iPhone Duo Sidebar Constricts Usable Area on 5.4-Inch Cover Display

Apple’s new foldable smartphone limits the practical utility of its 5.4-inch cover screen through a fixed software layout that competitors have avoided.

The device features a mandatory sidebar on the right side of the display intended to simplify navigation. This design choice consumes a substantial width of the small screen, leaving a large area unused. In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 utilizes a navigation bar or gestures that preserve nearly the full width for applications. Early reviews indicate that the iPhone Duo’s layout wastes screen real estate that the Samsung device allocates to main content.

Allison Johnson of The Verge examined the usability differences between the two devices. She noted that the iPhone Duo feels more difficult to operate with a single hand compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a taller and narrower physical profile, which makes its outer screen easier to reach and control. Johnson’s assessment suggests that the physical shape of the Samsung device supports its software layout better than Apple’s current implementation.

The iPhone Duo attempts to manage the small display by shrinking the active area. This approach stretches media vertically to mimic the experience of a standard slab phone. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 demonstrates that leaving the space free for content works effectively for users. A post on X highlighted the visual disparity between the two interfaces, showing that the Apple device leaves a significant portion of the cover screen empty.

In video comparisons, the difference appears less stark when the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is set to use a navigation bar instead of gestures. For users who rely on navigation gestures on the Samsung device, however, the wasted space on the iPhone Duo is more pronounced. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 continues to see success in the market, while the iPhone Duo is currently available in limited locations. The hardware of the iPhone Duo appears promising, but the software execution remains a point of criticism for early adopters.