Quick answer:Yes, you’re able to run apps on the Z Flip 5’s cover screen, but the selection is limited out of the box.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 made us all breathe a sigh of relief when it included a proper cover screen, a massive upgrade over the tiny screen included on the Flip a Flip 5G. That screen was great for the time, but since then, phones like theMoto Razr+Oppo Find N2 Fliphave pushed the boundary of what we expect from flip phones. Thankfully, the Z Flip 5 is keeping up with a new 3.4-inch cover screen that opens up what you can do when the phone is closed. The question remains, what can you do with it, and can you use apps here?
Some, but not all apps are compatible
Like the Flip 3 and Flip 4, this cover screen uses a series of tiles as its main interface. One of these titles shows a list of apps that have been updated to work on this small outer display. Right now, the only apps you can run are Google Maps, Google Messages, Samsung Messages, Netflix, YouTube, and WhatsApp, although the latter has to be enabled in labs. Apps like Spotify might be coming in the future, but for now, that’s it. That’s a disappointing list, especially compared to the Moto Razr+, which can run practically any app on its cover screen. At least you can reply to most notifications with a full keyboard now, a definite upgrade over last year.
App support might get better
In 2022, Samsung updated theMultiStar Good Lock modulewith a Z Fold 3 and 4 widget that lets you launch any app you like on the cover screen, even if the app doesn’t support it. It worked surprisingly well, and my wife has been using this on her Flip 4 since it launched to use apps like YouTube and Netflix on the cover screen so she can listen to content while doing other things.
Days before launch,this module was updatedto work for the Flip 5 and One UI 5.1.1, meaning it should work out of the box when the phone lands in the hands of buyers everywhere on August 11th. That said, there’s a good chance millions of buyers are unaware of this experience, since it’s hidden behind two different downloads, as well as a specific menu within MultiStar labeled “I ♡ Galaxy Foldable.” Without looking up a guide, the chances of regular users finding this menu is pretty low. We also don’t know how this will compare to devices like the Razr+.
This is far from the easy experience seen on some of Samsung’s competition. The company has become complacent in recent years, safe in knowing that its folding phones had no real competition. But that isn’t the case anymore. The Z Fold 5 will need to go head-to-head with the Pixel Fold, and the Moto Razr+ has a lot going for it and could pull some customers away from the Flip. Samsung must innovate again to maintain its grip on the foldable market. Otherwise, the lead it has built in recent years will soon diminish.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
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The Galaxy Z Flip 5 finally gives us a larger cover screen to play with, and while it’s limited compared to the competition, it’s at least an upgrade over the Z Flip 4. The new hinge design is another highlight, finally allowing the phone to fold completely shut.
