Galaxy Z Fold Wide release date expectations, price estimates and upgrades
Galaxy Z Fold Wide CAD-based render. | Image by Android Headlines
Galaxy Z Fold: what to expect
Rumored upgrades:
- Wider aspect ratio, more similar to the rumored foldable iPhone
- Dual cameras on the back
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
- 7.6-inch inner display, 5.4-inch cover screen
- One UI 9 and Galaxy AI features
- The phone is expected to be launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Flip 8.
- Expect a summer 2026 announcement for this phone.
Expected price:
- Rumor has it the Galaxy Z Wide Fold's price would be similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Jump to:
Galaxy Z Fold Wide release date
The new model is reportedly going to accompany the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 in a summer 2026 announcement. There's likely going to be an Unpacked event for the new foldables.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold Wide, Fold 8, Flip 8 | July, 2026* | July 2026* |
| Galaxy Z Fold 7 | July 9, 2025 | July 25, 2025 |
| Galaxy Z Fold 6 | July 10, 2024 | July 24, 2024 |
* - probable dates
Keep in mind, though, that this model may be considered a form of "Special Edition" Galaxy Z model. If Samsung treats it as such, it may see a later release, probably in September or October, similarly to the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition.
We also don't know if it will be globally available just yet. Judging by the fact that its existence seems to be related to the foldable iPhone, it may be available globally to compete with Apple's device.
Curiously enough, it appears that Samsung may be anticipating serious demand for the model. A recent report indicates one million units of the foldable may be ready "initially". This also suggests we're looking at a global release for the model, or if not global, at least a wider release than, let's say, a Z Fold SE.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide price
The Galaxy Z Fold Wide (or Fold 8 Wide, as it's also referred to online) is said to cost around the same price as the Fold 8. The exact price is yet to leak, but don't expect it to be under $,1999.
| Galaxy Z model | 256GB of storage | 512GB of storage | 1TB of storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold Wide | $1,999* | $2,119* | $2,419* |
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 | $1,999* | $2,119* | $2,419* |
| Galaxy Z Fold 7 | $1,999 | $2,119 | $2,419 |
*- anticipated prices
It's important to mention that although prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 are rumored not to change, Samsung has raised prices on all models that it released in 2026. It's possible that the Wide foldable may be costly.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide camera
Judging by recently leaked renders of the device, based on CAD schematics, the device may be rocking a dual camera system. So far, leaks have not detailed what these cameras may be.
Nevertheless, the phone is likely said to be quite similar to the Z Fold 7, in terms of hardware, at least. Its main camera is likely to be a 200 MP one, just like on the Fold 7 and most flagship Galaxy S devices. The second camera is a mystery, but it's either going to be an ultra-wide one or a telephoto one.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide expected camera setup:
- 200 MP main
- The second camera is under wraps at the moment
- Selfie camera, potentially 10 MP
Galaxy Z Fold Wide storage
Leaked specs of the device suggest that we're going to see the usual configuration when it comes to storage.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide expected storage capacity:
- 256 GB
- 512 GB
- 1 TB
Galaxy Z Fold Wide design
Design is the most interesting aspect of this phone. It's reportedly going to be a book-style foldable, but it's not going to look like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or 7, judging by leaked renders.
CAD-based renders of the Galaxy Z Fold Wide. | Images by Image by OnLeaks and Android Headlines
As you can see, this device somewhat reminds us of a mixture between a foldable, a small tablet, and a short Galaxy S25 Edge. Keep in mind that these renders were based on CAD drawings, so small details like the bezels or the SIM card slot may be inaccurate, but they give us a general picture of what we may expect.
The phone is obviously wide (hence the tentative name, by the way, although the name itself is far from official). It's not as tall as the Fold 7 and 8, so it's not going to be that narrow when closed. It may look more like a tablet than the square foldable look we're used to from the Fold series.
The dimensions of the phone are said to be:
- 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.99 mm when unfolded, 123.9 x 82.2 x 9.8 mm when folded
The camera bump is reportedly massive, and it is expected to protrude a lot. With the camera, the device in a folded state would be 14.6 mm thick.
