Apple's first foldable iPhone is not simply another screen size that requires an additional design layout. It raises a much broader question: how adaptable are a company's digital product, user interface and design system in practice?Zen IS designer Jekaterina Gavriša explains what the new device format means for digital product design, where problems are most likely to emerge and what companies should already be reviewing in their solutions.
Private & Public sector
5 min read
In September 2026, Apple introduced its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo. When closed, it has a 5.4-inch outer screen; when opened, it offers a 7.6-inch inner display. The most significant change, however, is not the screen size alone. iOS 27 is designed to support transitions between the two displays, multitasking and different device postures. (1) Companies with mobile applications, e-commerce platforms and customer portals should test how their products respond when the device is opened or closed and when it is used in split-screen mode. The interface should make effective use of the available space while preserving the user's current task throughout the transition.
One iPhone, multiple use cases
A user can begin a task on the compact outer screen, open the device and continue in a much larger workspace. When open, the device can display more content at once; when positioned partially folded, it can also serve as a hands-free display. Apple itself highlights both multitasking and the ability to use the device at different angles.
This changes a fundamental principle of digital product design. It is no longer enough to think only about a specific device. We need to consider the context in which the user is operating at that moment.
During a single session, a digital product may be used as:
a compact mobile interface;
a larger, tablet-like workspace;
a multi-panel interface;
part of a split-screen workspace;
a display used in hands-free mode.
Most importantly, the transition between these states must be seamless. When users open the device, they should not lose the data they have entered, have their current task closed, or need to work out which part of the system they were just using.
This is where the central question arises: can the existing interface do more than merely fit different screens and use the available space meaningfully?
Another screen size will not be enough
The simplest solution would be to add another breakpoint, or screen-width threshold, to the design system. But that may not be enough.
On a foldable device, it is not only the amount of available space that changes. The way that space can be used changes as well.
“A foldable device should not be treated as simply another screen size. From a design perspective, the most important question is what happens to the user experience when the available space changes. In a well-designed digital product, it is not only the size of elements that changes. When necessary, the information hierarchy, navigation and the amount a user can accomplish in a single view change as well,” explains Zen IS designer Jekaterina Gavriša.
This means designing for multiple interface states, from a compact view to an expanded or split-screen workspace.
A larger screen does not mean that a mobile design should simply be stretched wider. In some cases, the information structure itself needs to change.
For example, in an e-commerce solution, users may see a list of orders when the device is closed. When they open it, the list can remain on the left while the details of the selected order appear on the right.
A CRM system can similarly display a customer list and an individual customer profile at the same time. A travel application can show a map alongside search results, while a booking system can present available time slots together with booking information.
Product teams therefore need to ask more than “Does our design fit the screen?” They should also ask: should the navigation change on a wider screen? Can related information be displayed simultaneously? Do additional actions become available? And, after opening the device, can users continue exactly where they left off?
This is precisely where the new format becomes a useful test for an existing digital product. It can reveal problems that were simply less visible in a conventional mobile view.
The new format can expose existing UX problems
Foldable devices do not always create entirely new UX problems. In many cases, they make shortcomings that already exist in the digital product more visible.
One of these is navigation. A menu designed for a mobile phone can leave large areas of empty space on a significantly wider screen, even though sidebar navigation, for example, would be far more convenient in that view.
Another area is forms and business processes. Input fields should not automatically stretch across the entire available width. Modal windows need sensible size constraints, while an in-progress process - registration, purchase, booking or application - must be preserved even if the user changes the position of the device midway through it.
Problems can become especially noticeable in systems with tables, data and dashboards. If a table remains cropped after the screen is opened, or important information stays hidden even though there is sufficient space, the product is not taking advantage of the available display. Simply placing a scaled-down desktop version on the larger screen will not always solve the problem either. One of the most important aspects, however, is continuity.
When the device's state changes, the digital product should not reload, close the active window, lose the user's position in a list, or interrupt a purchase, registration or other process.
What does good adaptation look like?
The goal is not simply to display more information on a larger screen. The additional space should make the user's task easier to complete.
