I’ve spent years trying to make Android foldables work as a pocket laptop, but hardware and software limitations equally held me back. Up until recently, the popular aspect ratio for book-style foldables was a near-perfect square. That’s a problem for the kind of work I do, because I use websites designed for widescreen aspect ratios that historically don’t play nice on phones — even folding ones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 solves this problem, but not on purpose. In designing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for widescreen content, Samsung inadvertently made the perfect foldable for desktop browsing. After manually requesting the desktop version of a site in Chrome, all the buttons and fields work as you’d expect. If a user-interface element can’t be reached in landscape mode, tilting the phone to portrait mode reveals it, and vice versa.
Finally, I’ve found a foldable I can actually use for work. But the real productivity gains came when I paired the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a Bluetooth keyboard (and optional mouse) that fits in my pocket.
This wireless keyboard fits in my pocket
It’s surprisingly comfortable to type on with an ergonomic layout
Folding keyboards are nothing new, but it’s been surprisingly difficult to find one that doesn’t look like a cheap toy compared to my premium Galaxy Z Fold 8. A lot of foldable Bluetooth keyboards have small keys, odd layouts, and brittle designs with clunky hinges. Many of the ones I considered folded twice, and others were ergonomically terrible with tiny touchpads that were practically useless. The few folding Bluetooth keyboards that met my requirements were comically overpriced, costing the same as a full-size keyboard.
I wanted a folding keyboard with a sensible layout, multi-device pairing, and USB-C charging. Of course, it needed to fit comfortably in a pocket alongside my Galaxy Z Fold 8. The price needed to be right, and ideally it’d come from a trusted brand — not some no-name company on Amazon. My search ended when I found an ergonomic foldable Bluetooth keyboard from Targus, and I picked it up for $35 at my local Best Buy store.
After using this keyboard for a couple of weeks, a few things stand out. The split, angled ergonomic layout takes some getting used to, but the key size is familiar. It’s about on-par with what you’d get with a tablet keyboard. Specifically, the keys on the Targus foldable keyboard are roughly the same size as the keys on my Apple smart keyboard folio for the 11-inch iPad Pro.
There’s no annoying hinge here; a thin but durable strip of fabric connects the keyboard’s two halves. Fold it shut, and the keyboard automatically powers down. Open it up, and the keyboard starts up. You can connect it to three Bluetooth devices, so I can not only use this keyboard with my Galaxy Z Fold 8, but also with my iPhone Duo or Apple TV.
Targus claims this foldable keyboard is the same size as a smartphone, and it’s not too far off. It’s about as tall as my iPhone 18 Pro with a case, but a bit wider. The keyboard fits comfortably in most of my pockets, but it might cause an issue with smaller pockets.
I wrote this entire article (plus a few more) on this wireless keyboard. Is it going to replace my main desktop and laptop? Absolutely not. Is it going to come in handy when I can’t carry a full laptop bag with me? Absolutely yes.
- Battery
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100mAh
- Bluetooth
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Bluetooth 5.1
- Multi-device pairing
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3 devices
- Charging
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USB-C
The Targus Ergonomic Foldable Keyboard features a split layout that folds in half to collapse into the size of a smartphone. It uses Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connection and can pair with up to three devices at once. It’s the perfect foldable keyboard for folding phone owners.
A foldable mouse is optional
But it turns your phone into a true pocket computer
Android and iOS are designed for touch input first and foremost. As a result, I don’t think a Bluetooth mouse is required to turn your foldable into a pocket computer. I can use the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with the Targus foldable keyboard without a dedicated pointer device and be just fine with touch control. It’s downright bad on the iPhone Duo, which lacks proper mouse support, instead relying on the Assistive Touch accessibility suite when a pointer is connected.
Still, for the rare times when I need precise control of my Galaxy Z Fold 8, I picked up the Logitech Mobi Fold mouse. Frankly, it’s overpriced at $80, and the grip is a difficult adjustment. The Mobi Fold’s calling card is that it folds in half and fits in the palm of your hand. It’s so small compared to my folding phone and keyboard that I don’t mind throwing it in my pocket as an extra.
If I was buying a foldable phone accessory kit all over again, I’d probably skip the Logitech Mobi Fold and keep the $80 in my pocket. But if you have the extra money to spare, it is a nice and portable mouse that improves your productivity on the go.
- Weight
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79 grams
- Battery
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32 days
- Maximum DPI
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4,000
The Logitech Mobi Fold is the company’s first foldable mouse, designed for professionals who work on the go but refuse to settle for a trackpad. It folds to 66×21mm and weighs just 79 grams, fitting easily in a pocket or small bag. Unfolding powers it on automatically; folding shuts it off.
Foldable accessories need to fit in your pocket
I can fit all this productivity gear into a pocket or two
I’ve used foldable phones for many years, but I never understood the point of buying accessories for them that required a bag to carry. If I’m bringing a bag, I might as well take my laptop for peak productivity. This kit is made for the times carrying a full bag isn’t feasible, like if I’m going to an event venue later in the day that has a clear-bag or no-bag policy. That’s when using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 like a pocket laptop feels like a cheat code.
My setup includes the Galaxy Z Fold 8, a magnetic Qi2 case, and MagSafe stand, the foldable keyboard, and the wireless mouse. There’s one part of the setup that makes or breaks the experience, and it’s the keyboard. I bought all this gear myself, and the foldable keyboard is the accessory I’d recommend to any folding phone owner.