# Flexible devices · Digital Trends 2021 · Zorraquino
> The return of flexible devices and multi-screen versatility.
URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/flexible-devices

![Flexible devices: The return of flexible devices and multi-screen versatility.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0w1142l8/production/df8b14586fc9d22ed4904a61584d3d074431de29-1920x1074.webp/flexible-devices-the-return-of-flexible-devices-and-multi-screen-versatility.webp?w=1600&fit=max&auto=format&q=85)

Trend 02

# Flexible devices

1. [Digital Trends 2021Home](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021)
2. [Trend 01Optimize video](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/optimize-video)
3. [Trend 02Flexible devices](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/flexible-devices)
4. [Trend 03Deepfaked media](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/deepfaked-media)
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9. [Trend 08Livestreaming boom](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/livestreaming-boom)
10. [Trend 09Automation tools](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/automation-tools)
11. [Trend 10Digital loneliness](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/digital-loneliness)

Flexible devices

The return of flexible devices and multi-screen versatility.

Trend axes

- Foldable
- Extensible
- Bigger screen
- Social recognition

Some figures

82%

Of respondents to a pcmag.com survey of 11,734 people in the United States said they had no plans to buy a foldable device.

8-10%

Maximum estimated share that foldable devices will reach in their respective markets by 2023, according to consumer technology analyst Tim Bajarin.

31%

Of pcmag.com respondents consider a more compact device to be the main benefit of foldable smartphones.

45-54

Age bracket of the users most likely to buy foldable devices, according to pcmag.com, as they have greater purchasing power.

## Everything comes back

Rapid changes in smartphones and the evolving display technology of these devices are once again creating new opportunities for the growth of the foldable screen market.

However, with growing demand for consumer electronics and high adoption in the entertainment and gaming sector, the foldable smartphone market is expected to grow steadily.

After their first forays, their take-off was held back mainly by the high costs associated with the technology. Even so, we seem to be witnessing the second generation of mainstream foldable devices, after a first round of trial and error that revealed room for improvement in hinges, resistance, durability…

Even so, forecasts for the coming years are still tentative. That said, some of the leading tech players are already patenting their new design architecture for foldable or extensible devices, which could be the spearhead for their definitive take-off.

## Cases

01 / 03

Zorraquino spotlights

1. 01  
The versatility of these devices is a challenge for digital experience design, given the extending, folding and rolling interactions they can offer.
2. 02  
Although for now this is not a mainstream product, the aim could be to attract early adopters in order to bring it to the masses.
3. 03  
Changing market dynamics, tech advances and product updates have supported the market in recent years, and are expected to keep doing so in the future.

Zorraquino playlist

- Crystal DaysEcho & the Bunnymen · 1984
- Synchronicity IThe Police · 1982
- La chica de plexiglásAviador Dró · 1983

[See the whole playlist](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/playlist)[Listen on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/59NooVXWi9gM1raA06ojfr)

## More on the trend

### References

- [This Is What Americans Think of Foldable Smartphones](https://www.pcmag.com/news/this-is-what-americans-think-of-foldable-smartphones)
- [El próximo flagship de LG será su smartphone con pantalla que se estira, según reporte: llegará en marzo, al nivel de la serie LG V](https://www.xataka.com.mx/celulares-y-smartphones/proximo-flagship-lg-sera-su-smartphone-pantalla-que-se-estira-reporte-llegara-marzo-al-nivel-serie-lg-v)
- [LG to outsource Velvet 2 production next year](http://www.thelec.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=1789)
- [Is There A Market For Foldable Smartphones And Laptops?](https://www.forbes.com/sites/timbajarin/2020/08/04/is-there-a-market-for-foldable-smartphones-and-laptops/?sh=79302a4f1d27)
- [Surface Duo: Microsoft anuncia el precio de su móvil plegable y estará disponible a partir de septiembre (en Estados Unidos)](https://www.xataka.com/moviles/surface-duo-microsoft-anuncia-precio-su-movil-plegable-estara-disponible-a-partir-septiembre-estados-unidos)
- [Like It Or Not, The Future Is Full Of Foldables](https://www.forbes.com/sites/moorinsights/2020/02/17/like-it-or-not-the-future-is-full-of-foldables/?sh=50a65c67766f)
- [El futuro de los smartphones plegables son pantallas enrollables y que se doblan en tres partes, según estos diseños de Samsung](https://www.xataka.com.mx/celulares-y-smartphones/futuro-smartphones-plegables-pantallas-enrollables-que-se-doblan-tres-partes-estos-disenos-samsung)
- [일상 속 디스플레이의 발견 21편: 멀티 폴더블 디스플레이로 새로운 세계를 펼쳐보다.](https://news.samsungdisplay.com/25175)
- [Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: pantallas más grandes con agujero, tasa de refresco de 120 Hz y con S-Pen integrado, según filtraciones](https://www.xataka.com.mx/celulares-y-smartphones/samsung-galaxy-fold-2-pantallas-grandes-agujero-tasa-refresco-120-hz-s-pen-integrado-filtraciones)
- [Foldable smartphone market - Growth, trends and forecast (2020 - 2025)](https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/foldable-smartphone-market)
- [Foldable Display Market Size By Application](https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/foldable-display-market)
- [Apple is reportedly prototyping foldable iPhone screens](https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/15/22233644/foldable-iphone-apple-screens-report)
- [Apple Considers Foldable iPhone; Minor Changes Planned for 2021 Models](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-15/apple-considers-foldable-iphone-minor-changes-planned-for-2021-models)
- [Google plans to release a foldable Pixel in late 2021, according to leaked document](https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21356760/foldable-google-pixel-q4-2021-leaked-internal-document-5-5a-4a-5g)
- [Leaked Android document points to Google Pixel 5a, foldable Pixel, and more in the pipeline](https://9to5google.com/2020/08/05/google-pixel-foldable-leaked-document/)
- [Meet the expandable phone: Here's how Oppo's rollable display solves crease problem](https://www.zdnet.com/article/meet-the-expandable-phone-heres-how-oppos-rollable-display-solves-crease-problem/)
- [Samsung’s New Foldable Comes Close To Perfection](https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobodonnell/2020/09/03/samsungs-new-foldable-comes-close-to-perfection/?sh=674a25395981)
- [Samsung’s high-end smartphones signal the innovation it has in store for the rest of its products, analyst says](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/14/samsung-high-end-smartphones-signal-companys-innovation.html)
- [Ahead Of The Curve: Shaping The Future With Foldable Technology](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/07/08/ahead-of-the-curve-shaping-the-future-with-foldable-technology/?sh=7792fe52837b)

Pages 22–36 of the report

[![Deepfaked media: Synthetic media fuel a zero-trust society.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0w1142l8/production/2159bd6a8327a197da0002898f3799ee9e598fd1-1920x916.webp/deepfaked-media-synthetic-media-fuel-a-zero-trust-society.webp?w=1600&fit=max&auto=format&q=85)](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/deepfaked-media)

Next trend · 03

[Deepfaked media](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/trends/digital-trends-2021/deepfaked-media)
