Samsung has high expectations for its foldable rival to the iPhone Fold

The latest rumors from South Korea suggest that Samsung is laying the ground for the launch of a device in its portfolio of foldable smartphones, which for now is being called Wide Fold.

This new device, expected to debut toward the end of the year, seems designed with the precise aim of anticipating and countering Apple‘s move in the foldable segment.

Samsung and the Wide Fold, a one-million-unit bet

The information reported by the specialized outlet ET News paints a very ambitious picture for the Seoul-based giant. Unlike previous special editions, often limited to specific markets or small runs, Samsung seems determined to push the Wide Fold with substantial production capacity.

There is talk of a production plan that foresees 1 million units for 2026. By way of comparison, the Galaxy Z TriFold has seen a distribution of only 30,000 pieces, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition stopped at around 500,000 units.

While the TriFold or the Special Edition have been launched in a very limited number of countries, sometimes limited to only two nations, the one-million-piece target suggests that the Wide Fold will benefit from a much more widespread distribution.

It is a display of confidence by the company, which firmly believes in the commercial potential of this new format, leaving open even the possibility of further increasing production should market response exceed expectations.

A shift in format for multimedia

The main novelty in this supposed Wide Fold lies in its form factor, which departs from the Z Fold series tradition.

According to sources, the device will feature an internal display of 7.6 inches with an aspect ratio of 4:3, accompanied by an external display of 5.4 inches. The internal display will be wider and shorter than that of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which offers an almost square ratio of 6:5.

This change has direct implications on the user experience, particularly regarding video content consumption. A 4:3 aspect ratio closer aligns with standard video formats than the square design, which translates into a display with fewer black bars.

Although letterboxing will still be present during playback of 16:9 content, the effect will be decidedly less intrusive than on current Fold-line models.

Samsung thus appears to prioritize entertainment and productivity in horizontal mode, offering ergonomics reminiscent of a small tablet.