Smartphones have more or less looked identical to one another for the past decade, but companies like Samsung, Motorola and Google are changing that with screens that bend and fold. Almost every major smartphone maker has released a foldable phone or is planning to, with Apple being the main exception.
Android phone makers clearly see the future of the smartphone as devices that can fold in half to more easily fit in your pocket or fold open to double as a tablet. But Apple is taking a decidedly different approach. Rather than using new hardware designs to expand the way we use our mobile devices, the iPhone maker is using its software to bring new use cases to its devices. Instead of physically changing the shape of the iPhone’s screen to fit more apps or provide a bigger display for watching shows, it’s morphing the software in ways that let you use your phone differently.
Apple’s iOS 17 update, which launched in beta on Wednesday and officially arrives this fall, is the latest example of the company’s efforts in this regard. The software introduces a feature called StandBy mode, which essentially turns your mobile device into a miniature smart display like the Echo Show or Google Nest Hub.
Though Apple’s StandBy mode and foldable phones may seem unrelated, they do share an important connection. They both represent efforts to evolve the way our phones present information, aligning with the bigger role mobile devices have come to play in our lives over the past 15 years.
Apple; screenshot by James Martin/CNET
Siri is optimized for StandBy view, which makes sense given that voice control will likely be a big part of the experience since your phone will be resting on a table or propped up on a stand rather than in your hand. Apple’s Live Activities feature also works in this mode, so you should be able to see tidbits like your Uber ETA without reaching for your phone.
Your iPhone can also surface contextual information by rotating a collection of widgets based on factors such as the time or your location, a feature Apple calls Smart Stacks. Though it isn’t specific to StandBy, it’s easy to see how Smart Stacks can be especially helpful in this mode. Instead of having your phone turn into a black slab when you aren’t using it, you can have it pull up things like the weather or your next meeting as needed.
Companies like Samsung, Motorola, Google, Oppo and Huawei have been using foldable designs rather than software alone to give our phones new roles. While Apple’s StandBy mode lets your phone function as a smart display, phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Oppo Find N2 can double as a tablet when opened. Motorola’s new Razr Plus flip phone can also serve as a tiny smart display thanks to its bendable design and useful cover screen. When I reviewed that device, I propped the Razr Plus open like a tent with the cover screen facing outward, enabling me to see the time and which song was playing without reaching for my phone.