I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news for those of you still awaiting your iPhone Duo orders. But, as I believe the kids are saying now, foldable smartphones are officially “last week.” There’s already a new wacky form factor in town, and it appears that Samsung, once again, is first to the plate.
Known Samsung tipster Anthony (@TheGalox_ on X) has leaked what appears to be the company’s entire 2027 foldable lineup and then some. Next year, per the leaker, will herald “the biggest foldable lineup ever.” Most of the names on the list are familiar: South Korean publications have already reported that Samsung is planning the deliciously spicy act of reviving the TriFold, as well as refreshing the Flip, Fold, and Fold Ultra models, as part of a “4+4” strategy that entails launching four conventional phones in the first half of 2027 and four foldables in the second. But there’s also a little something new at the top of that list—something called the “Galaxy Z Slide.”
Slide! That’s right, even the TriFold—which arguably drove a yearlong hype cycle, despite only being on sale for, like, 30 seconds—is already old-school.
A recap for those just tuning in: the “Z Slide,” as a concept, has been floating around for the better part of a decade now. It’s a handset with a rollable display, sort of a sideways, phone-sized version of those fancy rollable TVs that LG always has at CES and that I’m convinced no human person has ever once purchased. Various videos of people holding versions of this concept show a screen with more screen slowly unfurling from either or both sides.
Samsung first applied to trademark the name “Z Slide” in 2021, the same year that its display affiliate showed off a horizontally expanding phone-sized screen for the first time. Since then, the company’s been dropping funky panels here and there, just frequently enough to keep us on our toes; CES 2025 saw more “slideable” form factors, including one that expands from 5.1 inches to 6.7 inches with some good old-fashioned tugging.
The question, of course, was always when this would become more than a goofy Samsung Saturday idea and turn into something we could actually buy. This summer, South Korean outlet Money Today reported that Samsung was developing a rollable phone, provisionally called the “Z Slide,” though a company representative said it was targeting the first half of 2028.
Phones like this have been showcased in prototype form by brands like Oppo, but this leak, if credible, would mark the first time this slidey sort of business hits mainstream retail shelves. The fact that this could happen next year—which would also mark only the second generation of Samsung’s most recent wacky form factor, the TriFold—is another testament to how all-in on foldables this conglomerate really is. Rumors are rumors, but I’m gearing up for a very interesting Unpacked.
