Apple's foldable debut ignites wide-screen phone race

Apple's expected debut of a wide-format, tablet-style foldable iPhone in the fall is set to trigger a fresh wave of competition, with rivals including Samsung Electronics and Huawei preparing similar devices to challenge the US tech giant.

According to industry sources Monday, Samsung plans to unveil a new foldable lineup at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London in July, where it will introduce the Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 alongside a new model tentatively named the Z Wide Fold.

The Z Wide Fold features a 4:3 aspect ratio on its internal display. The screen is expected to measure about 5.4 inches when folded and expand to 7.6 inches when opened. There are also projections that the device could be around 4 millimeters thick, roughly 0.5 millimeter slimmer than current iPhone models.

Huawei is also preparing to launch a new foldable device, tentatively referred to as the Pura X2, along with a model similar in form to Apple's foldable iPhone under development. While the previous Pura X adopted a vertically folding design, the new model shifts to a horizontally expanding format, offering a wider screen that is comparable to an iPad.

Detailed hardware specifications for the new Pura model have yet to be disclosed. However, the Chinese phone-maker is expected to emphasize its exterior design as a key competitive factor. Unlike Apple's foldable iPhone, which is widely expected to come in more subdued tones such as black and white, Huawei is likely to introduce brighter color options, including orange and purple, to draw consumer attention.

Apple is expected to unveil its foldable iPhone, tentatively referred to as the "iPhone Fold," at its September product launch event. When unfolded, the device adopts a wide display ratio reminiscent of a tablet, making it closer in design to the iPad Mini. Apple is also focusing on minimizing the screen crease, a long-standing issue that has been cited as a drawback in existing foldable devices.

The foldable smartphone market currently accounts for only about 2.5 percent of the overall market. If Apple launches a wide-format foldable device, the range of products is expected to expand, and market share could increase significantly. Smartphone-makers, including Samsung, are showing strong expectations for Apple's entry into the segment.

"Wider foldable formats are being adopted on the belief that they can deliver a richer user experience when fully unfolded," said an industry source, who requested anonymity.

"The move to expand such models also reflects a strategic effort by smartphone-makers to widen technological gaps in next-generation form factors and secure leadership in the market," the source added.