Devices have become foldable from experimental to essential. But what used to seem like futuristic prototypes are now in the hands of users in smartphones, tablets, and bend, fold, and flex hybrid laptops. Samsung, Google, Microsoft, and Motorola are all heavily invested in this form factor. That kind of investment is a signal of more than a passing trend. Foldables are making a permanent place for themselves in the consumer electronics market.
Still, the real change isn’t just hardware. It’s how software responds. Foldables challenge long-standing UI/UX design services. Static rectangles don’t work when the screen itself changes shape. Postures, angles, hinges, and states are now the norm for apps to adapt to. They also need to do this without breaking flow, losing state, or affecting usability.
For designing foldables you have to move your focus from responsive design to adaptive experience. That’s why one needs to build applications that are able to switch transitions, context changes, and device modes as comfortably as possible.
Foldables Redefine the Interaction Model
There are various configurations of foldable devices. Some fold inward like a book, others outward. They come with one flexible display or two separate screens connected by a hinge. The Galaxy Z Fold is a tablet when it opens. The Z Flip folds vertically into a compact form. The Surface Duo is Microsoft’s split-screen content across two physical panels.
These aren’t just cosmetic changes. The change in how users hold, interact, and navigate content is all a part of them. Mid-session, it turns into a tablet. It is a device that stands upright like a tent. The one half might show video, the other might handle input. Dynamic usage states come with foldables, those states impact layout structure and even the size of tap targets.
As a result, design needs to evolve. Traditional breakpoints based on screen width no longer suffice. You’re designing for:
- Continuous transitions between folded and unfolded states
- Devices are used in multiple orientations and angles
- Screens interrupted by hinges or folds
- Postures that influence how users interact with the UI
Your application needs to detect and respond to these changes without friction.
From Responsive to Adaptive: What That Really Means?
The layout varies based on screen size with a responsive design. That hasn’t changed in over a decade, and it matters. But it doesn’t go far enough.
We live in an era of foldable, and therefore, adaptivity is all-important, and our design practices must include thinking in the context beyond screen width. An adaptive experience doesn’t just reflow content, it rethinks what content is shown, where, and how users interact with it.
Here’s how adaptive differs from responsive:
- It is responsive: It reorganizes the layout according to fixed breakpoints (desktop, tablet, mobile).
- Dynamically adjusts layout, interactions, and hierarchy to fit device posture, hinge location, fold state, and use case.
With foldables, the user experience can change during the session. The adaptive design adapts to that shift in real time.
Why Adaptive Design Drives Real-World Usability?
Foldables open a new door for use cases, and the quality of your app’s adaptation is what will make or break the experience. Consider these examples:
- The user reads an article in folded mode and then unfolds the device to go to a split page view. Scroll position should be retained and the layout should expand instantly with no reloads and no visual glitching.
- The device is propped up in an L shape on a tray table with the top half watching videos and the bottom half browsing bookings. This should be detected by your app and it should serve content accordingly, with clear separation between visual and interactive zones.
- Two apps are run side by side by a business user, and he drags attachments from one panel to another. The device loses utility if your layout isn’t flexible or if drag and drop fails across panes.
In these moments, adaptive UX is not a nice to have. It’s table stakes. When you get it right, your users will notice and abandon your app.
Core Principles for Foldable UX
1. Prioritize Continuity Across States
A user should not lose progress when they unfold or rotate a device. App continuity means:
- Preserving scroll position
- Maintaining form inputs and focus
- Preventing unnecessary reloads or layout breaks
Handle changes gracefully using lifecycle-aware components and configuration management. Jetpack WindowManager is designed for this purpose. On the web, you’ll have to manage state persistently across orientation and size events.
2. Design for Posture, Not Just Size
The supported postures in foldables are flat, folded, tabletop, and tented. Each posture impacts user interaction. Design with that in mind:
- Do not place key UI elements near the hinge
- Adjust content flow using posture detection APIs
- Each mode should have different interaction zones.
As an example, if you have controls in an L shape, move them to the lower half and leave the upper half for display. This is consistent with how users hold and view the device.
3. Support Split-Screen and Multitasking
Most foldable users use their device as a mini workspace. Split-screen multitasking is expected to work as well on a desktop as it does now.
