Technologies

Forget the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Foldables Should Look Like the Microsoft Surface Duo

Commentary: Google almost had the right form factor with the first Pixel Fold. It took the wrong path by copying Samsung.

Google almost got it right with the first Pixel Fold.

As Google unveils its latest foldable, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, at this year’s Made by Google event, I keep thinking about the original Pixel Fold. Released in 2023, it was far from a perfect phone. It was underpowered, had a thick inner bezel and couldn’t open completely flat. Even then, it was a beautiful device with a shiny stainless steel chassis that felt substantial in the hand. Not only that, it was wide. The passport-like form factor made it squat in comparison to slab-style iPhones and Galaxys, but when opened up, it had an almost TV-like 17:9 aspect ratio.

Then, with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold the following year, Google threw out the Moleskine for Galaxy Z Fold-style safety.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold axed its predecessor’s passport-like form factor for a slab that happened to fold open. Literally, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold had the same outer screen aspect ratio as the Pixel 9 Pro. Here, Google was folding (no pun intended) to industry trends, following similar form factors of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, OnePlus Open, Xiaomi’s MIX Fold 4 and others.

Apart from the first Pixel Fold, the only other phone to go squat and wide was the first Oppo Find N from 2021. YouTuber Marques Brownlee went so far as to call it the best folding phone, in terms of form factor. Since then, Oppo dropped the passport for a folding slab, as can be seen with the Oppo Find N5.

Why all foldables look the same

A major reason all foldable phone makers have adopted a similar form factor is app support. The outer display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a more typical slab phone aspect ratio, meaning apps better conform to its standard smartphone-like screen. And when opened, loading up two apps side-by-side fits well on what’s essentially a long rectangle.

«That’s what led us to say, ‘Hey, we need to make this a phone first in terms of design,'» Claude Zellweger, Google’s director of industrial design, said in a 2024 blog post about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The other issue is Android’s limited app support for tablets. The iPad, which has strong support from Apple, sells well and gets plenty of app updates to support its wider form factor. The same can’t be said for Android tablets. Many Android apps aren’t optimized for wider tablet aspect ratios. It’s a recurring complaint from fans and tech columnists. It doesn’t help that Google hasn’t put in a strong effort in the tablet space either, with the company axing its Pixel Tablet line after just one attempt.

So, when you tried to run Reddit or some other popular third-party apps on the Pixel Fold’s wide screen, the app would have black bars on both sides, essentially running in the same aspect ratio as a typical phone. This problem persists on taller foldables as well; it just isn’t as prominent.

Who’ll make a foldable that gets it right?

Despite the anemic support for tablet apps, I’d love to see a foldable phone with the measurements of the Microsoft Surface Duo. Released in 2020, it was a half-step toward what foldable phones are today. Instead of having a foldable inner display, it was two screens bisected by a hinge. It really felt like holding a metal and glass Moleskine notebook. The inner two displays on the Surface Duo had a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is also square-like. This is largely due to its chunky inner bezels. Foldable screen tech has come a long way since. Assuming Microsoft were to make a true foldable in 2025 with minimal bezels, the inner display could have a wide 24:9 aspect ratio. It would be a beastly device for watching YouTube, Netflix or playing games. And rotating it would feed my eyes an endless scroll of Instagram Reels brainrot.

The likelihood of any foldable phone-maker bisecting a 16:9 or 21:9 screen is slim. Honestly, if any phone-maker could do something so daring, it’d be Apple. Rumors have been floating for some time that Apple is working on a clamshell-like foldable for 2027. If Apple does decide to jump into the world of book-style foldables, thanks to the iPad, a wide foldable iPhone would be ready to go without the need for developers to massively overhaul their apps. Assuming Apple does do a squat and wide foldable, that move would likely prompt the rest of the smartphone market to (again, I apologize for the pun), fold.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im