While the folding smartphone concept is seen as a gimmick by many, it must be said that Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip has done a decent job of ensuring its bendy design is practical as well as functional – the ability to video chat hands-free by placing the half-folded handset on a table is one especially clever example.
Having already collaborated on foldable versions of Maps and the Play Store, Samsung and Google are teaming up once again to bring similar functionality to YouTube's Android app, announcing that it's now compatible with Galaxy Z Flip's 'Flex' mode.
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When viewed on a partially folded Galaxy Z Flip, the YouTube app will now split in two, with the top half of the display becoming a dedicated video player, allowing the user to simultaneously read comments and search other videos on the bottom half.
According to Samsung, the YouTube app was redesigned "from the operating system level," a feat that involved "integration of the Android Support Library", which will in turn make it "easier to bring Flex mode to more third-party services."
Admittedly, widescreen videos will continue to look as small as they normally would when viewed on a phone held in the portrait implementation, but the ability to watch content hands-free is cool nonetheless.