To support this:
- Create resizable layouts that respond to window resizing
- Use layout containers that reflow dynamically.
- Do not have hardcoded widths or fixed pixel values.
Additionally, think about what use cases your app will be present alongside. When the available screen real estate is reduced by half, make sure your primary interactions still work fine.
4. Account for the Hinge Zone
On dual-screen devices such as the Surface Duo, the hinge is a permanent feature. It splits the UI and can break tap targets if not careful.
Your design should:
- Consider each screen as a separate panel
- Don’t place controls near or across the hinge
- But use the hinge as a boundary, not a divider.
For instance, list views on one panel and detail views on the other are natural. See the two screens as complementary, not as fragmented.
5. Use Progressive Disclosure
In compact mode, users don’t want clutter. They expect more in the expanded view. Progressive disclosure comes in here.
Start with essentials in folded mode:
- Key actions
- Core content
- Minimal navigation
Then, show additional options, tools, or sidebars in expanded states. It allows users to stay focused when there is little space but empowered when there is a lot.
Tools and Frameworks for Foldable Development
Both hardware makers and OS platforms have released SDKs tailored for foldable. These resources help streamline development and ensure consistent behaviour across devices.
1. Jetpack Window Manager
Detects posture, hinge area, and layout changes on Android App Developers. Enables responsive adaptation at the OS level.
2. Samsung Flex Mode SDK
Supports dual-view experiences—like video on top and controls on the bottom. Also handles posture detection and mode switching.
3. Microsoft Surface Duo SDK
Offers emulation tools, hinge awareness, and APIs for dual-screen layouts. Built to replicate real-world interactions.
4. Flutter Foldable Support
Community-driven support that brings foldable design to Flutter apps. Still emerging, but growing rapidly. Using these tools ensures your app behaves predictably across form factors—and reduces the overhead of managing custom logic for each device.
What does a Great Foldable Experience look like?
The best foldable apps don’t just function—they feel intuitive. A few examples stand out:
1. Kindle (Galaxy Z Fold)
Automatically switches from single-page to two-page spread when unfolded. Mimics the experience of reading a physical book.
2. Outlook (Surface Duo)
Uses one panel for the inbox and the other for reading. This mirrors desktop UX and speeds up email triage.
3. YouTube (Flex Mode)
In tent mode, the video plays on the upper screen while controls and comments stay on the lower half, ideal for hands-free viewing.
Each of these apps shows what’s possible when adaptive design is done well. The experience is fluid, natural, and purpose-built for the device.
Why Invest in Foldable UX Today?
While foldables are still early in the adoption curve, growth is accelerating. IDC predicts that foldable shipments will reach over 48 million units per year by 2026. It’s a fast-growing, high-value user base.
Now, designing for foldable gives your product a competitive edge:
- You are unique in an oversaturated app market.
- You attract users who want innovation
- You create a solid foundation for future-ready design
With Android now supporting native foldable in 12L, 13, and beyond, there’s no technical reason to delay. The infrastructure is in place.
Designing for the Next Wave of Flexible Tech: What’s Coming
Foldables are just step one. Rollable, stretchable and even wraparound displays are in the future. Instead of folding, these screens will reshape entirely.
For a designer or developer, that means being ready for:
- Form factors that shift mid-session
- Interfaces that span multiple surfaces
- Spatially aware and moving interactions
Design will not be contained in a frame, but will exist across objects, postures, and environments. This is your on-ramp to this new paradigm. Adaptive UX is now a skill you master, and you can lead the next evolution in interface design.
Final Thoughts
We are seeing foldables reshape how people interact with devices and how you need to think about design.
Static layouts won’t cut it. You require dynamic, context-aware experiences that follow the user. If you design for posture, not pixels, your app is built for the device, not retrofitted to it.
It’s not just technical, it’s strategic. Meeting expectations today means you’re not just getting it right. You’re exceeding them. You’re putting your product in a place for the flexible, fluid, screen-agnostic future of digital interaction.
The devices are ready. The users are ready. The only question left: Is your design? If not, get in touch with tech experts at AllianceTek- a team of professional developers ready to bring your ideas to life.
