During its Android Dev Summit, Google announced it is optimising the operating system to enable apps to be used on a new folding display technology unveiled by Samsung.

“We see Android device makers creating a new category: foldables. Taking advantage of new flexible display technology, the screen can literally bend and fold,” Google said in a blog post. The development means apps will need to “seamlessly transfer to the bigger screen without missing a beat.”

To this end, it is working on changes to help developers “take advantage of the possibilities this creates for amazing new experiences, new ways to engage and delight users.”

Samsung yesterday (7 November) took the wraps off its hotly anticipated folding display technology, which it is widely expected to put into a commercial product early in 2019. At its annual developer conference, the vendor confirmed it is working on app optimisation with Google.

Meanwhile, Google also introduced a new API which will allow users to continue using apps while updates take place in the background.

In the case of crucial updates, such as when a security bug needs to be fixed, a full-screen message will notify users that they need to download a new version of an app.

For now, the API is just for developers which are early access partners.