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.

And now?

Smartphones with foldable screens could represent the next big leap forward in mobile technology, an innovation that will once again inspire enthusiasm for the category. (You need something soon? The developer version of a foldable phone called the Royole FlexPai.) Because in reality, after a year in which most flagship smartphones have only had minor upgrades – and notches – we could all use a little bit of change.

The coming months will be critical for Samsung, which will prepare the product for 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 be keen to ensure that the foldable display is more than a gadget.

"When we deliver a foldable phone, it has to be really meaningful to our customers," said D.J. Koh, Samsung's mobile business manager, 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 over the phone more than what had been said during Wednesday's presentation.

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

So, how are people going to use the bigger screen and the 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 benefit is the larger screen of the tablet, which offers you a better video viewing experience, or more screen for reading a book. Ross Rubin, an analyst at Reticle Research, believes that larger applications written for tablets would do well to be on a larger canvas.

Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies, does not think a ground-breaking application is needed. The tablet-like screen is the main selling point. If Samsung includes an S-Pen pen, the widest screen fits perfectly.

"If you look at the last few years, it would seem that consumers never have enough screen," said Milanesi.

multitasking

Justin Denison, senior vice president of mobile market for Samsung, touted the smartphone's ability to handle three apps at once, a feature called "Multi-Active Window".

Having an extra large screen could allow you to tweet live while watching a live sport or coordinate a meeting place with a friend on Facebook Messenger when Google Maps is turned on. You can also take notes while navigating or during a videoconference call.

This could theoretically replace a laptop, with 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 looks very attractive," said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights.

Best game

With this in mind, a larger screen with two open windows could create a better gaming experience. Half of the display could work Fortnitewhile the other half has a chat window with your teammates.

"Cards and media, as well as games – if game developers optimize their form factor – will certainly become more immersive," said Avi Greengart, an analyst 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 demonstrated that a foldable display could lend itself to new experiences.

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

But the Axon M has presented different applications allowing two players to participate, taking advantage of separate screens at the time of 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 smaller front-panel could be a second screen for multiplayer applications.

An evolution of the devices

Getting consumers to adopt foldable smartphones could lay the foundation for more devices using flexible displays. Mark Hung, an analyst 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.

CNET's Holiday Gift Guide: The place to find the best tech gifts for 2018.

Special Offers Black Friday 2018: The best discounts we have found so far.