Samsung released the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year and although it looks to be an amazing device the jury is out on whether it can handle various apps to make them usable on this new form factor. Google have helped Samsung out with a new mode that will allow better visualisation of YouTube on the Galaxy Z Flip.
Samsung have announced on their blog a new collaboration with Google bringing a new user experience to the Galaxy Z Flip. The new updates to YouTube bring a “more valuable Android experience on Galaxy devices”. The new “Flex mode” allows a Galaxy Z Flip user to enjoy a hands-free experience on YouTube where the display splits into two 4-inch screens with a video in the top half and the bottom half displaying other videos, descriptions and comments.
Of course with the 4-inch screen square and vertical videos nearly fill the entire space but 16:9 videos adjust to the centre of the display — which is not ideal but not that different to using YouTube on a standard phone in portrait mode.
The new changes were brought about by Samsung and Google working together to redesign the app from the system level with including integration of the Android Support Library “making it easier to bring Flex mode to more third-party services”.
The new update is available for Galaxy Z Flip users from today. It remains to be seen if this new YouTube feature will also be made available for other manufacturers’ foldable/flippable devices — eg. Motorola and the upcoming Xiaomi one. You would hope so but don’t bet on it.
