Galaxy Z Fold 9 could get second wide model built for video: A Practical Look

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 the most exciting phone of 2026 so far. But next year, it might not be Samsung’s only wide foldable.

According to Korean site ETNews, Samsung is gearing up to launch no fewer than five foldables in 2027. Alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 9, Z Fold 9 Ultra and second-gen Galaxy Z TriFold, it’s also expecting two versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 9.

One is likely to be a direct successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the new model could be even better for entertainment.

A true tablet in your pocket?

The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s wide form factor is refreshing, primarily because it addresses one of the major pain points of book-style foldables: the inner display’s boxy aspect ratio. While great for side-by-side multitasking, widescreen content is consistently disappointing, with huge black bars above and below the content.

The Z Fold 8 goes some way to addressing this, with a 4:3 aspect ratio that feels much more natural. But could Samsung go even further next year?

According to “industry sources” in the ETNews report, Samsung is working on a device “with an aspect ratio optimized for video viewing, rather than the 4:3 aspect ratio released this year”.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

This suggests that we could see something much closer to a traditional 16:9 screen. Perhaps a 3:2 panel to match the latest iPad Mini?

Of course, further widening the design could compromise the cover screen, shifting it even further away from a traditional phone screen. But Samsung is clearly confident that people will be happy to accept the trade-off.

Riding the popularity wave

If Samsung does launch a second wide foldable next year, the incredible popularity of the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 will have played a major role.

Samsung itself has reported that Galaxy Z pre-orders jumped by over 20% year-on-year in Europe, with the Z Fold 8 accounting for nearly 40% of that.

Luke Baker

According to Forbes, the company had to scale up production due to the demand, increasing from 2.8 to 3.8 million.

But with Apple’s first-ever foldable iPhone set to also adopt the wide form factor, Samsung’s domination of this category may be short-lived. The company appears keen to capitalise on the interest by doubling down on the wide form factor.

While the report isn’t concrete evidence, it suggest that 2027 could be one of the most exciting years for foldables since they began.