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[Voost Kain]

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So some people here are likely wondering what does the Foldable phone revolution (being worked on by Microsoft, Samsung, HTC, and likely others) has to do with the gaming industry? Why do you say that consoles may be pushed back?

Well it's simple, one of the biggest issues in the smartphone industry was not only a lack of significant innovation, but stalling technical innovations. From the power of the chips, to memory, up to the battery capacity. The Smartphone industry had been stuck in limbo for years with marginal improvements or even taking steps back for some newer products to make compromises.

Windows Continuum was expected to break this drought, but Windows Phones collapse made that impossible. But now with foldable phones there will be massive changes to the smartphone and gaming industry even by force, with foldable phones:

1. The amount of power needed for seamless single-screen to table transition, multi-tasking, and full Table feature sets would require a significant change to how chip makers design their future products. We would have Phones that are able to keep up with home consoles and only fall slightly behind. Since Phones already have ways to display on TV screens and other monitors, this would be a very serious opponent to Xbox and Playstation.
2. In order to handle such increase in power and multi-tasking, the industry wold have to finally introduce new designs and improvements to how batteries are created and utilized. Battery has been one of the major areas that have been stuck in limbo with very little improvements. Once the battery technology evolves, we will be having safer batteries and longer lasting batteries.
3. We are already seeing Smartphone makers including their own app stores alongside the Playstore. This could be a way to grab exclusive content once the foldable phone revolution takes off. Which may happen quicker than expected
4. From 1 and 2, Consoles will have fierce competition. Foldable Phones will have integrated online, Netflix, several of the same apps the Xbox and PS systems have, while also being portable with long battery life, and foldable into a tablet that can be used as a mini-tv screen with a stand. Allowing comfort use of your android compatible gamepads. At home, you can also throw your games/movies on your TV, all with one device.
5. At a certain point consoles will be considered archaic. With the Foladable phones having great power, multi-tasking, features, and portability. They also have a cheaper dev environment even with AAA games, devs and pubs will run to the exclusive stores from smartphone manufacturers making top end games without having to lose as much money as they would developing on home consoles, leaving only name brand IPS being the only reason to own a game console.

Already with the Galaxy Fold, we have an extremely powerful device. Of course it uses Qualcolmm, but other foldable phone makers are using newer more powerful tech and soon they (qualcomm) will have to adapt as well. But the Fold is already powerful, with 12 GBS of Ram, a clean 4.6 inch screen and a great 7 inch tablet display on the inside allowing you to have features some Tablets today don't have, as mentioned in the video. It has Two batteries however, which is one of the reasons why the Phone is $1980.

However there's the rumored Surface Phone and the HTC Phone, the former with a 5.5 inch screen with a 7-8 inch tablet, a sleeker design than the fold, a Surface pen, and even greater internals. HTC is rumored to have partnered with Intel, and is aiming for an 8 inch table with a 8 inch screen, aiming for a thin design and new battery strategies.

We are already quickly heading the the future where consoles are replaced by all in one devices that can do the same but more. Within 3 years I see sleek high quality bendable displays, optimization allowing great picture when thrown on a TV screen, 12+ hour battery life with decent use, and other big changes. The Next Xbox and PlayStation may be the last consoles after all.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this subject.

 

[xBlueStonex]

Phones will never replace game consoles.

 

[dacuk]

No physical controls, no thanks.
(and do not say they are optional for tablets or mobiles... the fact that they do not come built-in makes them an afterthought)

 

[Verdanth]

This? Replacing consoles? Not in million years.

 

[The Shepard]

No thanks, I'm happy with my PS4 and switch for my gaming needs. I can't stand touch controls either.

 

[Voost Kain]

No physical controls, no thanks.

You do know controllers are compatible with phones right?

I feel like this is a default stock answer when Phone is in the title.

Actually on further inspection some of these responses are reading only the title and not the OP. sigh.

 

[Neverwas]

I've been hearing about all the things that will supposedly replace consoles for over a decade now. I doubt this is it.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Who knows what the future holds? Gaming is diversifying and becoming more service-oriented and platform-agnostic (or at least as much as possible). But for the short-term (0-10 years), gaming-centric devices will remain. If anything, the Razer Blade laptop (with a modular extension) provides the best blueprint and the most sensible step for gaming to take.

