Samsung is reportedly making last-minute changes to its foldable lineup, and suggests the company is increasingly confident in where the market is headed.
According to a report from South Korea’s ETNews, Samsung has raised production targets for its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, a new fold that is expected to feature a 4:3 aspect ratio. The company is now reportedly planning to produce 2.8 million units, up from the previous target of 2 million.
In comparison, Samsung is expected to make around 2 million units of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and 1.5 units of the Galaxy Z Flip 8, making the Fold 8 the company’s highest-volume foldable this year. Notebookcheck independently reported the revised production figures, citing an ETNews report.
The reported change comes a few days before the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, where the company is expected to unveil three new foldable smartphones.
Samsung believes that the future of folders is getting wider
The biggest change this year isn’t the number of devices Samsung plans to launch. It’s the design philosophy behind them. According to ETNews, Samsung is introducing a new “Wide Fold” model with a 4:3 display ratio, replacing the thin feature that has defined the Galaxy Z Fold lineup for years.
The wide design is expected to provide a tablet-like experience, making web browsing, reading documents, and viewing photos feel natural while reducing the need for aggressive cropping. The publication reports that the Fold 8 will have a 7.6-inch internal display and a 5.4-inch external display, while placing it below the Fold 8 Ultra in Samsung’s lineup.
Most notable is Samsung’s apparent confidence in the model. The company is said to have planned to split production evenly between the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra before gauging early demand. Instead, it has now shifted more production capacity to the standard Fold 8, suggesting it expects the wider form factor to resonate more with consumers.
Apple’s foldable ambitions may already be influencing the market
The timing of the product change has caused speculation throughout the industry. Apple is rumored to be launching its first foldable iPhone later this year, and many reports have suggested that this device may also adopt a 4:3 aspect ratio. ETNews says Apple’s entry is already encouraging smartphone makers to rethink display ratios, while industry insiders expect the wide format to be the next benchmark for premium folders.
Whether the unreleased Apple device is directly responsible for Samsung’s manufacturing changes remains impossible to confirm. Samsung has been tinkering with foldable displays for years and may believe that wider screens provide a better user experience. But the fact that supply chain reports are already linking Samsung’s strategy to Apple’s expected arrival highlights how influential the iPhone maker remains, even before announcing a product.
Samsung still leads the foldable smartphone market, but the competition is about to get tougher. If Apple’s long-rumored foldable finally arrives this year, the battle over who has the slimmest hinge or the sharpest display may no longer exist. Instead, it may come down to something as basic as the shape of the screen itself.
