Samsung
TL;DR Enabling App Continuity on the Galaxy Z TriFold causes the device to lower the resolution of screenshots taken on the cover screen.
Samsung lowers the cover screen’s rendering resolution to match the inner screen’s pixel density so apps don’t restart when unfolding.
A hardware upscaler keeps the display looking sharp, but screenshots capture the raw, lower-resolution image before it is processed.
Like most foldable phones, the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold sports two displays: an outer cover screen and an inner main screen. What makes the TriFold unique is that its inner screen folds twice, giving the device its signature look. In most other respects, though, the TriFold behaves like any other Samsung foldable. It supports App Continuity, for example, allowing you to seamlessly transition apps from the cover to the main screen. However, this feature causes an interesting quirk on the TriFold: it compromises the resolution of screenshots taken on the cover screen — but for good reason.
Unlike Samsung’s book-style foldables, which automatically continue apps from the cover to the main screen, the Galaxy Z TriFold launches the One UI Home launcher by default when unfolded. You can override this in Settings > Display > Continue apps on main screen, ensuring the device resumes your active app instead. There is a trade-off, though: Samsung warns that enabling this feature causes the “resolution of cover screen screenshots [to] be reduced.”
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While the settings menu doesn’t explain why, the culprit is a reduction in the cover screen’s actual rendering resolution. Samsung confirms this on its website, stating that the feature “will adjust the cover screen resolution slightly,” though it promises that “upscaling technology” will preserve “the same or similar image quality as before.”
In contrast, the App Continuity settings on Samsung’s other foldables mention no such limitation. On the Galaxy Z Fold 7, for instance, Samsung merely warns that “some apps might not support continuing to the cover screen.” It’s worth noting that App Continuity is a bit different on the TriFold, though. Unlike the Fold 7, the TriFold offers no option to continue apps when transitioning from the main screen back to the cover screen. Instead, the device simply locks when you fold it — matching the default behavior of Samsung’s other foldables, but without the ability to customize it.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
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