According to a Samsung patent, the company might be working on a version of the Galaxy Z TriFold that is larger than the first iteration. However, its increased size might not just be for a wider inner display but also for even the smaller external display.
An image from Samsung’s patent for a Galaxy Z TriFold Wide. | Image by Network Right
The patent shows a phone very similar to the existing Galaxy Z TriFold but with one major difference. Instead of looking like a normal tall smartphone when folded, this new phone looks a lot more like the upcoming iPhone Ultra and the existing Huawei Pura X Max but without rounded edges.
The external display when the phone is folded is much wider, which means that the entire phone itself would be a lot larger when unfolded.
A render of the potential Galaxy Z TriFold Wide based on its patent. | Image by Network Right
Wide-folding smartphones are quickly gaining popularity. The Huawei Pura X Max just came out and Samsung will launch a Galaxy Z Wide Fold in July according to reports. Apple’s foldable iPhone is also a highly anticipated release coming later this year.
However, the Galaxy Z TriFold is a very expensive novelty phone more than anything else. If a TriFold Wide does come out, it will probably sell out incredibly fast like its predecessor and then sales will fall off a cliff because most consumers can’t justify such a purchase.
Foldable smartphones have only become a durable-enough option with acceptable crease visibility in the last two years. It took generations for the technology to mature until we got something amazing like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Oppo Find N6 and even longer for Apple to feel confident enough to dip its toes into the industry.
Phones like the Galaxy Z TriFold and this potential TriFold Wide might be expensive experiments for now, but they might just be the average smartphone of tomorrow. Let’s just hope that the current memory cost crisis comes to an end soon.
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