Yesterday, Samsung took the wraps off its new foldables for 2023, and they were mostly disappointing. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a minor update over the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which in itself was a minor update over the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which just happened to be a moderate update over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
It's that's three generations of essentially the same phone, with no attempts to address the biggest issue with the Galaxy Fold as a device: its shape. Now, I know there are many Samsung die-hards who think the taller, thinner aspect ratio of the Galaxy Fold is superior to the likes of the Pixel Fold or Honor Magic V2, which opt for wider, more traditional aspect ratios for the outer screen.
Well, I'm here to tell those Samsung die-hards they're wrong. The Galaxy Fold's aspect ratio is terrible in almost all aspects except for when it comes to one-handed typing. That's the only thing it excels at, but that's not a good enough trade-off. The outside screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is still too narrow for comfortable use, and it's the sole reason I'm not buying one.
What Samsung should have done with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a radical design update that followed the shape of the Surface Duo, which is a wider and shorter device overall, but that’s part of what makes Surface Duo so unique. Its shape is awesome, enhancing productivity and feeling bigger than most other foldable phones on the market, thanks to its aspect ratio.
The Pixel Fold is a similar shape to Surface Duo, but it’s not exactly the same as it’s still slightly narrower. So far, not a single true foldable phone has matched the Surface Duo in shape, and I think that’s a crying shame because it’s genuinely the best-shaped foldable out there currently.
The wide screen makes typing with two hands so incredibly easy too, and if it were a true foldable, the size of both screens as one continuous 8.3-inch foldable display would mean most apps are able to extend and flourish as if they were running on an actual Android tablet. Just look at how spacious apps like Outlook look on Surface Duo compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5:
This is the true foldable experience that I yearn for, but there isn't a single Android OEM currently building a device of this shape. Why? I don't understand why Samsung and other foldable OEMs are opting to remain as close to the "square" aspect ratio as possible. The Surface Duo's shape has already proven that this is the best way forward for UX and comfort.
It's also the best shape for multitasking. Running two apps side-by-side on the foldable screen of a Galaxy Fold is a cramped experience because the screen is too narrow. You can rotate it for a more Pixel Fold-like experience, but nothing is beating the sheer wideness of the Surface Duo's aspect ratio, which is the equivalent of two full-sized smartphone screens side by side.
Unfortunately for us, Microsoft is a bad Android OEM and is doing a terrible job at supporting Surface Duo, and seemingly isn't even in a rush to bring a Surface Duo 3 to market. So, we're all out of options. The Pixel Fold is the closest thing so far, but even then, it's not a perfect replacement. I worry nothing will be a perfect replacement for Surface Duo.
