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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- A Korean outlet has hinted that Samsung whitethorn motorboat a wider foldable telephone adjacent year.
- The caller exemplary volition diagnostic a 4:3 facet ratio erstwhile unfolded.
- Adding much foldable options volition substance what is expected to beryllium a bustling marketplace successful 2026.
2025 was a large twelvemonth for Samsung successful foldable phones. It redesigned the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to go the lightest book-style folding telephone of the year, and announced an all-new two-hinge-equipped Galaxy Z TriFold.
It appears that the Korean institution is returning to its epoch of hardware innovation and won't halt anytime soon. A caller study claims that Samsung is processing a wide-screen Galaxy Fold, which volition disagree from each existing Galaxy foldable phones.
Also: The 5 astir innovative tech products we tested this twelvemonth (including a tri-fold surprise)
According to a recent report from ETnews, Samsung is processing a instrumentality internally referred to arsenic the "Wide Fold" (directly translated from Google Translate). It volition beryllium a shorter and wider mentation of the existent Galaxy Z Fold 7 -- similar the 2021-launched Oppo Find N and the archetypal Google Pixel Fold.
The cleanable hybrid of foldable signifier factors
The Google Pixel Fold was a wide-screen mini-tablet erstwhile unfolded.
The upcoming wide-screen Galaxy Fold is said to person a 7.6-inch OLED surface connected the inside, which is 0.4 inches little than the Fold 7. It whitethorn not look important connected paper, but the superior quality lies successful the facet ratio.
Instead of Fold 7's squarish design, the wide-screen Fold volition unfastened into a 4:3 facet ratio. And I judge this would beryllium a large alternate for those who privation a foldable telephone chiefly for watching videos, but don't privation to get a heavy Galaxy Z TriFold.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is my favourite telephone of 2025 due to the fact that I emotion browsing and speechmaking connected the web connected it. However, it whitethorn not beryllium the archetypal prime for idiosyncratic seeking a foldable telephone for consuming video content. When watching videos connected an unfolded Galaxy Z Fold 7, you get monolithic letterboxing (thick borders connected apical and bottom).
Also: CES 2026 trends to watch: 5 biggest topics we're expecting astatine the tech show
I usually usage fractional the surface arsenic a kickstand to prop up my Fold 7 and ticker videos connected the different half. It reduces letterboxing to a minimum, but the usable video country remains the aforesaid arsenic that of a regular slab phone.
This letterboxing contented could beryllium solved by a wide-screen folding phone, similar the Pixel Fold, Oppo Find N, and this rumored wide-screen Galaxy Fold. You tin ever rotate the instrumentality by 90 degrees if you similar a vertical predisposition for browsing the web. It won't connection the aforesaid split-screen experience, but I'd emotion to person a folding telephone that's bully for some my speechmaking and video depletion needs.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7's interior surface is large for browsing but not truthful bully for watching videos.
This reminds maine of the caller Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold -- a 10-inch wide-screen tablet that fits wrong your pocket! It'll surely delight the wide-screen Galaxy Fold audience, no? From my little hands-on acquisition with the caller Samsung folding phone, I presumption it arsenic a productivity powerhouse that tin besides service arsenic an amusement device.
However, the reported wide-screen Galaxy Fold volition undoubtedly beryllium slimmer (it'll fold lone once) and much pocketable. I deliberation each of these foldable telephone designs tin beryllium simultaneously due to the fact that they person their ain unsocial usage cases:
- Z Flip: A tiny telephone that unfolds into a slab phone. It is champion suited for those who privation the astir compact device.
- Z Fold: A regular telephone that unfolds into a mini-tablet. It is for those of america who privation to enactment productive connected the go.
- Z TriFold: A 10-inch tablet that folds to acceptable wrong your pocket. The champion operation of a portable productivity and amusement device.
- Reported "Wide Fold": A passport-style foldable that unfolds into a 4:3 screen. This would beryllium champion suited for watching videos and tin beryllium rotated by 90 degrees for web browsing.
Also: The 40 champion products we tested successful 2025: Editors' picks for phones, TVs, AI, and more
The rumored caller Samsung foldable is said to person a 5.4-inch screen surface and enactment 25W wireless charging. The second is said to debut with the Galaxy S26 Ultra adjacent year.
How does this comparison to iPhone Fold?
It is besides absorbing to enactment however galore aspects of the rumored wide-screen Galaxy Fold align with speculation astir Apple's iPhone Fold, which is expected to beryllium released alongside the iPhone 18 Pro successful September 2026. For context, Apple is reportedly moving connected a foldable instrumentality with a akin 4:3 unfolded display, measuring astir 7.7 inches.
If Samsung announces this caller telephone alongside the expected Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8, it could bushed Apple successful launching a wide-screen foldable telephone adjacent year. While we've seen specified designs successful the past, I deliberation amended folding screens, improved hinge designs, and silicon-carbon artillery tech could yet legitimize the 4:3 foldable telephone format.
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