Foldable phones are no longer a novelty, but what's new this year is that Apple will almost certainly join Samsung and Google in launching a phone with a foldable form factor, and the launch is significant enough to prompt a change in strategy by Samsung, now in its eighth year of launching Galaxy Z Fold models.
If you've been following the rumors, you'll know that Samsung is expected to reveal a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a “wide” version of the phone when the next Unpacked arrives on Wednesday, July 22.
This is most likely because the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold, if you prefer) is intended to adopt the wide form factor. By width we mean that the phone is shorter and wider than previous book-style foldables, whether open or closed.
So why the design change this year? Is it likely to drive more foldable phone sales? And should you consider picking up a Galaxy Z Fold 8, iPhone Ultra, or Google Pixel Fold 11 in the coming months? As a tech journalist who has used flip phones for years, I can explain what's going on.
The rumors so far
Rumors about a foldable iPhone are nothing new, but it's been clear for months now that this is the year when speculation finally turns into an actual device: there have been so many rumors, from so many well-placed sources, that it would now be a huge surprise if the iPhone Ultra didn't appear around September.
As rumors have started to gain momentum, we've seen a recurring theme: the iPhone Ultra screens will be shorter and wider than is typical for a device like this. What we're expecting is a 5.5-inch cover screen and a 7.8-inch main screen, which would make it smaller overall than the foldable devices Samsung and Google have been producing.
Through leaks like this 3D CAD mockup, we have a pretty good idea of what the Apple phone will look like, and it could be the most interesting design choice on this device (although I'm also eager to see how “invisible” Apple has been able to make that crease, which will go a long way toward determining how attractive the phone is).
So, we moved on to the Samsung camp, and around the same time it became known that Apple was taking a shorter, wider form factor approach with its foldable phone, we received news that Samsung was launching its own version, presumably to appeal to those who would otherwise choose Apple for their next foldable phone.
Originally known as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, it now looks like this phone will get the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 moniker, while the “regular” foldable will become the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (try to keep up on the back). You'll be able to choose directly between Samsung and Apple when it comes to this “stubbier” approach to foldable design.
Meanwhile, Google doesn't seem to be changing its approach for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold (launching Wednesday, August 12) — that means this phone will be a more normal size when closed and will have a more square screen when open, and that brings us to the reason these wide foldables are showing up.
The foldable phone experience
For as long as foldable devices have existed, manufacturers have had to balance two experiences: how the phone is used when it is closed and how it is used when it is open. A foldable phone needs to score highly on both counts for consumers to consider spending money on it, but to date there have been almost too many compromises.
As a tech journalist, I've had the privilege of using several foldable phones, including many months with a Pixel 9 Pro Fold that I borrowed from Google. Here's the thing, though: Most of the time I used that phone, I kept it closed. I didn't really have any need to upgrade to the larger screen, although it is an impressive feat of engineering to have both screens in one device.
Now, part of the appeal of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as prominently mentioned in our review, is that it looks like a “normal” phone when closed. But if that's one of the main selling points, it begs the question of why you wouldn't just buy a regular Pixel, which will be significantly cheaper and much thinner.
The downside to sticking to a standard screen aspect ratio when a foldable screen is closed is that the larger screen is more or less square. That means a big black screen format when watching videos and playing a lot of games, and when I've used foldable devices in the past, I've usually ended up watching movies and shows with the phones closed and in landscape orientation.
That brings us back to what Apple and Samsung are doing this year. A square screen is still useful for some tasks, such as browsing the web and placing two apps side by side, but these new foldable devices will have a more tablet-like 4:3 aspect ratio when opened. That will make them much better for watching video content and playing games (and much more like the iPad, in Apple's case).
After all, the whole point of a book-style foldable is that bigger screen, and in 2026 that's the screen Samsung and Apple will focus on, even if it means the phones will look pretty weird when closed. The passport style folding is the future and I think it will be a successful change.
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