Samsung Bets on 4:3 ‘Wide Fold,’ Making It the Highest-Volume Foldable in Production

Samsung Electronics is producing its first-ever 4:3 aspect ratio ‘Wide Fold’ model at the highest volume among its foldable and flip phone lineup. With Apple’s foldable iPhone on the horizon, competition over screen aspect ratios in the foldable market appears to be rapidly consolidating around the 4:3 standard.

According to industry sources on the 19th, Samsung Electronics has set the initial production volume for the Wide Fold at 2.8 million units on a panel basis and communicated this to its partners. This significantly exceeds the 2 million units for the existing Fold-type and 1.5 million units for the Flip-type. The Wide Fold is a so-called ‘passport-type’ foldable phone with a 7.6-inch outer display and a 5.4-inch inner display — a form factor Samsung is attempting for the first time this year. The 4:3 ratio is praised for offering a comfortable grip akin to holding an open book or notebook, along with superior readability since less of the screen is cropped when viewing web pages or photos.

Samsung Electronics expects finished product production for the Galaxy Z series, unveiled annually in the second half, to reach around 5.5 to 6 million units. After surpassing 6 million units last year on the success of the Galaxy Z Fold7, the company anticipates maintaining a similar scale this year. What stands out is that the Wide Fold has been assigned the highest share of annual production. While the company plans to keep production ratios between the existing Fold and the Wide Fold similar for the first three months to gauge market response, the underlying judgment is that demand will concentrate on the new 4:3 foldable over the full year.

This strategic shift is not unrelated to Apple’s entry into the foldable market. Apple is set to unveil its first foldable iPhone with a 4:3 aspect ratio this September. It is known to feature a 7.58-inch outer display and a 5.35-inch inner display, with industry forecasts placing shipments at around 10 million units. “With Apple — the most influential player in the IT industry — making a 4:3 ratio foldable, it is effectively being accepted as the market standard,” an industry insider said. “Future market competition will revolve around 4:3 ratio foldables.”

Samsung Electronics will unveil three foldable phones, including the Wide Fold, at its Unpacked event on the 22nd. The existing Fold will be rebranded as ‘Ultra,’ while the Wide model differentiated by its 4:3 ratio will be introduced as the ‘Fold8’ (tentative name). The Wide Fold is expected to be positioned as a relatively lower-tier model, featuring a smaller screen than the existing Fold and only two rear cameras.

Meanwhile, Motorola’s offensive in the global foldable market is intensifying. Motorola Mobility Japan will release its first horizontally folding smartphone, the ‘razr fold,’ in Japan on August 4. The product was first unveiled at MWC in Barcelona, Spain in March and subsequently went on sale in Europe and the U.S. The Japanese version’s launch was slightly delayed due to the time required for Osaihu-Keitai (FeliCa) compatibility.

The razr fold is powered by Qualcomm’s latest processor, the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 5,’ and features a camera system that achieved the highest score for a foldable phone from DxOMark, a smartphone camera evaluation authority. The main camera uses Sony’s 1/1.28-inch ‘LYT-828’ sensor, while both the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras support 50 megapixels. The external display is the world’s first to feature Corning’s ‘Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3,’ securing durability sufficient to pass a 2-meter drop test. The battery uses silicon-carbon material to boost capacity to 6,000mAh, supporting 80W ultra-fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

Masashi Ito, head of the development division at Motorola Mobility Japan, emphasized that the company “resolved all the complaints of foldable device users in the world.” Indeed, the product directly tackles the camera performance degradation and insufficient battery capacity commonly criticized in existing horizontally folding phones, and even supports a stylus pen — something the Galaxy Z Fold series has not offered. The separately sold ‘motorola pen ultra’ accessory connects via Bluetooth and detects 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity for delicate writing. However, at 9.89mm when folded and weighing 243g, it is somewhat heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold7.

Priced at 299,800 yen (approximately $1,846), it sits a tier above foldables that appeared through 2025. While lower than the European price of 1,999 euros, it is launched as an open-market exclusive model, meaning carrier long-term installment programs or device trade-in programs are unavailable — a potential drawback. In response, Motorola is supplying the product below the official price at some retailers. Amazon Japan is offering a 30,000 yen (approximately $185) discount coupon until the release date, bringing the effective purchase price down to 242,545 yen (approximately $1,494). MVNO IIJmio has put forward an aggressive offer: a 100,000 yen (approximately $616) discount upon MNP switching, plus a free motorola pen ultra.

Behind Motorola’s entry into the horizontal folding market lies anticipation of rapid expansion in the 2026 foldable phone market. Ito stated, “I believe the Fold side of the market will move significantly this year,” a remark interpreted as taking the foldable iPhone launch into account. Motorola has sustained growth for 10 consecutive quarters, and its revenue in the Japanese market expanded fivefold in 2024–2025 compared to 2020. The strategy is to use the razr fold as a growth engine with the goal of doubling revenue again in 2026.

Alongside the expanding foldable market, upward pressure on smartphone prices is also intensifying. There are observations that the U.S. launch price of Samsung Electronics’ top-tier Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra could reach $2,099 (~3.1 million won). According to German IT outlet WinFuture, European launch prices are expected to be 1,299 euros for the Flip8, 1,999 euros for the wide-type Fold8, and 2,199 euros for the Fold8 Ultra, with the Ultra 1TB model potentially reaching 2,799 euros (~4.83 million won). Considering value-added tax and exchange rates, South Korea’s domestic launch price is likely to rise by around 200,000 won (approximately $134) compared to its predecessor.

The primary cause of the price increase is a memory semiconductor supply shortage driven by surging demand for AI semiconductors. As global Big Tech companies concentrate on securing High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI servers, the supply of mobile DRAM and NAND flash has contracted significantly. Memory’s share of smartphone manufacturing costs has skyrocketed nearly threefold from 14% last year to 40% recently, with semiconductor component costs alone analyzed to have increased 4.6 times. This component cost bomb is not Samsung’s problem alone. Apple also plans to raise next-generation iPhone prices by up to $200 (~300,000 won), while Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi and Oppo are also abandoning low-price strategies and raising new product prices across the board. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently likened the rise in component costs to a “once-in-a-century flood.”

Samsung Electronics’ strategy is to overcome consumer resistance to price hikes by maximizing specifications, including improved screen crease, a 200-megapixel-class camera, and an increased 5,000mAh battery capacity. South Korea’s three major mobile carriers have also launched pre-order marketing campaigns to lower the initial purchase burden. SK Telecom is offering device discount vouchers worth up to 300,000 won (approximately $202) and double storage benefits, while KT is providing instant discount coupons worth 100,000 won (approximately $67). LG Uplus is offering coupons worth 150,000 won (approximately $101) linked to subscriptions for its AI calling service ‘ixi-O.’

“As smartphone prices soar to laptop levels, the price resistance threshold consumers feel has risen considerably,” a telecom industry insider said. “How many pre-order benefits — such as initial storage upgrades or card discounts — can be secured will be key to success.”