Samsung Weighs Wider Foldable Phone With Video-Friendly Screen For 2027

SEOUL, South Korea —

Samsung Electronics is looking at a new foldable phone that would be even wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to a report by the South Korean outlet ETNews, cited by Engadget. The device could arrive in 2027 with a screen shape built for watching video rather than the current 4:3 ratio.

Engadget reported that ETNews described Samsung's goal as a screen "optimized for video viewing," which suggests something closer to a 16:9 or 16:10 ratio, though Engadget cautioned that specific number is still speculation. Little else is known about the device at this point.

A Fix For Letterboxing

The interest in a wider screen follows glowing reviews of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which Samsung released with a shorter, wider body than earlier Fold models. Wired's review found the phone's 4:3 main display and 10:16 cover screen still produce black bars around most video, even though Samsung markets the phone as ideal for full-screen viewing. Wired called the Fold8 more comfortable to hold and open than the pricier Z Fold 8 Ultra, which keeps a taller, narrower shape and a stronger 200-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, compared with the Fold8's 50-megapixel dual cameras. The Ultra costs $200 more, according to Wired, and carries a larger 5,000 mAh battery to the Fold8's 4,800 mAh, though both use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

Five Foldables Planned For 2027

Engadget reported that ETNews expects Samsung to release five foldable phones in 2027: successors to the Z Fold 8, the Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Z Flip 8, along with a revived Galaxy Z TriFold. Samsung discontinued the original TriFold, which launched at $2,900, a price Engadget noted came before an industry-wide shortage of memory chips driven by demand for artificial intelligence hardware.

Samsung has not confirmed any of these plans. Engadget said official word likely won't come until Samsung's Unpacked event in 2027, which the company has historically held each July.

Engadget also noted that Apple's long-rumored foldable phone could surface around the same time, with industry reports pointing to a launch alongside Apple's next iPhone lineup later this year.