Recently, a foldable phone was hyped by scalpers, but with its launch, everything became a bubble, and the scalpers suffered heavy losses. The myth of foldable phones was shattered completely. In fact, these phones have long ceased to be mysterious and have become as affordable as cabbages, with no difference from ordinary phones.

Foldable phones were first introduced by Samsung in 2019. At that time, foldable phones were hailed as the most technologically challenging product and an innovative technology in the mobile phone industry. The industry believed that foldable phones would once again drive the mobile phone industry towards new heights. After peaking in 2016, the global mobile phone market gradually declined, causing frustration in the industry.

Due to the high technical difficulty and cost of foldable phones, their early pricing was quite expensive, often exceeding ten thousand yuan. Coupled with their rarity, they were quite attractive to consumers who like to show their individuality and once became synonymous with luxury goods. However, the subsequent development of foldable phones caught the industry by surprise.

The rapid increase in production of foldable OLED screens and the subsequent price crash led to the emergence of affordable foldable phones. Nowadays, some foldable phones are priced at just 2499 yuan, which is comparable to the price of previous-generation domestic flagship phones. Compared to the early prices of over ten thousand yuan, this is indeed a steal, highlighting the rapid technological development of foldable screens and the significant reduction in technical difficulty and cost, making them comparable to ordinary phone displays.

The second-hand market also indicates that foldable phones have long lost their status as premium devices. Foldable phones that once cost over ten thousand yuan are now available for just over a thousand yuan in the second-hand market, a staggering depreciation rate. The low prices in the second-hand market further push down the prices of foldable phones, making them accessible to the general public.

As foldable phones become more accessible to the general public, consumers are not necessarily feeling their benefits. Instead, many are complaining about their drawbacks. Firstly, foldable phones are prone to damage. Earlier, reputable media outlets pointed out that some foldable phones malfunctioned after just two or three months of use, highlighting that they are not as mature as manufacturers claim.

Secondly, the repair costs for foldable phones are exorbitant. The folding screen remains the most expensive component of foldable phones, and it is also the most vulnerable to damage. Repair costs can range from over 2000 to as high as 4000 yuan or more. However, consumers are shocked to find that such screen replacement costs are comparable to or even more expensive than buying a second-hand foldable phone in good condition.

Thirdly, the inconvenience of using foldable phones outweighs their personalization benefits. Many operations on foldable phones require opening the inner folding screen, adding to the user's burden. The development of straight-screen phones is a testament to their convenience, making foldable phones seem like a technological step backward.

As consumers become aware of the drawbacks of foldable phones, the market size for these devices has remained stagnant. Despite prices comparable to ordinary phones, global sales of foldable phones in 2023 amounted to only 18 million units, accounting for less than 2% of the global mobile phone market. This meager share is shared among many mobile phone companies worldwide, indicating a paltry market presence that cannot compete with Apple in terms of scale.

Five years after their introduction, foldable phones have gone from mythical status to a joke. Despite this, some scalpers are still attempting to hype them up again. How can the bubble not burst when market demand is limited? Even with manufacturers claiming low production volumes, it is difficult to create hype around foldable phones, especially when they are now as affordable as cabbages. It is no surprise that the fantasy of making money by hyping foldable phones like Moutai has been shattered. In the second-hand market, some sellers are now offering foldable phones at their original prices, no longer hoping to make a profit.