I've used foldable phones for years here's how the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and
iPhone Ultra are fixing the form factor in 2026

Date:
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
Both Samsung and Apple are rumored to be launching 'wide' foldables this
year, and I think I know why.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Foldable phones are no longer a novelty, but what is novel this year is that Apple is almost certainly
joining Samsung and Google in releasing a phone in a foldable form factor
and the launch is significant enough that it's led to a change in strategy from Samsung, now in its eighth year of launching Galaxy Z Fold models.

If you've been keeping up with the rumors, you'll know that Samsung is widely expected to reveal both a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a 'wide' version of
the phone when the next Unpacked rolls around on Wednesday, July 22 . That's very likely because the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold if you prefer) is being tipped to adopt the wide form factor itself. By wide, we mean the phone is shorter and wider than previous book-style foldables, whether it's open or closed. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

So why the shift in design this year? Is it likely to drive more foldable phone sales? And should you be looking at picking up either a Galaxy Z Fold
8, an iPhone Ultra, or a Google Pixel Fold 11 over the coming months? As a tech journalist whose used foldable phones for years now, I can lay out
what's going on for you. The rumors so far Rumors around a foldable iPhone
are nothing new, but for months now it's been clear that this is the year
that the 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 show up around September time. You may like iPhone Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 rumor comparison The iPhone
Ultra will finally make foldables mainstream but not because of the hardware New Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide dummy unit shows off its 'insane thinness'

As the rumors have started gaining momentum, we've seen a running theme: the iPhone Ultra's screens are going to be shorter and wider than is typical for
a device like this. A 5.5-inch cover screen and a 7.8-inch main display are what we're expecting, which would make it smaller overall than the foldables Samsung and Google have been producing.

Through leaks such as this 3D CAD mockup , we've got a pretty good idea of what the Apple phone will look like, and it might be the most interesting design choice on this device (though I'm also looking forward to seeing just how 'invisible' Apple has been able to make that crease, which will go a long way to determining how appealing the phone is). Get daily insight,
inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Samsung's Unpacked invite hints
at a change in form factor (Image credit: Samsung) Over to the Samsung camp then, and around the same time that it emerged that Apple was taking the shorter and wider form factor approach with its foldable, we got news that Samsung was bringing out its own version presumably to appeal to those who would otherwise go with Apple for their next folding phone.

Originally known as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, it now appears that this handset will get the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 moniker, while the 'normal' foldable will become the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (try and keep up at the back). You'll get a direct choice between Samsung and Apple when it comes to this more 'squat' approach to foldable design.

Google, meanwhile, doesn't appear to be changing its approach for the Pixel
11 Pro Fold (due on Wednesday, August 12 ): that means this phone will be
more of a regular handset size when it's closed, and have a squarer screen when opened, and that brings us to the reason why these wide foldables are appearing. What to read next These are the updates I want to see from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Samsung doesn't fear an iPhone Ultra here's why I think it's right not to Samsung Galaxy Wide Fold and Z Fold 8 designs appear in One UI 9 code The foldable phone experience For as long as foldables have been around, manufacturers have had to balance two experiences: what the
phone is like to use when it's closed, and what it's like to use when it's opened. A foldable handset needs to score highly on both counts to get consumers to consider spending money on, but to date there's been almost too much of a compromise.

As a tech journalist, I've had the privilege of using multiple foldable phones, including many months with a Pixel 9 Pro Fold that Google loaned to me. 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 switch to the bigger display, even though it's an impressive feat of engineering to have the two screens in one device.

Now part of the appeal of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as mentioned prominently in our review is that it looks like a 'normal' phone when it's closed. But if that's one of the main selling points, it begs the question of why you wouldn't just buy a normal PIxel, which is going to be significantly cheaper and much thinner. An opened Pixel 10 Pro Fold (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) The trade-off from sticking to a standard display aspect ratio when a foldable is closed is that the larger display is more or less square. That means big black letterboxing when you're watching videos and playing a lot of games, and when I've used foldables 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 display is still useful for some tasks like web browsing, and getting two apps up side-by-side but these new foldables will have a more tablet-like
4:3 aspect ratio when opened up. That will make them much better for watching video content and for gaming (and much more iPad-like, in Apple's case).

The whole point of a book-style foldable, after all, is that larger display and in 2026 that's the screen that Samsung and Apple are going to be focusing on, even if it does mean the handsets will look rather odd when they're closed. The passport-style foldable is the future, and I think it'll be a successful switch. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best foldable phone deals Contract Deals Sim Free voucher gift Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 36 months Unlimited mins 5GB data 30 upfront 79.62 /mth View at EE See all prices voucher gift Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 36 months Unlimited mins 3GB data 12 upfront 45 /mth View at Sky See all prices voucher gift Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold 36 months Unlimited mins 125GB data 30 upfront 60.01 /mth View at EE See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for
the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/ive-used-foldable-phones-for-years-heres-how- the-galaxy-z-fold-8-and-iphone-ultra-are-fixing-the-form-factor-in-2026


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