06-19-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

The journey to a no-compromise foldable smartphone

Diverse form factors recognize the different ways users want to rely on their phones.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

The first chapter in the smartphone’s history was a story of consolidation. In a triumph of engineering and convenience, the camera, music player, and computer all converged into a single, seamless slab of glass. This uniformity created a universal platform and a common language for the digital age, connecting billions of people across the world.

The smartphone’s monolithic design trained us to work, create, and connect within the confines of a handheld rectangle. It subtly shaped everything from user behavior to app development, creating a “one-size-fits-all” experience........

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