Samsung Galaxy Trifold 2 foldable could take a backseat to a ‘slideable’ phone

Samsung's sequel to the Galaxy Z Trifold could get preempted by a new mobile device with a rollable OLED panel. According to a new report from SamMobile, the company's rumored slideable phone could reach the market before the Galaxy Z TriFold 2, the company's highly anticipated follow-up to last year's tri-folding device.

The company has reportedly continued development on a second-generation TriFold, but a new claim from leaker Lanzuk suggests that phone could face delays. At the same time, Lanzuk claims development of Samsung's first slideable phone has picked up pace, potentially moving its release date earlier than expected.

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Samsung working on phone with rollable screen, report claims

The slideable device is expected to use a rollable OLED panel from Samsung Display, the company's display manufacturing arm, which has shown off several slideable and rollable screen concepts in recent years, according to SamMobile.

While foldable phones have a hinge that allows a flexible display to bend in the middle, rollable devices have an even more flexible display that can roll into the interior of the device like a scroll.

Earlier reporting had pointed to an early 2028 launch for the rollable, but the new report suggests the device could now arrive as soon as 2027, ahead of the TriFold 2. SamMobile cautioned that such timelines are subject to change, noting that Samsung's plans "could change and products can be delayed or even canceled for a variety of reasons."

Per SamMobile's report, sources within Samsung's supply chain indicate that the Galaxy Z TriFold 2 is being developed with an upgraded hinge designed to make the device thinner and lighter than its 309-gram predecessor by standardizing component thicknesses. However, the leaker says "recent issues such as costs" could be the reason behind pushing back the phone's launch beyond its original timeline.