Hey, hold on, that Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is really just two iPhones in a trench coat!
That’s the idea behind the latest update to the Try Galaxy web app, which, when run on two iPhones, offers a Samsung One UI demonstration spanning both screens. Samsung says it’s letting iOS users try out the foldable tablet’s benefits, such as viewing content on an “immersive” screen, or previewing productivity features like dragging and dropping across both screens thanks to its multitasking capabilities – something Samsung does well and that even the iPad could use working on.
To get it done, all you need to do is visit the website or scan a QR code on two iPhones, add the web app to your home screen, then stick them together (the tape is my own recommendation ) to fold to your heart’s content (via 9to5Google).
Samsung says the app will also introduce users to Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold phones through the “FlexCam experience”, which shows them how being able to fold their phone can capture “memorable moments at different creative angles” or view selfies using the cover screen found on the Z Flip – something the iPhone can’t simulate, as it doesn’t fold and doesn’t have a screen on the back.
I went ahead and tried it out. Has it convinced me to switch to the Z Fold 5? Well no… it’s a guided experience that doesn’t give you much freedom, and it kept telling me I had an unstable network before it crashed. Maybe so, or maybe it’s because one of the phones is running the iOS 17 beta.
But showing the benefits of a foldable phone with an uninterrupted screen over the whole thing by putting it on two separate phones and just hoping they’ll play nice is a crazy idea. Especially if you already have an iPad, because it really becomes more of a Samsung tablet demo, and not very convincing. Ultimately, it reminds me of early, gimmicky app store apps more than anything.
If you want to try it on your iPhones, here is the QR code. Just try.
Update Monday, August 21, 2023, 3:25 PM ET: Added details about the actual experience after trying it out.