Six generations in, foldable phones need cases more than ever

It doesn’t matter how much time passes; cases remain a large part of owning a smartphone. For some it’s for fashion, for others protection.

Foldable phones present unique circumstances for both owners and case makers. Aside from requiring more protection due to their inherently fragile nature, foldables present unique challenges to case manufacturers. After all, splitting your case in half and finding a way to make it adhere to the device isn’t something you usually have to contend with.

But that’s not why I think foldable phones need cases even more than traditional slabs. Cases aren’t only required to cover for foldables’ weaknesses, but to accentuate their strengths. Foldables enable new ways of using our phones, and cases need to adapt to support those uses.

Kickstands are a must

One of the primary benefits of owning a folding phone is that you get a large, expansive display when the device is opened up. For book-style foldables, in particular, this makes them perfect for media consumption. For quick sessions, folding the device halfway will do, but if you want to make the most of your screen, a kickstand is essential.

In the time I’ve owned my Z Fold 4, there have been numerous occasions where my wife and I have taken a long coach journey, and placing the Fold 4 on the tray in front of us on a kickstand has been the perfect way to enjoy a movie (with earbuds, of course — we aren’t monsters).

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After moving home earlier this year, it was a few weeks before I got my Nest smart speakers set up, so the Fold 4 made the kitchen its temporary home. The kickstand built into my case was exactly what I needed, angling the display to follow cooking instructions and listen to music easily.

Drop prevention

Cases have protected phones from drops since their inception, but in the case of flip phones, they can help prevent the drop from ever happening. Flip foldables require opening up more often than other foldables. Cover screens have gotten larger and more usable in recent generations, but if you need to do anything more in-depth than a quick song change or a short reply to a message, you’ll want to flip the phone open.

This, too, has become easier with newer models. Motorola, for example, overhauled the hinge in the 2024 Razr models to make one-handed opening easier. Motorola did a great job, but it can still be difficult for those with small hands.

Samsung introduced ring covers with the Z Flip 3, and for people who need it, this case is a lifesaver. Now, anyone can quickly flip the phone open one-handed without fearing dropping the device to an early demise. Cases like this exist for non-folding phones, and the popularity of pop sockets clearly demonstrates how many people want rings or handles on their phones. The difference here is that they feel like more of a necessity for flip phones, especially if you’re clumsy or have small hands.

Stylus storage

Alright, while the previous two sections have been for foldables at large, this one focuses more on Samsung’s Z Fold phones, as they’re likely the ones you’ll see most often anyway. They’ve been unique ever since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 introduced S Pen support to the company’s foldables, significantly increasing their usefulness.

Sadly, the Fold 3 didn’t have a place to store the S Pen, and none of its three successors have rectified that. Instead, Samsung offers a case for the Z Fold phones that stores the S Pen on the back of the device. It’s better than nothing, but Samsung’s cases often leave much to be desired. They’re expensive, usually get scuffed and marked quickly depending on the color, and lack the all-important kickstand mentioned earlier.

Thankfully, Samsung phones have always benefited from a wide array of third-party support. Spigen, Supcase, UAG, and others all produce cases that provide a kickstand and a place to store the stylus. Until Samsung figures out how to install the S Pen within the chassis, these cases are essential for those of us who enjoy using a stylus with our phone.