Updated
Updated · How-To Geek · Jun 20
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Unlocks 3 Hidden Modes for Desktop-Style Work
Updated
Updated · How-To Geek · Jun 20

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Unlocks 3 Hidden Modes for Desktop-Style Work

1 articles · Updated · How-To Geek · Jun 20

Summary

  • Three lesser-known Samsung features—DeX, Labs and Flex mode—turned a Galaxy Z Fold 5 running One UI 8.5 from a basic phone into a productivity device for coding, budgeting and multitasking.
  • DeX delivers the biggest shift, letting the phone run a desktop-style interface with Bluetooth keyboards, mice or an HDMI display; wireless DeX is available on Samsung devices released after 2018.
  • Labs adds experimental tools such as multi-window for all apps, split-screen gestures and landscape support for portrait apps, plus a screenshot option that can capture both open apps or just one.
  • Flex mode, enabled under advanced features, props the foldable at an angle and uses the lower screen as a touchpad-like control area, effectively mimicking a tiny laptop.
  • The feature set underscores Samsung's pitch that foldables can act as pocket computers, though available Labs options and DeX compatibility still vary by device.

Insights

With foldable sales booming, what software innovations beyond multitasking will define the next generation of these pocket computers?
Are third-party apps keeping pace with foldable hardware, or is poor optimization the biggest barrier to adoption?
Can a foldable phone with advanced AI truly replace your laptop, or do its limitations still hold it back?