Even after reading the entire article head to toe, I can't understand that people would pay over 1K for a phone. So what if it folds? Is it a social status thing? do people go around showing it off? (honestly, I haven't seen that)

I bought a used HTC One M9 about 2 years ago, refurbished for 80$ and it does every I could ever want with a phone: online browsing, hacker news, apps, great graphics/sound. None of the apps are laggy. there doesn't seem to be any downside at all. Admittedly the battery is weak, but then so are most of the new phones.