Paul Jones / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung’s rumored “Wide Fold” is reportedly set to feature a tablet-like 4:3 inner display.
- The device could closely resemble Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone in terms of size and shape.
- Unlike the tall Galaxy Z Fold 7, this model would prioritize stability and easier reading.
- Samsung is expected to launch it alongside its usual Fold, expanding its foldable lineup to three devices next year.
- The Wide Fold is also expected to feature 25W wireless charging.
Samsung isn’t done experimenting with foldable form factors. After launching the Galaxy Z TriFold, rumor has it that the company is working on another foldable phone design, a wide one to counter Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone. Now, a new report from South Korea’s ETNews has revealed more details about this new Samsung foldable and how it might compare to Apple’s competing device.
According to the report, Samsung is preparing to launch a new “Wide Fold” phone next year, and it’s being developed squarely with Apple’s first foldable iPhone in mind.
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If the report is accurate, Samsung’s upcoming Wide Fold will look very different from today’s Galaxy Z Fold series, trading the tall, book-like display for a much wider, more tablet-like experience.
The biggest change is the aspect ratio. ETNews claims Samsung’s Wide Fold will feature a 7.6-inch inner OLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, paired with a 5.4-inch outer display. When unfolded, the device is said to resemble a small notebook or a passport. That’s a stark contrast to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which uses a much taller 6.5-inch outer display.
Interestingly, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is also being developed in almost the exact same size class. Apple’s device is rumored to feature a 7.58 inch inner display, also with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
With nearly identical display sizes and proportions, the two foldables could look strikingly similar when opened, in which case, the back panel and the specs would be what could really differentiate the two devices.
A possible design for the rumored Wide Fold also surfaced recently. Samsung is said to have run a survey focused on future foldable form factors, in which respondents were reportedly shown several conceptual images. Among them was a wide, tablet-like Fold-style device that closely matches the 4:3 Wide Fold form factor described in the ETNews report (see below).
An industry source cited by ETNews suggests Samsung’s new direction is about improving stability and comfort. A wider screen is easier to hold with two hands, feels more balanced when opened like a book, and works better for reading, browsing, and viewing photos.
Samsung’s Wide Fold will support 25W wireless charging.
Elsewhere, the report notes that this Wide Fold will not replace Samsung’s existing tall Fold model. The company is reportedly planning to expand its Z series lineup starting next year, which will include one Galaxy Z Flip, a standard Fold (likely the Galaxy Z Fold 8), maintaining the same size and aspect ratio as the Fold 7, and a new Wide Fold.
That would give Samsung the broadest foldable portfolio compared to any other foldable phone maker in the world, just as Apple enters the category for the first time.
Moreover, ETNews also claims that Samsung’s Wide Fold will support 25W wireless charging, the fastest wireless charging speed Samsung has offered so far. The feature is expected to debut first on the Galaxy S26 Ultra early next year before making its way to foldables.
Samsung is expected to launch the Wide Fold in the fall of 2026, around the same time as Apple’s foldable iPhone, which is also rumored to debut alongside the regular iPhone lineup.
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