iPhone Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 could quickly be outdated by Oppo's alternative
The folding phone wars are starting to heat up
Quick Summary
Oppo could be preparing to launch a wide format folding phone to rival the iPhone Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.
It's thought that the new device will launch with the latest Qualcomm hardware set to be announced in September 2026.
Oppo could be developing a wider format folding phone to compete with the iPhone Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8. The device – which might be called the Oppo Find N7 – could offer a creaseless display and be packed with power.
Samsung is expected announce its wider folding phone in July, before Apple makes its entry to the market with the iPhone Ultra in September. Oppo could follow a little later, with the new folding model said to use the as yet unannounced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6.
With that hardware not expected until September at the earliest, Oppo's new device might not get announced until Q1 2027.
The details come from Digital Chat Station on Weibo (via GSMArena), who outlines that there will be 7.6-inch folding display and a 5.5-inch screen on the cover.
The new Oppo phone is expected to use the creaseless technology seen on the Oppo Find N6, where the hinge is scanned and 3D liquid printing is used to make sure the surface is perfectly flat to better support the screen.
Moving to a wider format of folding phone seems to be the industry trend right now, with many brands looking to offer a rival device to Apple's folding phone when it's announced. It's thought that the wider display has been chosen because it's more useful, more like a small tablet than the square displays of current models.
So far only Huawei has a wide folding phone, but that's set to change with a flurry of devices expected over the coming months.
Samsung is expected to launch a wider model – called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 – alongside the traditional style of folding phone that will adopt the name Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Folding phone shipments are expected to grow by 20% in 2026 according to Counterpoint Research, although in 2025, folding phones only made up 1.6% of the global smartphone market.
Folding phones remain a premium option with a high price attached, with Samsung and Huawei dominating global shipments so far.
Given the existing launch time frames for the next generation of folding phone, Oppo's new device is set to have a later generation of hardware than Samsung, which could make it a tempting alternative.
