Samsung is reportedly accelerating development of a rollable smartphone, aiming to create a device that expands from compact to tablet-sized when needed.
According to a report from South Korean outlet Maeil Business, Samsung Display is pushing hard on this technology.
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The goal is to launch the first commercial rollable phone in the first half of 2028, possibly alongside the Galaxy S28 series.
The device is expected to be called the Galaxy Z Slide. Rumors suggest it could feature a 10-inch 16:9 display with around 440 pixels per inch.
A second model is also rumored for 2030.
Strategic Move Amid Competition
This move makes sense for Samsung.
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While they still dominate foldables, their share of foldable display panels has dropped from about 41.8% in Q4 2025 to 27% in Q1 2026, according to Omdia.
With increasing competition, a rollable phone could help Samsung reclaim the innovation spotlight and raise the technical bar.
Rollable screens are more challenging than foldables.
The biggest challenge is making the display roll reliably hundreds or thousands of times without wavy, creased, or uneven surfaces.
Everything, including rollers, internal layers, and supporting structure, must be precise while staying thin and light for everyday use.
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Samsung has been experimenting with this technology for years. At CES 2023, they showed the Flex Hybrid, which combined folding and sliding.
Later that year at SID Display Week, they demonstrated the Rollable Flex prototype, stretching a 49mm screen to over 254mm.
If successful, a rollable phone could be a game-changer: small enough for a pocket but capable of turning into a near-tablet experience for videos, multitasking, or work, without the visible crease of current foldables.
If Samsung can deliver a premium feel that justifies the expected high price, this could be the next major evolution in smartphone design.
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The Galaxy Z Slide has the potential to change how we think about phone screens.