Meanwhile, digging through One UI 9's code, the folks at Android Authority were able to find out more about the phone's design.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide's look from One UI code. | Images by Images by Android Authority
These designs once again show us how wide this phone may be. Reportedly, the first foldable iPhone may sport similar dimensions, so it's almost as clear as day that this one is to rival the iPhone directly.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide display
Reports indicate that the Galaxy Z Fold Wide may sport some "compact"-ish display sizes. The inner screen is said to be a 7.6-inch one, while the cover display is reportedly a 5.4-inch one (some rumors say 5.6-inch cover screen). That's in the ballpark of what's rumored about the foldable iPhone.
| Phone | Screen size | Brightness |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Wide Fold | 7.6-inch inner screen, 5.4-inch cover screen* | 2,600* |
| Foldable iPhone | 7.8-inch inner screen, 5.5-inch cover screen* | Unknown* |
* - anticipated sizes
The Galaxy Z Fold Wide's brightness is under wraps currently, but it's likely it may be similar to the Z Fold 7's, given how many of its other specs are expected to be similar.
The screen ratio is reportedly going to be 4:3, a significant departure from the Fold 7 and previous book-style foldables by Samsung. This aspect ratio should bring the experience closer to a small tablet and not the square-ish feel of a "traditional" Fold.
Potential screen ratio of the Wide foldable, discovered in One UI code. | Images by Images by SamMobile
That 4:3 ratio is, actually, already familiar to tech world fans, as it's the screen ratio of the iPad.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide battery
The potential battery size of the Z Fold Wide has also leaked. Reportedly, the phone is sporting a 4,800mAh battery cell, which is bigger than the Z Fold 7's 4,400mAh one.
Unfortunately, this battery cell is still not as huge as the ones some Chinese makers equip their phones with, and it's smaller than the Z TriFold's 5,600mAh one. You can expect something like an all-day battery life from this bad boy, but not much more.
As for charging, the current expectations are for standard speeds: 45 W wired and, potentially, 25 W wireless. The 45 W charging would be an upgrade over the Fold 7, which sported 25 W wired charging.
Galaxy Z Wide Fold features and software
The foldable is likely going to come with One UI 9 out of the box if it indeed comes out together with the Fold 8 and Flip 8. You can safely expect great foldable features for this one, as Samsung already has quite a lot of experience with foldables.
AI features should be integrated with the device. With the Galaxy S26 and One UI 8.5, Samsung brought upgrades to the Now Bar and the Now Brief features, as well as a revamped Bixby with support for natural language. These features are likely to make it here too.
Samsung's new Ask AI upgrade for the Samsung Internet Browser is also another feature we're likely getting on the Fold 8 and Fold Wide. Of course, expect Flex Mode and Samsung DeX support.
One curious aspect is S Pen support. So far, leaks are not saying anything about it, so we'll have to wait and see if it's coming. It would make sense if it would.
Software support should be the Samsung standard of seven years.
Galaxy Z Fold Wide hardware and specs
Galaxy Z Fold Wide's expected specs:
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
- RAM: 12 GB or 16 GB
- Battery: 4,800 mAh (some sources claim even 5,000 mAh)
- Charging: 45 W wired, 25 wireless
- Storage: 256, 512 GB, or 1 TB
- Camera setup: two cameras, MP unknown currently
The majority of rumors claim that the Z Fold Wide is coming with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. This is the same chip powering the Galaxy S26 Ultra and some variants of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is also expected to come with this chip.
Of course, this is not set in stone. It's also possible that the device may come with the 2nm-built Exynos 2600 chip, the one that's supposedly going to power the Z Flip 8, and is also powering the S26 and Plus in some regions.
Nevertheless, both chips are flagship-level ones, and you can safely expect smooth performance with any task you throw at it.
Should I wait for the Galaxy Z Fold Wide?
- You should wait for the Galaxy Z Fold Wide if you don't like the tall and narrow foldable design of the Fold 7 and 8. The wider aspect ratio will be more like a tablet, so if a small, foldable tablet-like phone is what you need, you should probably wait. It's reportedly coming soon anyway, so your wait may not be long.
- You should not wait for the Galaxy Z Fold Wide if you already have the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or another recent foldable phone and you don't mind the tall design. In terms of hardware, the Galaxy Z Fold Wide is not expected to stand out that much from the Fold 7. Its main advantage is likely the size, so if its size is not attractive to you, don't wait.
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