 

[Gormless Noodle]

I've heard this story with every new tech thing since what...the PS2? First smartphones were going to be the thing. Then tablets, then streaming, then VR was going shake it all up and become the thing. Now this is the next example? Meanwhile, they're all still here. And on top of that, let's imagine a world where this DOES really become popular, what then prevents Nintendo, Sony and MS to use it to their advantage and create consoles with the tech? I don't know, I can't particularly see it.

 

[Von Hugh]

Did you notice the part where they announced the price?

1980 dollars. For gaming it is not.

 

[nikolino840]

Maybe i could buy a 2080ti with those Money mobile phones Is the only things that i don't care,especially for games...
And i can't find even a relaxing position watching a 10min vid on YouTube on my phone..i have tried to Watch the last e3 but..no...It was Better on the couch with twitch on the Xbox
I could understand if a person like a phone for the design or the brand...

 

[theHFIC]

another revolution?? I was just getting used to the OUYA micro console revolution.

 

[Shifty]

You do know controllers are compatible with phones right?

I feel like this is a default stock answer when Phone is in the title.

Phones don't ship with controllers. Supporting them isn't a priority for mobile developers, because only a (relatively small, I'd wager) subset of the userbase will be able to take advantage of that functionality.

Plus, right now hardware quality is severely lacking in the various controller products being targeted specifically at the phone market. You have to buy a console pad anyway if you want a half-decent physical input device.

It would take one of the major mobile OEMs making a concerted push into the 'traditional' gaming space with a full hardware + software ecosystem to make this happen, and I don't see any of them deciding to take the risk of squaring up to the big three when their existing app business is healthy and ongoing.

Not to mention that we already have a precedent-setter in the form of Nvidia's Shield line of products. Their handheld is dead, and the tablet and set-top box offerings aren't lighting the gaming space on fire so much as they are sitting in a similar niche to the steam link.

Actually on further inspection some of these responses are reading only the title and not the OP. sigh.

Why you gotta be so salty man

 

[Pagusas]

You failed to explain how the foldable aspect of this plays any role in this.

 

[Zekra Dezivad]

​

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I can't see in the near future a device like that being competitive with power, user experience and price.
Gaming has an healthy market at 3-400 bucks, I don't know if these devices can do the same

 

[Voost Kain]

You failed to explain how the foldable aspect of this plays any role in this.

I listed the reasons on the list in the OP. What's needed for a foldable phone to work, imo, puts foldable phones in a pretty good position.

Of course feel free to disagree but I think that the limbo phones have been in for years may start finally evolving again.

Of course we'll have to see what the other foldable phone makers will put out to see if that trend materializes.

 

[Spukc]

That clickbait title HOT DANG!!!
OP got laid of from buzzfeed 100% xD

 

[00ich]

Here's a thing: I need to able to use my phone while I play or watch Netflix. Also: I want buttons and analog sticks, so I nedd a controller. So I need to plan ahead to bring my gaming device. The advantage of just bringing a controller vs a complete handheld is not that large. I'll need a bag anyway.
I honestly tried to switch some of my gaming to a phone for years now, and the problem was never the hardware power or screensize.

The all-in-one in the pocket is the same dream as the all-in-one in the living room.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Phones will never replace consoles. There’s a better chance of cloud gaming doing that and I doubt even that can happen within the next 5 years.

Can they replace tablets? Yes, phones have already been trending in that direction. PCs? For many people they will, if they haven’t already.

The race for foldable phones has begun, yes, but the gaming giants aren’t likely to be worried or affected.

 

[Shifty]

You failed to explain how the foldable aspect of this plays any role in this.

My initial assumption was that now any phone could theoretically be a tablet, the portability factor is improved and begins to encroach on the handheld market, and by extension traditional console gaming because the Switch exists and mobile hardware is becoming capable of some fairly high-fidelity output.

It would be good to hear an explanation from the OP though.

I listed the reasons on the list in the OP. What's needed for a foldable phone to work, imo, puts foldable phones in a pretty good position.

