It’s been less than a day since Apple announced the iPhone Duo, and someone has already taken the instantly iconic Apple iPhone Duo unfolding animation and applied it to their Galaxy Z Fold 8. Don’t get too excited, because it isn’t exactly available for everyone.
If you caught any of Apple’s iPhone event, you’ll undoubtedly be familiar with the iPhone Duo. Much like Google, Apple is entering the space with a passport-sized foldable phone to appeal to a wider number of users over the taller, slimmer design Samsung pioneered for the last few years. Even Samsung has added the shorter, wider form factor to its lineup.
That’s what makes what one user did for their Galaxy Z Fold 8 such a natural next step after Apple’s announcement. Someone recreated Apple’s iPhone Duo unfolding animation for the Galaxy Z Fold 8. They shared their work on Reddit, and it looks extremely close to what the early hands-on and promo videos show on the new folding iPhone.
The animation on the iPhone Duo creates this sort of blue effect, stuck in perceived space. When you open the phone, apps and home screen content stay locked in space while it looks like your phone physically reorients itself around software. It fits right in line with the liquid glass design philosophy, with app icons coming into focus as the phone opens wider.
On the Galaxy Z Fold 8, it can be done by assigning hinge extension values to frames of an animation. In effect, opening the Fold 8 plays an animation at the speed the phone unfolds.
That’s where the downside of this fun little trick lies. Since it’s an animation of two screenshots with a blur effect, it can’t be built into the SystemUI. At least, not in the current state Samsung makes it available.
That doesn’t detract from the sheer hype in the comments. It’s clear that even a GoodLock copycat feature would be welcomed with open arms. If one thing was clear, the iPhone Duo shines in UX design, and competition between Android foldables and now Apple’s might mean Samsung adds more refined features that make the overall experience feel cleaner.
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