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What the impressive iPhone Duo transition animation means for Apple going forward
Apple's highly-praised transition animation for the iPhone Duo has been copied for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Apple's highly thought of iPhone Duo transition animation copied for Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Image by PhoneArena
Many are praising Apple's dissolving animation that appears on the iPhone Duo when the foldable is opened or closed. When opening the Duo, the wallpaper and the content on the cover screen dissolve to give the illusion that this content has passed through the moving screen and has reappeared on the internal display.
Why Apple developed this transition animation for iPhone Duo
Apple reportedly developed this feature as a way to make the shift between the smaller external cover display and the larger internal screen feel connected rather than jarring. Over at Reddit, at least one Redditor has managed to make the iPhone Duo animation work with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. A Redditor with the username of moomanjohnny posted a video of the animation working on a Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Check out the video below of the iPhone Duo's animation on a Galaxy Z Fold 8
What he is working on would still be considered a "proof of concept app," he says. He also stated that he has made progress toward creating a launcher that would offer this animation. Check out the embedded video below, which was posted on X by reliable Samsung leaker Ice Universe. It shows a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 using the transition animation found on the iPhone Duo.
That's insane, the developers are absolutely crazy! But I think the most important thing here is creativity. Why didn't Samsung think of this idea in the past 8 years? Creativity is what really matters pic.twitter.com/wRHY5KGDmw
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) September 10, 2026
One possibility that was discussed on Reddit mentioned having the transition animation included with the Good Lock app. Apple is known for coming up with little things like the rubber band effect that allows the iPhone screen to bounce back once you've scrolled past the bottom of a page. Reportedly, when then CEO Steve Jobs saw this effect on a demo iPhone, he loved it so much that he greenlit the project immediately.
When it comes to the app icons, Apple is trying to trick your brain
There is also the app icon bounce added in iOS 26. When you unlock your iPhone, your app icons fly in heading to their final positions. However, they overshoot the final target before virtual damping puts the icons back in place to create the signature bounce. In real life, items with mass and velocity don't come to an instantaneous stop and by applying this motion to app icons, your brain is tricked into believing that the app icons have weight and texture.
By this time next year, which company will lead the global foldables market?
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Some users don't care about the little things like rubber-banding and the bounce back of app icons on the screen.
Some people don't care about these additions like the rubber-banding on iPhone handsets, or the app icons bouncing off the screen when an app closes or the phone is unlocked. Others see this as Apple adding the little things that help the iPhone look better, which keeps its customers loyal year after year.
This might turn out to be a major selling point for the iPhone Duo. Some of you might reject what I'm saying or incorrectly call me out as an Apple fanboy, which is far from the truth. But you know why I can confidently make the claim that this animation might drive iPhone Duo sales at the expense of Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales? Because Galaxy Z Fold 8 users are the ones trying to add the animation to their phones.
Everyone has been so focused on the design of the iPhone Duo, and the invisible crease. But the transition animation has been a show stealer because it makes the hardware and software feel connected. I really like this animation since it connects the mechanical act of opening the device with the action taking place on the screen. It shows that Apple put great thought into an experience that lasts a few seconds and could be an indication that the over-attentive, eager-to-please Apple is back, which is a good sign for consumers.
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