Oppo is about to make the first "non-folding foldable" and it'll be super exotic

The smartphone is about to evolve again and we could face an exotic handset that resembles a foldable… without the ability to fold.

The brand that could be responsible for this special gadget is Oppo and it's taking notes from Samsung, just giving it its own spin.

The inspiration

As you know by now, Samsung launched three new foldables mere hours ago and among those, the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the one that packs the most spectacular hardware. After all, it's the flagship successor to the amazing Galaxy Z Fold 7.

But the foldable that stole the hearts of virtually everyone is the newcomer, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 – a passport-looking device that unfolds into a wider-than-taller mini tablet.

Why is that cool?

Because our eyes are still horizontally aligned.

TikTok and Instagram Reels changed the landscape forever and we now have to deal with vertical video. Actually, candy bar smartphones are responsible for that – and, above all, phone users who can't turn their phones sideways are to blame – but anyway. Horizontal, "traditional" video still rocks.

And this has been the square-ish foldables' (like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra) main pain point. There's simply too much black bar space when watching YouTube videos on the inner screen.

Now what?

According to a recent report, Oppo may've started developing a new wide-screen smartphone that could launch in the first half of 2027.

The device is rumored to feature a 6.3- to 6.4-inch 1.5K LTPO display with ultra-thin, symmetrical bezels on all four sides. It could become the first Android phone to adopt a wider-than-usual design that doesn't fold.

The idea is simple: all the benefits of a book-style foldable, simply without the folding mechanism. Instead of a tall, narrow display, the phone would use a wider aspect ratio that's closer to a small tablet (a phablet!), making it better suited for video playback, gaming and multitasking.

Praying for a lower price

Unlike foldables, however, this design wouldn't require an expensive hinge or flexible display. Those are among the costliest components in foldable phones, so removing them could keep manufacturing costs much closer to those of a conventional smartphone.

This means Oppo's phablet project could come at a price that's far lower than today's foldables. If the concept proves popular, it could bring the wider-screen experience to a much larger audience without the premium price tag.

The only thing that's going to protest is your pocket – this thing won't easily fit in your skinny jeans.

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