You listed some comparisons to console gaming, but didn't really bring it all together into a thesis of "why foldable phones will become a viable competitor to consoles".

Also re-reading #1 and #2, claiming that the tech will have to improve is one thing, but where's the evidence to suggest it will? Batteries and power efficiency have traditionally been major sticking points for portable technology, and as far as I'm aware haven't seen any earth-shattering breakthroughs in those fields recently.

 

[zeorhymer]

Huh? The iPhone 6/Samsung Galaxy 6s and beyond (alongside with their tablet equivalents) were more than capable for games. What makes you think being able to bend the phones will magically make these phones take over the gaming space?

That clickbait title HOT DANG!!!

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[GoldenEye98]

Cool concept but it's gonna need a few iterations.

 

[Xenon]

Yes because it's been proven the that the console market has been dominated by higher priced tech. Consoles offer great performance for the $ and mostly hassle free environment. Nothing about a larger screen and better batterylife changes that, which all that this offers. Also as others have mentioned without good attached controls it's not a gaming device, just a device that can play games. There are already tons of those.

 

[shark sandwich]

You do know controllers are compatible with phones right?

I feel like this is a default stock answer when Phone is in the title.

Actually on further inspection some of these responses are reading only the title and not the OP. sigh.

iPhone/Android have had gamepad support for many years. And modern smartphones/tablets are on par with or better than Switch.

There have also been other mobile devices that were gaming focused (Xperia play, Razer’s smartphone, Nvidia Shield, etc.)

The results are clear:
1. Console gamers by and large aren’t looking to play big, AAA console-style games on their phones or tablets

2. Developers aren’t looking to develop big, AAA console-style games for phones and tablets (and why the hell should they? They can make a shitload more money by making smartphone games for a fraction of the budget)


I don’t se how foldable devices change this at all.

 

[Deleted member 738976]

No buttons no sale.

 

[Virex]

Fixed It OP

Why The Foldable Phone revolution Will End Up Changing Nothing At All For Consoles Gaming. (Samsung Galaxy Fold, Surface Phone, etc.)

 

[Ellery]

It would be a true shame if inferior freemium games on 2000$ foldable phones replace 399$ gaming consoles that blessed us with countless masterpieces.

 

[JimboJones]

DS is gonna make a come back!

 

[hybrid_birth]

So we will all have $2000 folding phones as our only option for console gaming?. Not going to happen. It costs way to much, when right now you can get a ps4 for $299. The content discovery will be horrible because there are billions of games on the playstore. None of us look forward to that and micro-transactions.

A good reason why Ps4, Ps2, and Wii were so successful in sales were because of the low cost of the hardware.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

I’m all in favor of new phone tech driving graphics processing

But these foldable phones look like utter crap with a lame gimmick that quickly wears out your phone just from normal use. I’ll pass on the actual phones

 

[Pagusas]

I listed the reasons on the list in the OP. What's needed for a foldable phone to work, imo, puts foldable phones in a pretty good position.

Of course feel free to disagree but I think that the limbo phones have been in for years may start finally evolving again.

Of course we'll have to see what the other foldable phone makers will put out to see if that trend materializes.

I just don’t see it. As weight is also an issue with any phone, so you can’t just cram in double the battery or parts for cooling because you have double the real estate in a folded setup. Additionally consoles and any non-portable devices have HUGE advantages: peak current draw, sustainable current draw, heat ceilings and WAY higher thermal throttling limits. Outputting killer graphics requires more than just transistor counts, it needs constant steady power and heat tolerances. Phones will and have advanced a ton in the graphical department, but even if they were docked they couldn’t handle the heat demands of a next generation game running for hours. They’ll have to compromise in several areas, and that’s where the consoles will continue to live in: the uncomporomised space (ish, I mean they aren’t Pc’s, but for this argument I’m not counting that). Will phones cut into their market space? Absolutely, but that’s why they will have to innovate, and they will, because companies don’t like giving up revenue generators. The OP’s arguement makes it feel like consoles will just stay static bricks in time as smart phones evolve, and that’s not what will happen.

