Back in 2021 I wrote that foldable phones were a disappointment, other than the novelty of a screen that bends, offers no revolution in how we use phones on a daily basis. They are totally fine. But once you get over the initial fun of the tweaks, they’re really just another Android phone. The problem is that with sizes and aspect ratios that are less common in today’s foldable devices, apps and games don’t work properly. The audience is small, and developers are not motivated to put the time, effort, and cost into developing their apps for individual shapes and sizes.
But Google might change that soon enough, by the way A foldable Pixel phone is rumored Which may be shown at the Google I / O conference in May. The company is in a unique place to address software concerns while creating attractive handsets that don’t break the bank.
To be clear, I love foldable phones. I especially like the larger “book fold” models such as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 And honor magic vs, which transforms from a regular-sized phone into a device roughly the size of a tablet, providing more screen space for videos, games, and documents. I remember when I got the first generation Galaxy Fold and felt the real excitement of seeing the screen curve in the middle. And I remember several strangers stopping by and asking to see it when I used it in public—with one bartender so fond of my demonstration that he returned the favor with a free beer. a result.
The Galaxy Z Fold series’ larger internal screen is great for watching videos.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Read more: The best foldable phones to buy in 2023
But software is still where foldable phones lag behind. Android is primarily designed for regular Candybar smartphones, which are usually between 6 inches and 6.8 inches in size and have standard aspect ratios like 16:9. In other words, phones like Galaxy S23 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro Taking full advantage of Android, app developers design their apps for these same form factors. Why? Since they are the most used sizes and hence their applications will be optimized for the largest number of devices.
Android 12 l And 13 Addressed some size issues, but not all apps are optimized and either leave very blank screen space or have to stretch awkwardly to fit the screen. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a long and narrow aspect ratio of 23.1:9 on the outside and a larger squared dimensions of 21.6:18 for the interior screen — two non-standard sizes that developers need to account for. And just that One device.
Huawei’s foldable Mate X was one of the earlier foldable phones we’ve seen.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
It’s the same problem of Android fragmentation that has plagued the platform from the start: Too many different devices mean that it’s hard for developers to build them. Apple’s strategy of having smaller display sizes and nearly identical aspect ratios meant that it was usually the easiest platform for developers to work on. But Google has worked hard over the years to make Android an easier field to play in, and it could do the same for foldable devices.
So could the foldable Pixel phone be just another device that developers struggle with? Maybe not. If Google is committed to foldable screen technology in its lineup, it’s safe to assume we’ll see some major updates in Android tailored to foldable phones and different form factors. I’d like to see software that does a better job of automatically resizing apps, dual screen when using a large screen like the Z Fold 4 or create more tricks into virtual apps that take advantage of internal and external screens.
The long and narrow dimensions of the Galaxy Z Flip present another dilemma for developers.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Moreover, Google will likely work closely with its major developer partners like Samsung, helping them not only improve their existing apps for foldable devices, but also create entirely new ones that can only be done with phones of this type. These partnerships will be crucial to helping Google create a compelling first-generation foldable, especially since non-foldable Pixel phones account for just over 2% of the smartphone market share in the US, according to analytics firm StatCounter. By comparison, Samsung has roughly 30% of the US share.
Pixel phones tend to offer an excellent Android experience packed into good hardware that costs hundreds less than the flagship iPhone or Galaxy S. Google partnerships will be key to getting a foldable Pixel affordable. A cheaper price is essential to gain a larger audience which will motivate developers to create many times more apps.
There are a lot of “ifs” and “cans”, and we don’t know for sure if Google will release a collapsible. We also don’t know if Google has a strategy to encourage adoption by working with developers. Google will also have to rely on more than just its iconic name to catapult the category into the big leagues. Let’s not forget that Microsoft Surface Duo 2 It’s not quite ubiquitous, nor is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold.
But I’m still hopeful, if only I needed to. Standard smartphones are becoming increasingly dull and repetitive. For someone who writes about phones for a living, that’s a problem. Collapsible files offer the chance to do things in a different and more exciting way, but it’s up to Google whether or not the category thrives.