{"id":282248,"date":"2026-02-05T14:36:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/282248\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T14:36:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:36:13","slug":"samsung-could-launch-a-second-all-new-foldable-phone-in-the-us-this-year-what-we-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/282248\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung could launch a second all-new foldable phone in the US this year \u2014 what we know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some big changes are coming for Samsung\u2019s foldable line, including the release of the new Galaxy Z TriFold.<\/a> However, it appears that Samsung could have another surprise up its sleeve, as there are indications we could get a fourth foldable phone from the company this year.<\/p>\n

While the actual details on this new foldable have been minimal, there is apparent confirmation that the phone is on the way spotted by SmartPrix<\/a>. It noticed several new Samsung devices added to the GSMA IMEI database, all using the model number SM-F971.<\/p>\n

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\"Z\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: SmartPrix)<\/p>\n

The first thing we know from this model number is that the phone is part of the Z Fold family. Usually, in Samsung models, the number 9 is used for larger foldable devices, like the Galaxy Z Fold 7<\/a> (SM-F966) and Galaxy Z TriFold (SM-968.) Meanwhile, Flip models like the Galaxy Z Flip 7<\/a> historically start with the number 7.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

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The model numbers also indicate where the phone will be released, as Samsung alters the final letters or numbers depending on which region a specific phone model has been designed for. For example, U1 refers to the United States. The codes suggest that Samsung\u2019s new foldable will be available in China, Canada, Korea, the U.S., and global markets.<\/p>\n

What do we know about the phone compared to the Z Fold 8?<\/p>\n

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\"Renders\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: FPT)<\/p>\n

This information raises a question: what is this new phone, and how does it differ from the standard Galaxy Z Fold series? The best clue we have was from a leak last year that revealed that Samsung was planning on releasing a new \u201cwide fold\u201d model<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the prevailing thoughts about the device is that it\u2019s Samsung\u2019s response to the rumored iPhone Fold<\/a>. So far, it\u2019s believed that Apple\u2019s first foldable will have a 5.3-inch front screen and a 7.8-inch main display<\/a>. In comparison, the \u201cWide Fold\u201d is reportedly going to feature a 5.4-inch cover display and a 7.6-inch unfolded display. In comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a 6.5-inch front screen and an 8-inch main display.<\/p>\n

While the new Samsung foldable is reportedly smaller than other Z Folds, the biggest change is that the phone is designed with an 18:9 aspect ratio, which increases to 18:18 when unfolded. This was broken down in a post from known leaker Ice Universe<\/a>, who stated that Samsung\u2019s planned foldable will be shorter than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while also being noticeably wider.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

What is the difference between aspect ratios?<\/p>\n

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\"Galaxy\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

The new phone reportedly has a much squarer aspect ratio than the 21:9 that\u2019s rumored for the Galaxy Z Fold 8<\/a>. The question that many might be asking now is what that actually means for users.<\/p>\n

For the most part, 21:9 aspect ratios remain as the industry standard for a lot of devices because they better mimic the human field of vision. This helps to create a sense of immersion when watching movies <\/a>or playing games<\/a>, while also working great for multi-app features due to the available space.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, 18:18 aspect ratios offer what appears to be a more comfortable display as they force the user\u2019s eye to focus on the center of the screen, while also removing distractions appearing in the corner of the user’s vision. While it might not be quite as cinematic, it does work much better with social media, as it doesn\u2019t require forced cropping due to the square profile feed used by those apps.<\/p>\n

So the ideal format really depends on what you\u2019re looking for in a device. If you want a foldable phone that offers the best media experience, then you\u2019ll be better served by the 21:9 ratio. However, if you edit a lot of content, as well as make heavy use of social media, then the square 18:18 is the better choice.<\/p>\n

Let us know if you would be interested in a squarer foldable phone, or if you would prefer that Samsung look to make a more affordable foldable phone to help more people experience the technology.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some big changes are coming for Samsung\u2019s foldable line, including the release of the new Galaxy Z TriFold.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":247855,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[61,60,202,80],"class_list":{"0":"post-282248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-ie","9":"tag-ireland","10":"tag-mobile","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282248\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/247855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}