I Still Can't Believe Google and Microsoft Did This
At this point, you've seen it, I've seen it, we've all seen it. The internet seems to be absolutely enamored with the form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Major publications are writing endless articles and posting videos praising this shorter, wider passport form factor. As I watch this deluge of praise roll in, there is one major thought that enters my mind: Google and Microsoft must feel incredibly stupid right now, and I will never forgive them.
We are talking about two companies who had a shorter, wider passport-style device years ago, only to abandon the idea almost immediately. Now, they get to watch Samsung roll out something very similar, and the entire internet goes crazy over how "novel" the concept is.
The Wide Form Factor Was Already Here
Obviously, the Surface Duo was a very different kind of device. It was a dual-screen setup, not a traditional foldable, but that doesn't change the point. Microsoft understood years ago that a wider form factor made sense. They just needed to tweak a few things, shrink the bezels, and make it a bit easier to handle with one hand. Instead of iterating, they just gave up.
Back in June of 2024, a Windows Central scoop revealed a patent matching what the cancelled Duo 3 was supposed to be. Not only were they throwing out the dual-screen DNA that made the Duo unique, but they were also abandoning the shorter, wider aspect ratio entirely. It is like they did not understand at all what they had.
Google was no better with the original Pixel Fold. If you compare the original Pixel Fold to the newer Galaxy Z Fold 8, they are incredibly similar in shape. Yet, look at where Samsung was around that same time with the narrow Galaxy Z Fold 4. Samsung focused on slow change over time, eventually iterating their way right into the form factor that Google had years ago.
Google and Microsoft simply didn't know what they had. Now, they both get to sit back and watch the internet fawn over a 4:3 screen and a genuinely one-handable cover display. When people praise a wide cover screen, it isn't just about swiping down for notifications, it is about actually being able to reach the buttons and top corners in your daily applications with a single hand.
Cowardice Over Continuity
The common defense for these companies is that Android apps simply weren't ready for 4:3 and wider screens at the time, so they had to stop. There is some truth to that, but a better word for it is cowardice. How much faster would the app ecosystem have adapted if these devices had actually stayed on the market to push them forward? By abandoning the passport design and retreating to a traditional, narrow book-style setup, Google delayed the entire process and kicked the can down the road. Now, other brands have swooped in to do the exact thing they gave up on, making Google look dumb.
The current Pixel Fold lineup relies heavily on the clean Pixel software experience because the hardware itself is just underwhelming. It isn't particularly thin, light, or fast at charging, and the camera hardware is lackluster. Imagine how much better that phone would be if it still had that unique passport form factor to hang its hat on.
To truly innovate, a company needs the courage to keep going. Samsung's first foldables had massive problems, and it took them seven or eight iterations to finally deliver a highly polished device that the mainstream media fell in love with. It takes time for new tech categories to mature. Giving up after two generations, like Microsoft did with the Duo, or completely pivoting your design language because it didn't work perfectly the first time is the exact mentality that allows competitors to steal your idea and look like they thought of it first.
This is just a frustrating situation. Two devices that were on the right track gave up, only to watch the industry circle right back to the exact idea they abandoned.
