Samsung’s Galaxy Fold was delayed so much we were beginning to think it wouldn’t even come out this year. Luckily that all changed last week. If there’s one benefit to the delay – besides, you know, a phone that won’t immediately break – is that it’s also given Samsung and developers some time to optimize software for the world’s most famous bendy phone. Case in point: Samsung says ‘hundreds’ of apps have been optimized for the Galaxy Fold.
Samsung and Google worked closely together to make the Android more flexible for the Galaxy Fold. With Android 10, Google made it easier for apps to resize and added a feature to the Android Emulator that supports switching between multiple displays on the fly. This makies it easier for developers to test how their apps will work on the new form factor.
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The app partners Samsung specifically mentioned include Facebook, Microsoft, Spotify, Twitter, Amazon Prime Video, VSCO, App in the Air, iHeartMedia. It’s not clear to what extent these apps have been optimized; for all we know, all they’re doing is blowing up the app to the proper aspect ratio. Still, folding phones are the future, and it’s about time developers prepared for them.
While it’s not exactly anything new to run multiple apps on a smartphone – Samsung itself has been allowing you to do so for years – the Galaxy Fold’s form factor obviously lends itself to multitasking when used in tablet mode. It might be the catalyst that turns phones from consumption devices to proper creation devices, though we’ll have to see how it plays out once its in user’s hands. The Samsung Galaxy fold is available in Korea and is due to arrive in other regions later this month.
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