Wide Foldable Phones: The Next Form-Factor Battleground
Wide foldable phones are emerging as the next big shift in foldable design, moving beyond the narrower book-style and compact flip formats that defined the first wave of devices. Unlike traditional foldables that open into tall, almost square screens, these new tablet-style foldables prioritize horizontal space, aiming to feel more like compact tablets than oversized phones. Huawei has already tested the waters with the Pura X Max, while Samsung is preparing a dual-pronged strategy with a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a Z Fold 8 Wide that uses a 4:3 “passport-style” aspect ratio for a more tablet-like experience. This repositioning signals that the core battle in foldables is no longer just about making them thinner or lighter, but about delivering a genuinely productive, immersive canvas that can replace both a phone and a small tablet for many users.
Vivo’s Crease Strategy: From X Fold 6 to Wider Book-Style Designs
Vivo is positioning its next flagship foldable, the X Fold 6, as a proving ground for tackling one of the most persistent issues in foldables: the display crease. According to leaks, Vivo is bringing noticeable improvements to crease performance, targeting a smoother, less visible foldable smartphone crease that makes reading, drawing and video playback more comfortable. The X Fold 6 is also tipped to be Vivo’s most imaging-focused foldable yet, reinforcing its premium ambitions before it fully steps into wider tablet-style foldables. Behind the scenes, the company is reportedly planning a gradual shift of its foldable lineup toward broader, book-style designs that offer a more expansive inner display. While it is unclear if a truly wide Vivo Honor foldable will arrive before 2027, the X Fold 6 serves as a critical bridge: refining core mechanics like hinges and crease control before scaling up to the larger canvases that will directly challenge Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold competitor lineup.
Honor’s Wide Foldable: Tablet-Style Ambitions on a Longer Timeline
Honor is taking a slower but strategically focused route into wide foldables. Leaks show that the brand has been developing a tablet-style foldable for an extended period, with a design that emphasizes both versatility and visual appeal. A leaked image points to a triple rear camera setup paired with a secondary display on the back, hinting at advanced photography features and glanceable information when the device is folded. Most importantly, the device adopts a clearly wider form factor, promising a true horizontal tablet-like experience once unfolded. This orientation is particularly attractive for multitasking, split-screen productivity and immersive media streaming. However, Honor’s wide foldable is not expected to launch until the first quarter of 2027, placing it behind Samsung’s Z Fold 8 series and Vivo’s X Fold 6. Even so, its arrival could broaden the field of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold competitor options and intensify pressure on both incumbents and new entrants like Apple.
Challenging Samsung and Apple with Crease Management and Form Factor
Samsung’s decision to split its flagship foldable line into a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a Z Fold 8 Wide shows that it views wider tablet-style foldables as the next major front. Both models are expected to share a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform and 5,000 mAh batteries, underscoring their role as productivity and entertainment powerhouses. Apple, meanwhile, is rumored to be readying its first foldable iPhone—possibly branded as the iPhone Ultra—which would add enormous brand weight to the category. Vivo and Honor see an opening in this evolving landscape. By focusing on superior foldable smartphone crease management and adopting wider, more practical inner displays, they aim to differentiate on everyday usability rather than just specs. If they can deliver a flatter, more robust folding panel and polished software for large-screen multitasking, they will pose a credible challenge to both Samsung’s tablet-style foldables and Apple’s debut in the segment.
How Chinese Brands Could Accelerate Innovation and Lower Barriers
The entry of brands like Vivo and Honor into wide foldable phones is likely to accelerate innovation across the entire category. Historically, increased competition has pushed faster improvements in display durability, hinge engineering and software optimization for large screens, while also nudging prices downward over time. Even though precise pricing details are not yet known, a broader field of tablet-style foldables almost inevitably creates pressure on margins and encourages more aggressive value propositions. For consumers, this competition could mean access to more refined crease management, better cameras and longer battery life without sacrificing the versatility of a tablet-like display. It also presents an opportunity for differentiation: some devices may emphasize productivity and PC-like features, while others focus on entertainment or imaging. As Vivo and Honor move closer to launch in or around 2027, their presence could ensure that wide foldables evolve from niche experiments into mainstream options that stand toe-to-toe with Samsung and future Apple devices.
