The format depicted in the screenshots looks uncomfortable in both states.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone Fold Rumored Display Size Has Samsung Preparing a Direct Rival
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Waiting to hear the exact aspect ratio and screen sizes of both internal and external displays of foldable iPhone. Have tried out the Z Fold and I like the screen dimensions. Not surprised to hear that Samsung will have a direct competitor to the upcoming iPhone Fold. Looking forward to hearing more rumors in the coming months.
Rather, Samsung's formula is:
1. Apple orders parts from Samsung for its version of a product.
2. Samsung abandons its design and releases a copy of the rumored product a month earlier.
3. Samsung criticizes Apple, saying they were the first to release it.
Not gana lie the tri-fold is pretty cool, a full sized tablet instead of a mini is very appealing
The Samsung TriFold was made to address one of the flaws inherent with their BiFold: the inner screen's square aspect ratio resulted in content appearing no larger than when viewed on the outer display.
But if Apple's Folding phone is wide to begin with, actually increasing the size of displayed content on the inner screen relative to the outer one, then there's less reason to have a tri-folding phone.
But if Apple's Folding phone is wide to begin with, actually increasing the size of displayed content on the inner screen relative to the outer one, then there's less reason to have a tri-folding phone.
Technically Samsung Display is a different subsidiary than Samsung Consumer devices. However, if Samsung Display primarily invented the screen then those are not Apple's specs to hide (or control).
Samsung briefly displayed their technology at CES 2026
Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the...
www.macrumors.com
The whole point of displaying stuff at CES is so that you can sell it later. Pretty likely this just going shuffled off to a private room where they pitched it directly at phone makers directly instead of to random 'consumers'.
The screen is technically separate from the enclosure (and hinge ) that 'hold' the screen. If someone else designs another enclosure why would Samsung Display stop that? If that means more screens sold then that is their business.
If Apple has done all of the R&D on the screen technology and Samsung was a very low value add manufacturer then Apple would have more 'so say' as to where the tech went ( It would need to be licensed. ). Reportedly Apple has done a fair amount of work.
From Macrumors linked above:
"... It's worth noting that the panel structure, lamination method, and material process used for the foldable iPhone is said to have been designed by Apple, so we should still expect differences compared to the Z Fold 8's display that was on show here. ..."
Apple might have done some work here but it is also unlikely that they have uniquely created a creaseless display given other folks have been working on this for at least as long as Apple has (and Apple doesn't have exclusive access to talent). The 'crease' of foldable phones has been an extreme obvious liability since day one.
But there is no way to cover something that is in a general 4:3 aspect ratio with Intellectual property. It is simply a 2D ratio.
Was that really worth doing in the first place? This almost mindlessly taking the 'big , tall ' phone and using that as a default pattern has been dubious to start. The cover screen being just as big and large as a 'regular' phone only means that this is going to be a a dramatically even more expensive phone. Greatly increase the cost of ownership (both device and repairs ) and the units sold fall away.
Tried posting this on the apple reddit, but still waiting on moderator approval a day later...so I'll post it here.
I thought I would share my idea of a foldable iPhone and see what everyone thinks. I borrowed the image on the display from a post I saw on IG, but otherwise the work is my own. I'm not the best at CAD, but enjoy messing around with it. I couldn't model the hinge correctly, but you get the general idea.
My goal was to create something different than the current models that offer the front display and an additional larger display upon opening. I wanted a reason to open the phone other than more real estate. I wanted a tactile/analog device that would blend the iPod, watchOS, and iOS together. Something that would keep my phone use down on the outside, but let me increase productivity on the inside once opened. I can't be the only one who goes to check an email or note and unconsciously opens social media and gets stuck for 15 minutes without ever doing the original task I wanted. I started calling it the iPhone Classic given its resemblance to the iPod classic.
Click wheel with integrated touch-ID for quick Apple Pay transactions/unlocking from the outside
An OS that offers more than watchOS but less than iOS using the click wheel. Control music, scroll through text, change settings, check stocks, etc.
Once opened its business as usual with iOS 26 and a large display for working/streaming/face timing/etc.
Definitely a controversial design considering it limits what is possible on the front face, while keeping it the same on the inside. I would describe the front face experience as someone who is on the go or just checking in on the news/stocks/text/music, etc with one hand.
TLDR: I wanted a design that offers two vastly different user experiences, a tactile/analog device with a 'lite' OS on the outside that would prompt me to open the device for a more familiar iPhone/iOS experience.
I thought I would share my idea of a foldable iPhone and see what everyone thinks. I borrowed the image on the display from a post I saw on IG, but otherwise the work is my own. I'm not the best at CAD, but enjoy messing around with it. I couldn't model the hinge correctly, but you get the general idea.
My goal was to create something different than the current models that offer the front display and an additional larger display upon opening. I wanted a reason to open the phone other than more real estate. I wanted a tactile/analog device that would blend the iPod, watchOS, and iOS together. Something that would keep my phone use down on the outside, but let me increase productivity on the inside once opened. I can't be the only one who goes to check an email or note and unconsciously opens social media and gets stuck for 15 minutes without ever doing the original task I wanted. I started calling it the iPhone Classic given its resemblance to the iPod classic.
