or on your clothes, there are no special rules here.
The hinge is crunching, everything is broken!
If you have not dropped your device, but when opening it you felt that the movement is accompanied by an unpleasant sound or is slightly difficult, then it is highly likely that some dust or dirt particles have gotten into the hinge. The hinge in such devices is completely closed from the outside world, you will not be able to clean it, but this is not necessary. All manufacturers have created a self-cleaning mechanism, after a few movements both the unpleasant sound and the difficulty in opening will disappear. Therefore, just use the device as before, do not worry about it.
Flex mode is a very convenient thing, but there is one “but”…
The flexible screen means that you can open the device to a certain degree, and there are several successful scenarios for such use, for example, you can shoot video or arrange communication sessions, the main thing is that you don’t have to hold the phone in your hands. You unfold it and use it without a holder.
It seemed obvious to me that this mode is not permanent, you open the device and use it when you need it. A small number of people keep their devices in this half-open state for a long time, they find it convenient to have the same Flip standing on the table half-open.
This is definitely not necessary, the correct way is to keep the device in extreme positions, either closed or fully open. Use the Flex mode only when you really need it.
Frost and flexible screen
People often ask whether it is possible to use a phone in the cold. Yes, it is possible. It has been tested both in slightly below zero and when it is minus thirty outside. But in severe frost, the external screen is enough, there is no point in opening the device (your hands are freezing, you are uncomfortable). At the same time, you can open the phone, the mechanism may feel a little tight, which is normal, it freezes. But you should definitely not keep the phone open in the cold for a long time, since when you close it, you can damage the film, it changes its properties. What does “long” mean? Ten minutes or more. I have seen several Motorola models, whose screen turned into shreds after fifteen minutes in severe frost and closing the device. At first, barely noticeable abrasions appeared, then they simply spread across the screen. So think about how important it is for you to open the device in the cold and use it for a more or less long time. After all, the external screen is definitely enough for everything.
Water protection, why you shouldn’t go to the bathhouse
Many people take the water protection standard too literally. The presence of such protection should not push you to take the device to the sea (sand is unpleasant for such models, it easily gets between the halves, and can damage the film). It is one thing when the device accidentally falls on the sand, you shake it off, and that’s it. Another thing is when you use it non-stop in such conditions. You yourself shorten its service life.
You can drop the device in water (if it has protection, it won’t die). But you definitely shouldn’t take it into water on purpose, the chances of something going wrong increase. Washing the phone under running water is also a bad idea. Wipe it with napkins if you get it dirty.
And traditionally, going to the steam room with a phone is bad form, but the main thing is that steam is dangerous for any electronics, including those that have protection from water. So don’t risk it.
What to do if problems arise?
Smartphones with flexible screens are quite reliable, my experience tells me that they are not inferior to regular phones and it is difficult to get any problems, you have to try. But if something suddenly happened, then you should definitely not do it yourself, do not try to do something yourself or in some unauthorized service center, in the end you will just get even more problems. Contact the official service, where your phone will be put in order. Unofficial services simply do not even have the equipment to restore water protection after repair, often there are no components (they are taken from dead devices, which act as donors). In a word, do not rush, contact the right place to have your device repaired.
Source: mobile-review.com
