I’ve used foldable phones for months — here are four software issues I noticed

I’ve been day by day driving a book-style foldable telephone for the previous few months now, and I don’t wish to return to a standard candybar telephone. Watching movies, studying manga, and looking the net are all way more snug to do on the interior display of a book-style foldable than on a candybar telephone. Unfortunately, my expertise with the software program on the 2 book-style foldables I’ve used to this point — the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the OnePlus Open — hasn’t been good, and it’s not due to something Samsung or OnePlus has accomplished.I’m certain you’ve heard reviewers say that many apps aren’t “optimized” but for foldables, however what precisely do they imply by that?  Left: OnePlus Open. Right: Google Pixel 8 Pro. (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)Broadly talking, there are 4 classes of software program points that I’ve recognized whereas utilizing book-style foldable telephones. These embody dimension, structure, consciousness, and benefit. I’ll clarify what I imply by every of those and in addition speak about how Google and OEMs are working to handle them.My first challenge: DimensionIf you evaluate the variety of candybar Android telephones which can be available on the market versus the variety of large-screen Android units (which incorporates tablets, foldables, and Chromebooks able to operating Android apps), you’ll discover that the previous far exceeds the latter. That’s why it’s no shock that the overwhelming majority of builders deal with optimizing their Android apps for candybar telephones first. If they’ve the time and assets, they might optimize their app for bigger screens, however many builders don’t.Developers that don’t or can’t optimize their apps have two choices: Block the app from operating on units with bigger screens or lock the app into portrait orientation. The first choice would shut out some potential customers, so many builders select not to try this. The second choice lets these customers entry the app, though they might should flip their system 90° to truly use it. Apps like BeReal, Authy, Venmo, Zipcar, Lyft, Delta, Chase, and Amex lock themselves to portrait orientation, for instance.By default, the Threads app is locked to portrait mode on the OnePlus Open.  (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)It’s clearly not ideally suited that there are such a lot of apps that aren’t optimized for panorama orientation, however forcing builders to tweak their apps to help what could also be a comparatively small variety of customers isn’t one thing Google can justify. Instead, Google discovered an answer that lets OEMs override an app’s orientation choice whereas nonetheless displaying the app in its supposed side ratio.At a system degree, OEMs can override an app’s orientation choice, permitting them to be proven in panorama mode. By default, this locations the app in a letterbox surrounded by grey bars, however you may stretch the app to fill the display if you’d like. In Samsung’s One UI, that is accomplished by going to Settings > Advanced options > Labs > Landscape view for portrait apps. In OxygenOS/ColorOS, that is accomplished by going to Settings > Main display > Display dimension. Finally, in inventory Android, that is accomplished by navigating to Settings > Apps > Aspect ratio.The Threads app compelled into panorama mode on the OnePlus Open. (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)While overriding the orientation choice and side ratio of an app solves some issues, it results in different issues or just doesn’t handle some current points. These points should do with the app’s structure. My second challenge: StructureBy structure, I’m referring to the location of UI parts inside an app, similar to buttons, tabs, textual content, and pictures. Many apps designed for candybar telephones use a backside navigation bar, i.e., a row of buttons on the backside that lets customers navigate to completely different screens within the app. These buttons are shut sufficient collectively on candybar telephones that they’re simple to achieve with out stretching your thumb, however they’re tougher to achieve when the app is stretched to fill the display on units with a lot wider screens. The resolution to this downside is for the app to modify to a aspect navigation rail when it’s opened on a tool with a bigger display.Here are some screenshots displaying Gmail on a candybar telephone with a backside navigation bar, Gmail stretched to fill the display of a book-style foldable however with a backside navigation bar, and at last, Gmail optimized for giant screens with a aspect navigation rail:Left to proper: Gmail on a candybar telephone type issue with a backside navigation bar, Gmail stretched to fill the display of a book-style foldable however with a backside navigation bar, and Gmail optimized for giant screens with a aspect navigation rail.  (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)In-app navigation isn’t the one structure problem to contemplate. Book-style foldables, when unfolded, have sufficient display house to accommodate two panes of content material, but most apps solely present a single pane of content material at a time. Often, this leads to textual content and pictures being unnecessarily stretched to suit your entire width of the interior show, similar to within the case of the X app.Creating a two-pane structure requires some work on the a part of the app developer, after all. Many Google apps, similar to Gmail, as proven above, have a two-pane structure, however most apps from different builders don’t. Some OEMs have applied options that pressure choose apps to open in a two-pane structure, however this solely works with apps which have a multiple-activity structure, because the system primarily forces these apps to help Android’s “activity embedding” function. However, these sorts of options should be particularly coded to help sure apps, so that you’ll discover that one OEM’s OS can pressure a two-pane structure in a single app whereas one other OEM’s OS can’t. A key instance of that is X, which could be compelled right into a two-pane structure on the Honor Magic V2 however not on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 or OnePlus Open. The LinkedIn app compelled right into a two pane structure by OxygenOS (Settings > Main display > Dual Windows).  (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)Stock Android, sadly, has no resolution to this downside. Google’s reply is to supply builders the instruments they should create a two-pane structure, no matter whether or not their app follows fashionable Android growth (MAD) tips.Another layout-related challenge is that, even when the app on paper does all the appropriate issues to help large-screen units, it doesn’t present customers that optimized structure by default. Those Gmail screenshots I shared earlier had been all taken on the OnePlus Open, first on the outer show, second on the interior show in its default portrait orientation, and lastly on the interior show when flipped over to panorama orientation. The OnePlus Open, in addition to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, has a a lot narrower interior display side ratio in comparison with the Google Pixel Fold, which implies its pure orientation when unfolded is portrait.This means you don’t should flip the telephone 90° to cope with portrait-locked apps, nevertheless it additionally signifies that apps with a big display optimized structure, like Discord and Gmail, gained’t present you that structure until you flip the telephone 90°.Image 1 of twoDiscord on the OnePlus Open when unfolded in its pure portrait orientation.(Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)Discord on the OnePlus Open when unfolded and flipped to panorama orientation.(Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)My third challenge: ConsciousnessThis subsequent challenge is much more minor in comparison with the earlier two, nevertheless it’s one thing that’s occurred to me typically sufficient that I have to carry it up. There are some things that apps have to do to turn into “foldable aware,” and certainly one of them is to deal with the change in show dimension that occurs when the consumer folds or unfolds their system.Unfortunately, I’ve seen that some apps, like Discord, don’t deal with this configuration change gracefully. For instance, I’ve typically discovered that the ship button is hidden off-screen after I fold the system whereas Discord is open. To resurface this button, I’ve to shut out of the app after which reopen it. Discord’s ship button is usually hidden off display on the OnePlus Open when folding/unfolding the system. This additionally occurs on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.  (Image credit score: Mishaal Rahman / Android Central)Many foldables even have a hinge angle sensor that apps can take heed to to regulate their UI primarily based on the folded state of the system. Very few apps make the most of the hinge angle sensor, although. YouTube is one instance of an app that does. When the system is half-opened, YouTube’s Premium controls are proven on the backside half of the display whereas the video is proven on the high half.My final challenge: AdvantageSpeaking of apps profiting from options solely discovered on foldables, the final challenge I wished to focus on is that only a few apps are profiting from the truth that foldables have two shows. The Pixel Fold’s Dual Screen Interpreter mode allows you to present translated textual content on the outer show and the unique textual content on the interior show. This function wasn’t out there on the Pixel Fold at launch, nonetheless, because it depends on new capabilities launched in Android 14.Dual Screen Interpreter Mode on the Pixel Fold.  (Image credit score: Google)Fortunately, Android 14 makes it attainable for different apps to make the most of each screens on a foldable, so hopefully extra apps get up to date to make the most of this distinctive side of foldable telephones. Book-style foldable telephones tick all the appropriate packing containers for me, and regardless of these points, I don’t see myself carrying a daily candybar telephone as my private system anytime quickly. Once book-style foldables drop in worth and turn into extra mainstream, I’m hoping their elevated reputation will encourage builders to optimize their apps.Until then, in case you’re trying to decide up a book-style foldable just like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel Fold, or OnePlus Open, then you need to be conscious of the problems I discussed on this article and the potential workarounds which can be out there or are in growth.