Have you heard about the upcoming folding phone from the Samsung brand? Well, Samsung’s new entry in this completely new domain was launched with swansong. And not only it has generated quite an interest amongst the users, but it provides a different level playing field for developers as well.
Foldable Smartphones – Setting New Trends
Still in the infant stage, there is a lot that is to come related to the folding smartphones. What will be their functionality, how these are going to be feature specific for the users. How the new interface will be leveraged by the developers and businesses? There is a lot that is still in the discussion stage.
While the coming future will see more and more brands foraying into the foldable phone ecosystem, professional app developers and businesses are keeping a close watch on the technology, setting up ways to create apps for the foldable smartphones in order to reach the new segment of users.
How Foldable Smartphone Market is Expected to Grow in the Near Future?
Here are some interesting stats to consider:
- By the end of 2023, the penetration of foldable smartphones is going to be 5 percent of the total smartphone consumers, as per a report by the Gartner.
- Foldable smartphones are one of the most anticipated technologies in the smartphone segment.
Foldable phones are going to be a premium device, and as per that, businesses and brands are expected to deliver high-grade in features and functionality with the apps for foldable phones.
How the Apps Will have to Adopt to the Foldable Smartphone Technology?
As you can anticipate, a foldable phone will provide users with double interface. Suppose a user is on the move, and they start a video on the folded, small screen, and when they reach their premise they unfold the device and uncover more immersive and larger size video interface. Thereby, the apps will have to adapt to this, seamlessly transferring the video from the small screen to the larger one.
This is one aspect, and you can expect to see much more in the emerging ways apps will have to adapt and transform to the world of mobile apps.
How the App Development Process is Going to Get Impacted by Foldable smartphones?
1. Video Streaming Apps
As we have mentioned above, the transformation from the small screen size to the larger one will be a feature. And the developers will be required to add more features and functionality in video streaming.
2. Changes in Other App Categories
You will be able to open a month in a calendar app on a single screen, rather than a week. Users will also be able to read emails or check messages while checking a document in a business app. In fact opening up different account information in a single screen could also be a possibility.
3. Big Scope for Content Creators
Enhanced features and functionality, along with the facility to toggle between different apps will provide a big boost to the content creators.
4. Multiple-Window App Functionality
– Developers will be required to function seamlessly, have high aspect ratios, and multiple orientations.
– Multiple window app configuration will mean more complication and more test cases.
– The time to develop multiple-window apps will take more time and costing to develop.
How Developers will have to Adapt Development Process to the Foldable Screens?
1. Design for Folded and Unfolded Screen
Now the design process for the app is all about different single-screen size devices. Now the design considerations will have to include the different states as well.
2. 1 and 2 Handed Design Interface
In the folded mode, the size will be smaller and users would be able to use the device by one hand, while in unfolded state both the hands will be required to operate the device. Thereby, important UI/UX facets and elements will have to be adapted accordingly.
3. Screen Change
Moving from small to the large screen, apps, especially the video apps will be expected to function in continuity without any app flow ambiguity.
4. Multi-Window Life Cycle
Designers and developers will be required to look at the multi-window facet effectively, ensuring multi-window tasking effortlessly for the users, with dynamic resizing of the apps a standard norm.
5. New Screen Ratios
The apps need to be developed in a way that these are able to handle low and high ratios effectively, and this has to be tested thoroughly during the development stage.
To create the right fit and functional apps for foldable smartphones, a quality android app development company and iOS developers will be required to evolve their development process and consider all the above stated aspects along with multi-display functionality, and conduct foldable device and app testing at all the stages.
