How to approach foldable smartphones? How can foldable phones become as accepted as traditional slab phones? This is a question every brand needs to consider. However, each brand has different starting points and understandings of users, leading to different products. But this time, vivo got it right.
On April 13th, industry insiders from "Chip Insider" provided sales figures for the vivo X Fold3 series. According to them, the vivo X Fold3 series sold directly to 39% of the lifecycle of the previous generation vivo X Fold2 in its first sale. No wonder the blue factory report stated that the vivo X Fold3 series sold eight times more than the previous generation in its initial sale... It's worth noting that the vivo X Fold3 series was officially launched on April 3rd, and due to the overwhelming demand after the launch, both models are currently experiencing shortages. It's extremely rare in the history of the blue factory for vivo models to experience shortages after their launch. According to investigations by authoritative media, the production capacity of vivo X Fold3 has been scheduled until the end of the month, which clearly shows how popular the vivo X Fold3 series is right now.
Industry analysis suggests that the popularity of the vivo X Fold3 series stems from Blue Factory's resolution of many pain points encountered by foldable screen users in their daily usage, enabling them to be used as primary devices just like traditional flat-screen phones. For instance, portability has been addressed with both models of the vivo X Fold3 series emphasizing slimness, with neither model weighing more than 235 grams, and the standard version achieving around 219 grams. Additionally, the overall thickness matches that of flat-screen phones.
Moreover, battery life has been improved, tackling the challenge posed by the trade-off between slimness and battery capacity in foldable screens. Typically, foldable screens feature batteries with capacities not exceeding 5000mAh. However, the vivo X Fold3 Pro boasts a substantial 5700mAh battery while remaining remarkably slim. Furthermore, unlike many foldable screen phones where imaging capabilities are often compromised, vivo has not made such compromises, achieving flagship-level imaging comparable to top-tier flat-screen devices.
Therefore, the high price of horizontal foldable screens is not the biggest obstacle to the popularization of foldable screens. Instead, it's the failure of various brands to address users' pain points during usage. The vivo X Fold3 series may have set an example for competitors, and we'll see if upcoming foldable smartphones follow suit!