Click wheel with integrated touch-ID for quick Apple Pay transactions/unlocking from the outside
An OS that offers more than watchOS but less than iOS using the click wheel. Control music, scroll through text, change settings, check stocks, etc.
Once opened its business as usual with iOS 26 and a large display for working/streaming/face timing/etc.
Definitely a controversial design considering it limits what is possible on the front face, while keeping it the same on the inside. I would describe the front face experience as someone who is on the go or just checking in on the news/stocks/text/music, etc with one hand.
TLDR: I wanted a design that offers two vastly different user experiences, a tactile/analog device with a 'lite' OS on the outside that would prompt me to open the device for a more familiar iPhone/iOS experience.
Looks cool, but I won't be buying anything new until Apple dumps Cook and stops collaborating.
The iPhone fold should be a flip-phone, not a tablet hybrid. People seem more interested in the Samsung Z Flip than the Z Fold.
Patents would prevent Samsung from using Apple technology in Samsung devices even though Samsung is creating the product. If Samsung were to build a phone using those patents, they would have to pay Apple or get sued.
How? Blind fold the engineers at Samsung Display Lol…the schematics literally sit on Samsungs servers no doubt. Plus, all the specs have already been leaked.
Samsung worked on the display with Apple.
Yeah, this is some BS. They did the same thing with the Air and took a lot of the steam out of it’s release. Ugh
took a lot of steam out of its release? The Air arguably is what propelled a ton of interest in the iPhone 17 lineup, which has been one of Apple's most popular releases in years.
Nah, the tri-folds are too thick and heavy currently for mass adoption. The Galaxy trifold is almost 40g heavier than my old Z Fold 3, and that thing was a brick
I think the wider aspect ratio will be a good balance for video watching when open, and doing most everything else on the cover screen
The Air? The one everybody complained Apple didn’t market enough and reportedly isn’t selling well?
I have an Air myself, but I don’t think it has anything to do with the rest of the lineup selling well, I think that’s down to all the upgrades the base 17 got, and the Pro finally getting a redesign after looking the same for 5 years
The first Pixel Fold had the exact same inner screen as the Fold at that time. It was perfect for Samsung as they could reduce the costs for their Fold.
Offering a wide Fold in addition to their standard Fold would mean a huge investment in the screen production. But when Apple orders 8 to 10 millions of the screens, it will be much cheaper for Samsung to build their Wide Fold which they most probably had in mind anyway but maybe not in the exact size. Thank Apple's order they can take a smaller risk, and probably this was part of the contract.
All people talking about copying: it is so boring! If you want to talk about copying, then start with saying that the entire iPhone Fold is a copy of the Z Fold. And specially with regard to the software: 99% will be in your terms a copy of what Samsung has done already, maybe with a different flavour.
And don't forget that even the hinge mechanism is the same that Samsung has designed and perfected.
If you feel better with saying Samsung would copy Apple, just keep saying this, but the reality is completely the opposite.
Offering a wide Fold in addition to their standard Fold would mean a huge investment in the screen production. But when Apple orders 8 to 10 millions of the screens, it will be much cheaper for Samsung to build their Wide Fold which they most probably had in mind anyway but maybe not in the exact size. Thank Apple's order they can take a smaller risk, and probably this was part of the contract.
All people talking about copying: it is so boring! If you want to talk about copying, then start with saying that the entire iPhone Fold is a copy of the Z Fold. And specially with regard to the software: 99% will be in your terms a copy of what Samsung has done already, maybe with a different flavour.
And don't forget that even the hinge mechanism is the same that Samsung has designed and perfected.
If you feel better with saying Samsung would copy Apple, just keep saying this, but the reality is completely the opposite.
I personally want a folding iPhone and not a flipping iPhone.
I believe both formats should be offered as they serve different wants and needs.
Supposedly Apple and Samsung collaborated on the screen’s development. Apple didn’t want any visible crease and wasn’t satisfied with previous foldable displays.
Sometimes that’s how it works. But other times Samsung is first. They came out with a watch before Apple. And of course the “big” screen phone back when Apple was insisting that 3.5” then 4.0” inches was the “perfect” size since it could be used with one hand.
With folding phones I get the sense Samsung kept releasing iterative designs to show Apple the then-current state of technology and trajectory. It was obvious for a while that Apple would eventually release a folding phone but wanted to wait until the screens were acceptable quality for their design philosophy. The first folding screens were laughably bad but the technology steadily improved.
My Samsung Z Fold7’s unfolded aspect ratio is square.
The new Samsung Z Tri Fold unfolds to reveal it’s impressive 10” display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Yes it’s expensive as most first gen devices are, but it’s also incredibly well designed and extremely useful for those who’s workflow would benefit from such a device.
As such this isn’t for everyone, but kudos to Samsung for creating this form factor.