This is also where opportunities emerge that go beyond technical compatibility. In e-commerce, a larger workspace can help users browse and compare products at the same time. In banking applications, users can review transaction information while taking the next action. Travel solutions can display a map, route and search results simultaneously. In healthcare, patient information and the necessary actions can be combined in one view; in logistics, a map can be shown alongside delivery status; and in B2B, CRM and ERP systems, a list of objects or customers can appear together with the active workspace. This matters because, on mobile devices, more complex processes have often had to be divided across several consecutive screens. A larger, dynamically changing workspace allows some of them to be combined.
However, the fact that the new format creates additional possibilities does not mean that every digital product needs them.
Does every company now need to redesign its digital product?
No.
As Zen IS designer Jekaterina Gavriša notes, the arrival of a new device is not, in itself, a sufficient reason to redesign a digital product or invest in a dedicated experience for foldable devices.
“The first step is to understand whether the new format is relevant to the users of a particular product and which scenarios it could improve. For one product, it may be enough to ensure correct operation across different screen states; for another, the larger workspace may provide an opportunity to improve the user experience significantly.”
The decision should therefore be based not on a desire to follow the latest technology, but on product data and business context. Companies should assess what proportion of their audience uses iOS devices, how important mobile use cases are to the business, how complex the existing interface is, whether a tablet-optimised version already exists, and how mature and flexible the current design system is.
And finally: does the new format solve a real user or business problem?
If the answer is “no”, creating a dedicated experience for foldable devices may not be a justified investment.
Even when foldable devices are relevant to a company’s audience, there is no need to create an entirely new experience immediately. A digital product can be adapted gradually from basic compatibility to new capabilities.
From compatibility to a new user experience
1. Compatibility.
The product works correctly on the new device: nothing breaks, no data is lost and the most important functions remain available.
2. Adaptation.
The navigation, layout and key components adjust to the available screen space.
3. New experience.
The product uses the advantages of the new format to create more convenient workflows for example, multiple information panels, parallel work with related information, or features tailored to a particular device position.
For most companies, the first objective is not to reach the third level immediately. It is far more important to begin by understanding whether the product is technically ready for a variable screen and whether its UX is prepared for it.
Understanding which of these levels your product currently occupies does not require starting with a large-scale redevelopment project. A few practical questions may be enough for an initial assessment.
Is your digital product ready?
To help companies assess whether their digital products are ready for new device formats, Zen IS designer Jekaterina prepared a short self-assessment. It does not replace a comprehensive UX/UI and technical audit, but it can help identify the first signals that merit attention.
The most important question is not about the foldable iPhone
A product designed for flexibility allows such changes to be introduced gradually. Sometimes it is enough to improve individual components; in other cases, broader changes are required. The decision, however, should always be based on user and business needs.
As part of a Zen IS UX/UI audit, we evaluate the product’s critical user journeys, the flexibility of its design system and its technical constraints, helping to determine which improvements the product genuinely needs. The outcome is not always a recommendation to rebuild anything. Sometimes individual components or responsive behaviour need to be improved; in other cases, the design system needs to be reviewed; and, in some situations, no significant changes are required at all.
New technologies should therefore not be treated as an automatic requirement to invest in yet another version of a product. It is far more valuable to use them as an opportunity to test whether the digital product is ready to evolve with its users and the business.
Article prepared by:
Jekaterina Gavriša - a product designer with more than six years of experience developing digital products in education, finance, hospitality and business management. Her experience covers both customer-facing digital products and complex internal systems and ERP solutions. Jekaterina specialises in designing complex products and design systems, combining user needs, business goals and technical capabilities into thoughtful, scalable solutions.
Viktorija Golubova - a marketing leader with five years of experience in technology, professional services and consumer markets. Her professional background combines marketing and business management across both B2B and B2C audiences. Viktorija specialises in brand strategy, company positioning, new-market development and B2B demand generation.
Sources:
(1) https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo/
This article is also available in Latvian: https://edic.lv/lv/jaunumi-un-pasakumi/jaunumi/salokamais-iphone-ir-klat-vai-jusu-digitalais-produkts-tam-ir-gatavs
Share this page
