📂 Foldable Web: Responsive design challenges for a new wave of foldable/dual screens

After years of talk, experimentation, and plateauing smartphone sales, foldable devices are finally entering the market. Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola have all released phones with foldable screens, and tinkering away behind the scenes the likes of Apple aren’t far behind. The ‘foldable web’ is coming.

They highlight potential issues with foldable devices, including:

• Variety of hardware in the foldable market.
  Some devices are seamless while others aren’t, and their shapes vary wildly. The Windows Surface Duo and Galaxy Fold are both shaped like books - one with a seam and one without. The seamless Motorola Razr harkens back to the flip-phones of old, with the two ‘halves’ of the screen closer to squares than rectangles. Consider as well that it’s surely only a matter of time before a three-part foldable appears on the scene. With so much variety in the shape and size of foldables it’s important to target a _class _of device rather than specific hardware.
• ‘Fold area’ functionality.
  The miracle of foldable screens has required a few sacrifices. A major one is the potential awkwardness of the screen(s) near the fold. Content positioned on or across the seam of a partially folded screen may be difficult to view or interact with. Books and magazines tend to avoid printing content across their folds; the same will likely hold true for foldable screens. What’s more, some usability tests have suggested touchscreen responsiveness isn’t as reliable on foldables.

Full article:

What Does A Foldable Web Actually Mean? — Smashing Magazine

Foldable devices have brought with them talk of a ‘foldable web,’ and the idea that long-standing web conventions may be on the verge of a serious shakeup. Is it all hype, or is it time to get flexible?

www.smashingmagazine.com

 

[Sharkie]

Ahhhh I'm slightly scared for when I have to design for foldable devices. Because I just know I'll have something inaccessible right on the fold. 😳

Ever since they started coming out with them I've just been like "oh god, oh no, smart watches are bad enough to consider, what is this new wizardry".

But nah, it'll be finnneeeeee.

 

[adam]

Everyone needs to go back to exclusively using 800x600 monitors.

 

[Mike Rees]

Yeah I think this is where I'm gonna bow out. The moment this becomes a requirement for design I'm gonna look for a managerial role where I can hire someone to do it for me. It was hard enough moving away from tables for layout 😟

 

[Sharkie]

Everyone needs to go back to exclusively using 800x600 monitors.

GET OFF OF MY LAWN says the 22 year old

 

[Sharkie]

GET OFF OF MY LAWN says the 22 year old

(In reality, I'll probably get used to it quite quickly. But ILL COMPLAIN FOR NOW DAMN IT)

 

[TGDesigns]

Plot twist only put content on one side of the fold, take that future people!

 

[JacobHegwood]

Get ready for 10 years of your parents calling and asking why they can't see your pictures on facebook.

 

[kilian]

I don't think this'll become as big of a thing as Microsoft is pretending it is. But we'll see!