Samsung's Wide Fold Targets Apple's iPhone Fold in 2026

• Key Takeaways:
• Samsung is developing a new "Wide Fold" foldable with a 5.4-inch closed and 7.6-inch open display and a 4:3 aspect ratio.
• The Wide Fold is expected to arrive in fall 2026, positioned to compete directly with Apple's iPhone Fold due in September 2026.
• The design shifts Samsung away from the taller 21:9/20:18 Fold profile (seen on the Galaxy Z Fold7) toward a squatter, more notebook-like shape.
• Reported by Korean news outlet ETNews; Samsung will offer the Wide Fold alongside a next-gen Galaxy Fold and a Flip device.

What Samsung is planning

According to Korean news site ETNews, Samsung is developing a wider foldable smartphone codenamed the "Wide Fold." The new model reportedly features a 5.4-inch external display when closed and a 7.6-inch internal display when open.

Unlike Samsung's existing Fold line that favors a tall, narrow screen, the Wide Fold will use a 4:3 aspect ratio to create a more square, compact footprint.

How it compares to the Galaxy Z Fold7

Samsung's current Galaxy Z Fold7 measures about 6.5 inches closed and 8 inches open, with a taller 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and roughly 20:18 when open. That design emphasizes a slimmer, book-like form when unfolded.

The Wide Fold's 7.6-inch open panel and 4:3 aspect ratio mark a clear departure, producing a shorter, wider display that should feel less elongated in the hand.

How it stacks up against the iPhone Fold

Rumors for Apple's iPhone Fold put its closed size between 5.3 and 5.5 inches and its open size near 7.5 to 7.8 inches. Early reports suggest Apple will also use a squatter 4:3 aspect for the unfolded screen.

With similar dimensions and aspect ratios, Samsung's Wide Fold appears explicitly timed to compete with the iPhone Fold, which is widely reported to launch in September 2026.

Why the 4:3 wider fold matters

A 4:3 aspect ratio creates a more square workspace that can improve one-handed comfort and better mimic tablet or small-notebook proportions. That could make multitasking and media consumption feel more natural than on a narrow, elongated foldable.

Design choices like this reflect manufacturers' attempts to define the ideal foldable form factor as the category matures.

Timing and Samsung's lineup

ETNews reports Samsung plans to ship the Wide Fold in the fall of 2026, the same window as Apple's rumored iPhone Fold. Samsung is expected to offer the Wide Fold alongside a next-generation Galaxy Fold model and maintain a Flip series device in its portfolio.

Source

Details in this report are based on ETNews and public specifications for the Galaxy Z Fold7; Samsung has not yet officially announced the Wide Fold.