They are increasingly being described as “passport-sized” or “wide” foldables. Passport-sized is not an official smartphone category, but the description makes sense: instead of looking like an unusually thick conventional phone when closed, the latest devices have a squatter, broader footprint that can resemble a passport or small notebook.

Huawei has already put the concept on sale in China. Samsung has taken a similar approach to the global market with its Galaxy Z Fold8. Xiaomi is preparing another foldable for September, while leaks suggest Oppo and Honor are exploring comparable designs.

And on September 9, Apple could give the form factor its biggest push yet.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 brings the wide Fold to the UAE

For UAE buyers, the clearest example is already on sale.

That relatively short, broad shape houses a 5.5-inch cover display. Opening the phone reveals a 7.6-inch main screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, creating a wider canvas for reading, videos, gaming and running apps side by side.

It is a substantial change from the shape that defined much of Samsung’s Fold series, giving the new model a passport-like appearance that is now attracting attention across the industry.

Samsung’s importance to the trend also lies in its reach. Unlike many experimental foldable designs that initially remain limited to China, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is officially available in the UAE and other global markets.

Huawei Pura X Max goes even wider

Huawei has taken the idea further with the Pura X Max.

Its dimensions make it one of the clearest examples yet of the passport-like folding-phone concept: considerably shorter and broader than the conventional smartphones people are accustomed to carrying.

Huawei lists the Pura X Max in China from 10,999 yuan. The company’s Chinese website shows the handset running HarmonyOS 6.1 and powered by its Kirin 9030 Pro chip.

Huawei has not announced conventional UAE availability for the Pura X Max, so buyers outside China should not assume it has received the same global release as Samsung’s Fold8.

Xiaomi 18 Fold is coming in September

Another major Chinese manufacturer is about to enter the conversation.

However, leaked real-world images published by tipster Digital Chat Station and reported by Android Authority appear to show a noticeably wide book-style foldable, similar in overall concept to Samsung’s new design. Those images are leaks rather than official Xiaomi product photographs, so the final dimensions and exact screen proportions should be treated as unconfirmed until Xiaomi launches the device.

That launch should provide a clearer indication of whether shorter, wider foldables are becoming a broader industry trend rather than a design used only by Huawei and Samsung.

Oppo and Honor wide foldables are also rumoured

More could arrive in 2027.

Tipster Digital Chat Station has claimed that Oppo is developing a wide foldable with a roughly 5.5-inch cover display and 7.6-inch folding screen.

The same leak, reported by Android Central and Android Authority, points to a possible first-quarter 2027 launch and to Qualcomm’s future Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series processor. Oppo has not confirmed the phone, its specifications or its release date.

Honor is also reportedly working on a similarly proportioned wide foldable.

Another Digital Chat Station leak claims Honor is testing a device with an approximately 5.5-inch outer screen and 7.6-inch inner display, along with a battery of around 7,000mAh or more. A possible first-quarter 2027 release has also been suggested.

Again, none of those details has been announced by Honor and they should be treated strictly as rumours.

Taken together, however, the reports suggest smartphone makers are increasingly experimenting with an alternative to the tall-and-narrow folding phones that have dominated the book-style category.

Then comes Apple’s foldable iPhone

The biggest moment for the new form factor could come next week.