Samsung might have quietly indicated its next grand foldable move. Based on a consumer survey forwarded to industry watchers, the firm showed off images and information about a large foldable that looks more like an old book than the tall-and-narrow design of its Galaxy Z Fold line. Though this isn’t a product announcement, the imagery suggests Samsung is toying with a wider cover display and near-square internal canvas — a design direction that would dramatically alter how its flagship foldables look and feel.
What the Survey Renders Suggest About the Design
The render presents a device that’s more akin in size to Google’s first Pixel Fold, having a cover screen that looks more like a phone when closed and opening up into something broader and squarer. Accompanying the survey are reports that the device in folded position has an 18:9 aspect ratio and, unfolded, 18:18, which is virtually a square. That geometry is important: a squarer inner display could mean less letterboxing in landscape video, better two-pane app layouts, and a less cramped split-screen experience.
Onlookers compared the silhouette to the width of the Surface Duo, but importantly with a single, unbroken flexible panel rather than dual screens divided by a hinge. If true, the broader cover may at last bring a one-handed experience to texting and social apps that isn’t so jarringly unnatural for some users who don’t want to open up the device so frequently.
Specs and Model Clues From Database Hints
Outside the survey, a questionable Samsung device referred to as the SM-F971U showed up on a GSMA database with the market name H8. Samsung’s Fold-style phones have been under the SM-F9xx family of devices, so this could just be another book-style foldable. Of particular note is the H-series branding, as Samsung’s major Fold entries to date have taken their lead from a different internal naming scheme, so this is likely not just another numbered sequel.
Details around hardware are unknown, but a wider body would have design implications. The squarer inner panel distributes crease pressure differently than a taller display, which could help ward off mechanical stress across the hinge. It may also make room for a larger vapor chamber, a bigger battery, or camera modules with better optics. A larger canvas would be nice for note-taking and pro apps given Samsung’s spurt in S Pen support — that is, of course, if their digitizer and ultra-thin glass stack approach durability targets.
The Significance of a Broad Foldable Design for Users
Form factor is fate with foldables. A broader cover screen addresses a common frustration with tall Fold-style phones: You shouldn’t have to unfold your device to do basics. The inside display, in turn, is a productivity and creativity canvas for real — not just visibly bigger than the outside. For app developers, a square-ish interior makes it easier to work with proportional sizes — with simpler handling of responsive layouts and dual-pane apps in mind, as part of Android’s large-screen optimizations, including improved taskbar behavior, more consistent letterboxing control, and consistency across states.
The market signal is compelling. Global foldable shipments reached just about 16 million units in recent months, or roughly a third more than a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research. Productivity segments are dominated by book-style models, while fashion-forward and small markets are led by clamshells. A comfy wide Fold as the category leader could jump-start adoption among professionals who want tablet-like utility without lugging around two devices to get it.
How It Fits the Market and Samsung’s Foldable Lineup
Samsung already straddles two major styles with the Z Flip and Z Fold, and has showcased publicly some four-way folding that suggests thinner tablets in a pocketable footprint. A wide Fold wouldn’t replace the tall Fold so much as be added to it — think two philosophies under one roof. One sacrifices folded-up compactness and inner-canvas room, while the other bets on everyday usability when open — and a square work area inside.
Competitive context matters too. Apple is highly rumored to be working on foldable designs, and a well-polished wide Fold could pre-empt that narrative by defining the ergonomic standard for a book-style tablet device that’s first and foremost a phone. Meanwhile, rivals like Honor, Huawei, and OnePlus have refined hinges, minimized creases, and shed weight too — all of which means that Samsung also needs to carve an advantage with form factor and software polish, not just longevity claims.
What to Watch Next as Samsung Explores Wider Foldables
Survey images aren’t product roadmaps, and companies test many more concepts than they ship. Yet, combined with a wide-form render set, the SM-F971U makes clear that a journey lies ahead. Watch for certification filings, display supply chain chatter, and S Pen accessory details — those are the usual tells as to where Samsung is going.
If Samsung does give the wide Fold the go-ahead, I’d expect the pitch to revolve around comfort and productivity: a natural cover experience, a square inner display for multitasking, and software optimized for both. In the meantime, this is a remarkable indication that the next phase in foldable evolution is less about adding another fold and more about getting that everyday shape just right.
