If I still lived in Oregon I might wonder why a commute bike needs suspension of any kind, front or rear. I now commute in NYC and there are some stretches of pavement where I can barely get in two consecutive pedal strokes because I am so busy bouncing out of one road irregularity into the next. I used to think like a previous poster that suspension robbed energy from the drivetrain but I now believe that a properly set up suspension (not too soft) will 'aid' pedaling efficiency if only because it frees the rider more to focus on pedaling and steering and less on picking the least punishing line through a particular stretch of pavement and minimizes time spent out of the saddle. Why do we have gears? Some argue that a single speed is all they need. Fine, but I like having not to have to ride all the time in a 75" gear, the top gear on my 1/2way. In fact I'd like even more gears than the seven that I now have.
All of the reasons given above for using suspension are valid. The reason suspension is not in wider use is cost, period, end of story. As the cost of suspension components comes down you will see their use in more bicycles, folders included. For folders the existing suspension designs have to be further miniaturized and this has slowed their appearance at all price points of the folder marketplace but the revolution is coming. Disk brakes f/r are still head turning on full size bikes, they won't be in another season. A disk brake design is ideal for all kinds of folders but especially appropriate for the single blade fork and rear triangle design of the Giant 1/2way. It will take additional time for folder designers to incorporate these new options in their creations. Do you think it won't happen? I don't. All in all its not a bad time to be a folder fanatic.
H