For Samsung foldable phones, groundbreaking apps would seal the deal

Samsung's high-profile collapsible smartphone is very real. We all had a brief overview (and dimly lit) earlier this week. According to Samsung, next year she will find herself on the market.

Smartphones with folding screens could represent the next big leap forward in mobile technology, an innovation that will once again inspire us with the category. (You need something? A small startup that will be released in December is the developer version of a collapsible phone called Royole FlexPai .) For, let's face it, after a year during which most flagship smartphones have become minors. upgrades – and notches – we could all use a little bit of change.

The coming months will be crucial for Samsung in the preparation of its product to consumers. But equally important will be the way developers will take advantage of the unique design, which switches a smaller front screen, but opens like a book to reveal a larger, tablet-like screen.

That's why Samsung chose to unveil the device at its annual developer conference. These programmers will ensure that the foldable screen is more than a gadget.

"When we deliver a foldable phone, it has to be really useful for our customers," said DJ Koh, head of Samsung's mobile business, in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the Galaxy A9 last month . "If the user experience does not live up to my expectations, I do not want to offer this type of product."

Samsung was not available to comment the phone over the phone beyond what had been said during Wednesday's presentation.

It does not hurt that technology has the support of Google, which has promised that Android supports foldable devices . Dave Burke, vice president of Android engineering at Google, said he was expecting to see collapsible devices from several Android manufacturers.

How will users use the largest screen and two screens? While the killer app may still be pounding in the minds of some savvy developers, here are some preliminary ideas on how to take advantage of Samsung's so-called "Galaxy F"

. More screen

The most obvious advantage is the larger tablet. the display, which gives you a better video viewing experience or more screen to read a book. Ross Rubin, an badyst at Reticle Research, believes that larger applications written for tablets would do well to be on a larger canvas.

Carolina Milanesi, an badyst at Creative Strategies, does not think a revolutionary application is needed – a tablet-like display is the main selling point. If Samsung incorporates an S-Pen pen, the largest of the screens should be an ideal sketchbook.

"If you look in recent years, it would seem that consumers never have enough screen," said Milanesi. 19659016] Justin Denison, vice president of Samsung's mobile market, praised the smartphone's ability to manage three apps at once, a feature called "Multi-Active Window".

The very large screen could allow you to tweet live while watching live sports or coordinate a meeting place with a friend on Facebook Messenger when Google Maps is activated. You can also take notes while navigating or during a videoconference call.

This could theoretically replace a laptop, half of the screen serving as a large virtual keyboard and Microsoft Word occupying the top half.

"The idea of ​​only putting this device in my pocket and not having to carry a backpack seems very appealing," said Patrick Moorhead, an badyst at Moor Insights.

A Better Game

In this sense, a larger display with two open windows could create a better gaming experience. Half of the display could work Fortnite while the other half has a chat window with your teammates.

"Cards, media and games – if game developers optimize their form factor – will certainly be more immersive," said Avi Greengart, an badyst at Global Data.

Multi-User Experience

While the ZTE Axon M turned out to be more of a quirky experience than a game changer, the "foldable" phone showed well how a foldable display could lend itself to new experiences.

The Axon M uses two screens – one at the front and a second at the back – that fold out to form a single larger screen (with however an unsightly border in the middle) – the design is different from Samsung.

But Axon M introduced different applications allowing two players to participate, taking advantage of separate screens during the closing. One was a battleship type game that allowed two players to access separate screens. Another application was a photo application with a video or pictures of a cute animal on the front display to draw your child's attention to the perfect photo.

Samsung does not use a screen that unfolds, but its own front screen, smaller, could be a second screen for multiplayer applications.

The Evolution of Appliances

Encouraging consumers to adopt foldable smartphones could pose the basic problem for more devices using flexible displays. Mark Hung, an badyst at Gartner, sees smartphones as a gateway for devices to wear on the wrist and beyond, including screens directly on clothing, hairstyles and accessories.

"I'm expecting them to find more uses in wearable models," Hung said.

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