 

[Voost Kain]

Batteries and power efficiency have traditionally been major sticking points for portable technology, and as far as I'm aware haven't seen any earth-shattering breakthroughs in those fields recently.

The point is foldable phones will force these changes. You won't be able to make improvements to the foldable phone formula without actually evolving. Samsung tried it's best with what we have and we still have a battery drainer with the fold, which uses TWO batteries.

For foldable phones to work and improve there is imo, no choice but to evolve because foldable phones can't possible work with current battery (and chip) technology.

For us to have that high GB of ram, 1 TB, sleek, 4K screen foldable phone 5 years from now something gotta change. Even the dual screen phone concept by ZTE was hampered by the limbo battery technology is in, as well as memory.

I can only see the race for foldable phones being a good thing, at least for now.

 

[Shin]

Might as well say phone + tablet is replacing console gaming, in which case trololol fucking lol.
Not happening, ever...console finds itself in a spot that no Steambox or anything of sorts can touch, yet tried.
We won't stop being lazy or want to get comfy with a drink and controller in our hand(s) while watching/playing teh awesome on that big ass screen.

Off-topic: I'm not sure why you feel the need to write a book in every first post or change thread titles when unnecessary.

 

[Imtjnotu]

Until battery tech is able to power something as powerful as a ps4 for 12 hours this shit isn't happening for another 2 dozen years.

Your thoughts on this are flawed. Sorry man

 

[Shifty]

The point is foldable phones will force these changes. You won't be able to make improvements to the foldable phone formula without actually evolving. Samsung tried it's best with what we have and we still have a battery drainer with the fold, which uses TWO batteries.

For foldable phones to work and improve there is imo, no choice but to evolve because foldable phones can't possible work with current battery (and chip) technology.

For us to have that high GB of ram, 1 TB, sleek, 4K screen foldable phone 5 years from now something gotta change. Even the dual screen phone concept by ZTE was hampered by the limbo battery technology is in, as well as memory.

I can see the argument from this standpoint since the phone is now having to power 2-4x more display than a traditional one, though there are optimizations that can be made in terms of turning off the back side screen when it's not in use. Plus, there's now space for 2x as much battery and extra internal hardware to handle additional processing load.

If anything I can see them throwing more existing tech at it for the time being, because businesses are change/risk-averse and battery tech / die size isn't something that you can force a solution to.

I can only see the race for foldable phones being a good thing, at least for now.

It will drive innovation somehow, that much is for sure. Whether that innovation extends into the gaming space remains to be seen.

Off-topic: I'm not sure why you feel the need to write a book in every first post

There's nothing wrong with quantity so long as the content is quality

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Pundits have been claiming this since the early days of Nintendo DS vs iPhone. And over the past decade+, all indications are that the mobile market is cannibalizing the PC and laptop market moreso than console gaming.

You'd think that the regular reporting of year-over-year sales would show a steady decrease, but they don't. Sometimes there are dips, sometimes there are surges, but there is no "trend" of game consoles being replaced by mobile phones.

 

[deriks]

Untill they don't have a Netflix for gaming, they will will never replace.

 

[Voost Kain]

I can see the argument from this standpoint since the phone is now having to power 2-4x more display than a traditional one,

You're simplifying the overall point. Seamless transition from one to tablet screen, especially for intense programs, as well as 3 way multitasking (which is a new feature as shown in the video) would require powerful hardware. That also includes resolution increase and having a bigger display to light. That's not cheap, and is hard to improve on with current chip and battery tech. Look at the poor ZTE, it was just a dual screen fold phone and it was hampered.

It will drive innovation somehow, that much is for sure. Whether that innovation extends into the gaming space remains to be seen.

I think to will by default, the chips will be powerful, the battery will be good, screen casting tech will improve. At that point you could start porting console games to mobile.

Well at least on paper.

 

[Voost Kain]

change thread titles when unnecessary.

Users can't change thread titles, mods do.

 

[Enjay]

Never happening.

 

[Hinedorf]

A device that folds which you use for entertainment/communication that has an operating system.

Okay so they just invented a laptop without a keyboard?

 

[Voost Kain]

A device that folds which you use for entertainment/communication that has an operating system.

Okay so they just invented a laptop without a keyboard?

