On today’s episode of “We Can’t Believe It Took Them This Long to Add This,” Android is finally introducing a native foldable gaming mode for smartphone with two screens.

Foldable smartphones have been around for a while now. Despite the popularity of the form factor today, they are, ironically, not the best ways to play games. Though they usually have the performance, their designs are hardly conducive to long play sessions. They don’t feel like handheld consoles; they are more like thick slabs without built-in buttons.

Over the weekend, Mishaal Rahman, now working with Google, has unveiled a new foldable gaming mode, which natively turns one of a foldable’s screens into a gamepad.

It’s a complete gamepad, too. The feature adds a D-pad, two thumbsticks, A-B-X-Y action buttons, L1-L3, R1-R3, and Start. Users can manually adjust the layout, the size of the buttons, haptics, and dark mode. The only drawbacks are that the gamepad is currently locked to 50 percent of the screen (or one of the displays) and that you can’t adjust the transparency.

This is a much needed feature. Most mobile games today offer only single-screen gamepads overlapping the whole screen. Some, of course, can utilize the second screen but not natively. Though developers will still need to adapt to the feature, having a native gamepad is a huge boon for regular mobile gamers.

The foldable gaming mode is expected to roll out starting with Android 17 in the coming months.

SEE ALSO: These are the best Android 17 features (if you hate AI)

While the rest of the smartphone space wants to divert your attention towards the upcoming wide-style foldables, vivo focuses more on bringing a better and smarter foldable experience with the all-new X Fold6.

The better multitasker

vivo’s software team has invested much of their hard, sweat, and tears by bringing improved multitasking features exclusive for the X Fold6 with the OriginOS 6 Fold.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Last year’s X Fold5 brought multitasking improvements with the Atomic Workbench feature. Serial Mode was the default layout with a main page and four tasks on the side all displayed in one screen

In this year’s X Fold6, they are introducing a newer “Parallel Mode” layout with in-your-face multitasking experience spliced in several customizable windows à la Mondrian grid.

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

And it’s not just your typical split-screen divisions with floating windows panes and an adaptive dock, OriginOS 6 Fold promises a more intelligent yet more efficient workspaces never done by other manufacturers in their foldables over the past few years.

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

There are four basic scenarios provided for the X Fold6:

• AI Workbench
• Office Workbench
• Tourist Workbench
• Shopping Workbench

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

vivo even promises “thousands” of Atomic Workbench app combos for “thousands” of people:

• Stock Workbench
• Creative Workbench
• Watch the Game Workbench
• Ticket-grabbing Workbench

If you feel limited by that foldable workspace, connecting the X Fold6 through several display devices such as your monitor or TV enables you a maximized PC mode as well as side-by-side interconnection and collaboration.

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Heck, even cross-compatibility between apps and other devices (regardless if iPhone, Android, Windows, or Mac) are all seamless with one another.

The possibilities are just endless with vivo’s latest X-foldable.

And while we’re at it, the vivo X Fold6 sports a 8.02-inch display when unfolded (alongside Samsung’s M14 inner screen luminous material) while 6.51-inch cover display when closed.

Both are LTPO 8T AMOLED adpative 120Hz displays that can reach up to 5000 nits of peak brightness — and as low as 1Hz and 1-nit when deemed useful.

Both screens also have a pixel density of 424ppi with support for 1.07 Billion Colors as well as HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content.

Full-fledged flagship foldable

vivo went all out with the X Fold6 not just in terms of software experience, but also the core hardware found within.

For one, it’s powered by the Dimensity 9500 Super Edition 3nm 8-core SoC paired with an ultra-capable ARM G1 Ultra GPU. Very different from the notorious 2023-made chipset in last year’s X Fold5.

This joint effort by MediaTek and vivo is made to be super energy-efficient not just to support extreme multitasking, but also for these plethora of AI features to be faster and more stabler:

• AI Cross-Window Drag and Drop
• AI Conference Assistant
• AI File Manager

Users also have to pick between 12 or 16GB of LPDDR5X Ultra memory. Meanwhile, its UFS 4.1 storage range between 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB options.

While vivo didn’t dare to beat the likes of the HONOR Magic V6 and OPPO Find N6 when it comes to utmost thinness at 9.4/9.9mm (versus 8.8/9.0mm and 8.9mm respectively), the brand equipped the biggest battery in any foldable so far: a whopping 7000mAh battery capacity.

That’s a 1000mAh increase over last year’s X Fold5.

They even let go of the “lightest foldable” record last year in favor of packing all these flagship-grade components.

