Folks over at Android Authority have pieced together an animation from an early build of One UI 9, Samsung’s version of Android 17, and it gives us the new form factor and the design of the purported Wide Fold.
The outlet has shared what appears to be an introductory device animation, depicting a swipe-up gesture on the cover screen that reveals a list-type content, then the handset unfolds, and the content expands on the main screen.
A familiar animation, but an unfamiliar shape
What other details does the animation reveal? First, the Wide Fold’s cover screen could come with a punch-hole camera located in the center. It would carry a rather boxy profile, rather than the rounded edges we’re used to seeing on non-foldable smartphones.
As the phone unfolds, we can also see a punch-hole camera on the main screen (top center of the right half). However, it is the phone’s shape and size, and how unusual it looks, that strike me the most.
So far, Samsung’s foldables have had a rather tall external screen and a broad, book-style inner screen.
While it provides more than enough screen estate for multitasking and productivity, it doesn’t have the most user-friendly aspect ratio for modern-day content (both on YouTube and on OTT platforms).
A major shift in Samsung’s foldable philosophy
The cover screen, as shown in the animation, appears dramatically shorter and wider than the tall, narrow exterior displays on existing Galaxy Z Fold models.
Based on the proportions depicted, the outer display appears closer to a 16:10 (height-to-width) aspect ratio in portrait orientation than to the elongated 20:9-style screens Samsung typically uses.
Meanwhile, the inner display appears very close to 3:4 (height-to-width), only slightly narrower, giving it a distinctly tablet-like feel when unfolded. Unlike the Fold 7’s inner screen, the Wide Fold’s isn’t in the shape of a square.
What does that mean for users?
Well, the exterior screen should feel more like a normal phone and provide a wider keyboard (which means fewer typos).
The inner screen, on the other hand, should provide a better content-viewing experience (without the horizontal bars at the top and the bottom).
Given that the Wide Fold’s animation is buried deep in the One UI 9 test build, it’s safe to conclude that Samsung is planning to launch the handset alongside the Fold 8 and the Flip 8 at the Galaxy Unpacked event in the third quarter of the year (likely in July or August 2026).
