Samsung could redefine foldable phones in July – next Unpacked launch date leaked early

Samsung will reportedly get ahead of Apple in announcing a wider foldable phone this summer. The so-called Samsung Galaxy Z Wide will beat the iPhone Fold to the punch by several months, it's claimed.

It is tipped to launch alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 at an Unpacked event this July, which could be held in London this time.

According to the Korean Economic Times, Samsung will "unveil a new foldable phone series" including its "Wide Model". It's also suggested that the S Pen will return to the foldable range.

The exact date for the next Unpacked is yet to be revealed, but the current foldable models in Samsung's lineup were announced on 9 July last year, so expect the latest event to take place around then too.

That previous Unpacked took place in New York, but the manufacturer might have decided to switch the launch to London after learning that Motorola had overtaken it in the foldables market in the US. Samsung continues to be the dominant provider of such phones in Europe.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Wide (if that's its final name) is thought to have a wider form factor, much like the oft-rumoured iPhone Fold. This allows for a larger internal display more like a tablet, although the outer case is more square than the Galaxy Z Fold.

As for the S Pen, Samsung is reportedly set to reintroduce it to the series – potentially pointing to a thicker build this time around. Galaxy Z Fold phones had become so thin that it was difficult to find the place in the shell to house the stylus, but that seems to have been solved.

We'll keep you up to date on future Unpacked rumours and announcements, but if this report turns out to be true, it could take away some of the impact of Apple's first foldable release. That's likely to be part of Samsung's plan.