Charging speeds remain the same this year: 80W wired FlashCharge plus 40W wireless FlashCharge.

That port also supports the faster USB-C 3.2 Gen2 standard.

Other flagship features include powerful stereo speakers with Dolby Panorama, IP5X dust-resistance plus IPX8 / IPX9 water-resistance ratings. It can also withstand sub-zero temperatures as low as 20ºC or 68ºF.

There’s even vivo’s self-developed 1+4 communication chipset configuration that enhances connectivity even in enclosed or far-flung areas. Satellite Communication Services (in China) never forgotten.

Thrice the ZEISS

The vivo X Fold6 isn’t just a true multitasKING. It probably also boasts the best camera system you can get in any foldable right now.

On paper, vivo’s X Fold6 headlines the Samsung-made 200MP f/1.68 main camera based on their 1/1.14-inch HPB sensor. ICYMI, this is the telephoto module found on the X300 Pro.

The 16mm ultra-wide sensor wasn’t left behind as it’s a 50MP f/2.05 unit with a sensor size of 1/2.76-inch.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Last but definitely not the least, that 50MP ZEISS APO Super Telephoto camera is powered by Sony’s 1/1.95-inch LYTIA 602 (LYT-602). It features 3x optical zoom (75mm equivalent) and supports as far as 100x digital zoom.

This also doubles as a telephoto macro camera — up to 20x zoom.

The main and zoom lenses have a CIPA 4.5 Professional Grade which means better OIS in shaky scenarios.

All lenses feature the best in class ZEISS T* coating to block all that unwanted glare and flare.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

The once exclusive Blueprint Color Palette feature to the X300 Ultra also makes it debut to the vivo X Fold6.

Teleconverter on a foldable?!

vivo didn’t stop just by bringing that massive camera bump.

As shocking as it seems, the vivo X Fold6 also supports the all-new G2 Teleconverter Lens announced alongside the X300 Ultra and X300 FE.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Just a reminder that both the old and new 200mm teleconverter lenses will work on the X Fold6.

However, the longer 400mm G2 Ultra teleconverter lens is still exclusive to the X300 Ultra.

Pricing and Availability

The vivo X Fold6 is currently available for pre-orders in China along these colorways: Polar Night, Salt Lake, and Blue Hole.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

There’s also a special Black Gold Edition limited to 16+1TB models.

Pricing and configuration are as follows:

• 12+256GB = CNY 7999 (US$ 1180 / EUR 1030 / GBP 890 / SG$ 1525 / MYR 4899 / PhP 72,070 / INR 111,800)
• 12+512GB = CNY 8999 (US$ 1330 / EUR 1160 / GBP 1005 / SG$ 1720 / MYR 5515 / PhP 81,075 / INR 125,775)
• 16+512GB = CNY 9999 (US$ 1476 / EUR 1290 / GBP 1115 / SG$ 1910 / MYR 6125 / PhP 90,085 / INR 139,750)
• 16+1TB = CNY 10,999 (US$ 1639 / EUR 1420 / GBP 1225 / SG$ 2090 / MYR 6735 / PhP 99,095 / INR 153,725)
• 16+1TB with Professional Camera Kit Bundle = CNY 11,999 (US$ 1770 / EUR 1550 / GBP 1340 / SG$ 2290 / MYR 7350 / PhP 108,105 / INR 167,700)

As per usual, vivo didn’t state any availability outside Mainland China. Only time will tell how long global markets have to wait for the X Fold6’s global release.

Nothing goes together more than a Chinese smartphone brand and the relentless pursuit for a bigger battery. For years, Chinese brands have engaged in a war for this particular component. Now, the latest salvo has been fired. Honor is reportedly working on a phone with a gigantic 14000mAh battery.

Today, the biggest battery capacity you can find on an Honor phone is 11000mAh. The Honor X80 Pro Max already offers a battery that can last you more than a single day. At this point, it’s certainly more than enough for our daily needs.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, a smartphone brand is currently working on a 14000mAh battery. Though the leak does not explicitly pinpoint Honor, the emoji used (a wolf) is historically used to imply the Chinese brand in Weibo parlance.

A 14000mAh is just absurdly huge. With a battery larger than some powerbanks, battery anxiety becomes moot. It’s bordering on “can we bring this on a plane” territory.

As with all rumored features, the next question is when this battery will arrive on a consumer-ready device. Given how serious the battery wars are for the Chinese market, it’s only a matter of time.

SEE ALSO: HONOR continues APAC expansion, to launch 600 series in Taiwan