Samsung might be cooking the first foldable phone I’ll really want to buy

Leaks and rumors suggest Samsung is working on a wider foldable expected later this year. Unsurprisingly, it has already picked up the nickname Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide.

I have not made the jump from slab phones to foldables yet, even though I have come close more than once. I am not sure the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide will finally push me over the edge, but there is one technical detail that actually has my attention.

With the Fold lineup, Samsung has been trying to blend a phone and a tablet into one device. The idea makes sense on paper, and I think the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is gorgeous. But in practice, every Fold has still felt like a compromise for tablet use, largely because of its unusual aspect ratio.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is said to use a 4:3 inner display, and I think that could be the closest Samsung has ever come to getting the phone-tablet balance right.

I have used Samsung Galaxy tablets with 16:10 screens before, and while they are great for watching videos, I always found them awkward for everything else, particularly in portrait mode.

In fact, I often avoided portrait use on Galaxy Tabs. The tall shape feels slightly off-balance, and content looks a bit off on the elongated screen. Even for reading ebooks, I preferred landscape mode with two pages side by side rather than one stretched page in portrait.

All things considered, I think 4:3 might make more sense, not for all, but for most tablet-style use cases. Interestingly, Samsung has not really leaned into that format for years. The last Galaxy Tab I remember using a true 4:3 display was the Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 back in 2017.

The Galaxy Z TriFold does come close with its 15:11 ratio, which is so close to 4:3 that it is often referred to as such. But as impressive as that device is, it is far too expensive for me, had a very limited launch, and the dual-hinge design adds its own complexity.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, at least in theory, could bring that 4:3 tablet-like experience back in a simpler, single-hinge foldable that is likely cheaper than the TriFold. But since perfection seems unattainable, the Fold 8 Wide’s phone experience will probably feel a bit unusual. That is a compromise I may be willing to take.

If rumors hold true, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is shaping up to be the most interesting hybrid option yet, particularly if what you want is a tablet that can turn into a phone rather than a phone that stretches into a tablet. And that is exactly why I am paying attention to this one.