I have a Galaxy fold 3. When this thing shows the first sign of aging, I will return to whatever Samsung is calling their stylus based brick phone, but its honestly a champ.

Pros: I get a table screen in my pocket. My company defines anything with a screen larger than 7 inches as a tablet so it was free to me. When an app supports the aspect ratio, it usually adds extra FOV. Showing pictures and explaining things to friends with a tablet is better, but who wants to carry a tablet. The battery has maintained charge better than my older phones.

Cons: Basically no web apps/sites/ android apps support the odd aspect ratio of either screen. When folded its really thick and doesnt fit in many phone holders. Once every 2 years or so you need to take it to best buy or another official retailer to get the internal screen protector replaced (~$15 and 30 mins every 2 years but good luck with that reservation).
My folding screen hasnt broken at all, but I also am a gentle person, I could see how the soft screen could be broken by a younger person.

Beat use case is a grandparent with poor eyesight that wants to see and show off photos of their grandkids.

I have the zfold 5 and I honestly enjoy it. I am a large dude with large hands and it’s great when opened up. The only thing I don’t like I the front screen. While it works just fine. When you open apps they are sometimes cropped. So you have to close them completely and open them back up again. Honestly better than an iPhone.

I had a fold for 2 years with no issues including dropping it on cement with no case. Traded up for a flip and it’s great. Normal phone sized screen but less pocket space taken.

My daughter got one and it only lasted about 6 months or so, and handling returns etc with Samsung was … challenging…

I have a Pixel Fold - not for any particular need, just because I find it cool and wanted to treat myself. I use the larger display for YouTube, Netflix, and occasional multitasking, like scheduling things in my calendar while planning something in a group chat, or doing my budget while having my banking app open. (Edit: as other people have said, being able to show photos to people on the larger screen is also really nice)

You can do all of this on the smaller screen, of course. The larger screen isn’t revolutionary, but it’s fun and slightly better than not having it. I’m not sure folding phones are ever going to be the norm though - standard phones are 99% as capable and half as complex.

Daily drove a Fold 3 for a little over a year, and just ordered a Fold 5. I kept the Fold 3 for a second year as a supplement to my current phone.

If you use a phone as strictly a phone - pictures, texting, calls, etc - then there is no real benefit especially at the price premium. Any phone can do those things.

Day to day, I found myself opening far less than I thought I would. The front screen is great for one-handed use.

If you consume content though, videos, movies, games, etc, or do a lot of productivity stuff on your phone(multitasking and using remote desktop on that thing is great) - the inner screen is incredible.

Yes - you can have multiple windows open on other phones, and even windowed applications - but its the large screen and Samsung’s particular implementation of them that make it so good. As Narrow_External_5412 said, some apps don’t play well with the aspect ratio of the screens and sometimes need to be closed entirely before re-opening.

You can patent your mechanism for folding phone hinges and bendable screens, but you can’t really patent “phone that folds in half”, especially since flip phones have been around for decades.