Android 17 brings a literal game changer to foldable phones – there's just one major concern

Android Foldable Gaming Mode.

Quick Summary

Google will include a new Foldable Gaming Mode as part of its Android 17 update "in the coming months".

It will use the lower half of a foldable phone's screen as a touch controller, allowing you to game as if on a clamshell handheld.

With the Steam Deck and other gaming handhelds soaring in price (the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is a staggering $1,800) you might want to turn to a device that's already in your pocket.

Android games are moving much closer to their console counterparts these days, while emulation apps – such as GameNative – allow you to play almost the entire Steam PC catalogue on an Android smartphone or tablet.

Google clearly recognises this and, as part of its forthcoming Android 17 update, has included a new mode that will turn a foldable phone into a clamshell gaming handheld.

Foldable Gaming Mode will work with devices such as the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. It effectively turns them into a full gaming phone by utilising the bottom half of the internal display as a controller, while running the game in the upper.

This makes the experience more like a clamshell handheld, such as the Android-powered Retroid Pocket Flip 2, although the controls are touchscreen rather than physical.

I'm not so keen on touchscreen controls, especially during fast-action games that require quick, responsive inputs. I'll often miss a button if I can't feel it, and that can be the difference between dodging or taking a rocket to the face in an FPS.

Be wary...

There's also a major caveat – foldable displays aren't always as sturdy as their single-screen counterparts. As they need to fold, they are normally covered with a softer material rather than glass, and so you could run the risk of damaging your screen if you get over enthusiastic.

Still, it's an interesting concept, especially as Google claims on its blog that the control pad will be dynamic. That means developers can give you the controls you need for their specific game, so the pad can change in style per title.

Android 17 will also improve the use of external controllers, it is said, with native controller remapping. And frame drops and stutters will be better managed though more efficient memory cleanup.

Foldable Gaming Mode will be available as part of Android 17 "in the coming months".