You can't put laptops in your pocket.

 

[Stuart360]

Are we back in 2005 or something?

 

[Shifty]

You're simplifying the overall point. Seamless transition from one to tablet screen, especially for intense programs, as well as 3 way multitasking (which is a new feature as shown in the video) would require powerful hardware.

Seamless transitions aren't likely to be that intensive since the device is already having to power the entire display panel regardless of whether it's folded or not- that's just a case of needing well-designed UI. OLED screens would probably help here too, since they draw power on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

And 3-way multitasking depends on the apps being used. Trying to play a game while streaming two different youtube videos at once (or any other use cases that requires constant processing) would definitely be intensive, but for your average UI-based app the compute cost of drawing to the screen while not being directly interacted with by the user is pretty negligible.

Based on what I've seen digging around the source code for the AOSP launcher, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors trickery that goes into making that sort of thing appear seamless when in fact the OS is taking shortcuts like displaying screenshots in lieu of inactive apps or shifting CPU priority between processes based on which one the user is interacting with.

That also includes resolution increase and having a bigger display to light. That's not cheap, and is hard to improve on with current chip and battery tech. Look at the poor ZTE, it was just a dual screen fold phone and it was hampered.

Hardware limitations are indeed non-negotiable, but current tablet hardware (ex. Snapdragon 805) can already handle 4K displays, so the core problem is having to design around a split cell such that your performance and battery life don't take a big hit.

You can't put laptops in your pocket.

You can in some cases

 

[Voost Kain]

Seamless transitions aren't likely to be that intensive since the device is already having to power the entire display panel regardless of whether it's folded or not- that's just a case of needing well-designed UI. OLED screens would probably help here too, since they draw power on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

And 3-way multitasking depends on the apps being used. Trying to play a game while streaming two different youtube videos at once (or any other use cases that requires constant processing) would definitely be intensive, but for your average UI-based app the compute cost of drawing to the screen while not being directly interacted with by the user is pretty negligible.

Based on what I've seen digging around the source code for the AOSP launcher, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors trickery that goes into making that sort of thing appear seamless when in fact the OS is taking shortcuts like displaying screenshots in lieu of inactive apps or shifting CPU priority between processes based on which one the user is interacting with.


Hardware limitations are indeed non-negotiable, but current tablet hardware (ex. Snapdragon 805) can already handle 4K displays, so the core problem is having to design around a split cell such that your performance and battery life don't take a big hit.


You can in some cases

Hmm, the Net Book fad was an interesting one.

But I think that based on the rumored time (8 hours of decent use) of battery life for the Fold. If anyone wants to bring out their own superior models, someone going to have to fix the battery limbo.

But the best part is it won't be just the smartphone industry that's fixed, the new battery technology will spread. End of Lithium should have been done years ago.

 

[Nikana]

Nope.

 

[zeomax]

This foldable tech will not even replace the normal phone.

 

[Fbh]

Every time we get some new product or tech it's always going to kill consoles.
"Smartphones will kill consoles...wait ,no, tablets will kill consoles....wait ,no, Steam Machines will kill consoles....wait, no, the new apple TV will kill consoles"
Guess foldable phones got their turn now.

Anyway, I don't see it happening unless we magically get phones with console comparable hardware and at reasonable prices.
The only scenario in which I see phones replacing consoles is if game streaming catches on and mobile networks get to the point where they can support seamless high resolution game streaming not just at home but also on the go

 

[itsjustJEFF]

It would be awesome! Having a portable PS4/X1X in my pocket that I can take anywhere and bring out when i have time... that's the dream.

On a side note, that Samsung Fold is hideous! The "folded mode" is so ugly and so thick. Look at that fore head and chin, it's huge! Unfolded, it's pretty cool but I'd likely have that thing in my pocket in "folded mode" most of the time... I wear skinny jeans, it's true, and that thing would be way too thick! I'll wait for the 2nd or 3rd gen, still cool tho.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

My only doubt is if this revolution will occurr before or after Ouya has taken the crown of console gaming. I am so much looking forward to the next Angry Birds game in crips 8K. Even better: Angry Birds Battle Royale. Then we are talking, brah.