There is fresh movement around Samsung is still working on the rollable phone that unfolds like ancient scroll, and the story is worth a closer look.
We pulled together what is known so far and what it could mean for the people following it.
While most of us may have forgotten about the rumors, Samsung certainly hasn’t. according to the data a new report, Samsung is still planning on releasing a smartphone with a screen that rolls out.
This would be a huge development, and would likely sidestep the additional thickness added by more traditional morphing phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
However, don’t expect it to be arriving soon, as the report claims it won’t be ready until at least 2028.
Korean website Korea Today has revealed that Samsung still plans to release a rollable phone within the next few years (via Android Authority).
The “Z-Slide”, as it’s been dubbed, is expected to contain a 10-inch flexible screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a high pixels per inch measurement of at least 440.
However, it’s clear from the report that Samsung is still having trouble with the extremely flexible tech required to make a display roll up on itself. This is rather unsurprising, as although Samsung has released concepts with rollable screens before, it’s clear it’s not yet managed to crack the tech, or we’d have seen a Z Slide before now.
Such a device, if finally created, would be a huge change in the mobile market. The ability to roll a screen up within a device that then rolls out like a roll of old-fashioned camera film means a device can be substantially smaller than before, even than devices like the Z Fold 7, which is notably thinner than the early folding phones.
It would mean tablets could be stored with much smaller footprints, and only rolled out when needed. Imagine unrolling a tablet like a scroll from Ancient Greece and you can see why it’s such an appealing idea.
However, the problems seem to be large, as Samsung does not imagine it can achieve such a device for the mass market earlier than 2028.
While often not the first to a specific idea, it has the resources to really throw everything it has at a new form factor, and we’ve seen that in action over the years with the Z Flip and Z Fold series, as well as the more recent TriFold.
It’s important to note that Samsung was never the first to come up with this idea, and we’ve seen rollable concepts from brands like Motorolaand LG. However, Samsung is the only one still standing that has a real chance of getting to a rollable phone. At least, first.
Add to this the fact that Samsung creates some of the best displays in the world, and it’s clear that if anyone can do this, then Samsung can.
Watch this space and we’ll see what Samsung “rolls” out in the coming years. However, we would advise not putting off upgrading in the hopes that Samsung will push out a Z Slide soon. For the moment, wait for the Z Fold 8 for your big screen fix.
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