Samsung Tipped to Be Working on Vertically Expandable Phone With Sliding Display

Samsung could be preparing to take its flexible display technology beyond foldable phones. The South Korean tech giant has been experimenting with rollable and expandable screens for years, but none of those concepts has made it to a commercial smartphone yet. A new leak suggests that one of its upcoming devices could use a sliding mechanism to change the size of the display, giving users more screen space when they need it.

Samsung Slidable Phone Tipped to Feature 16:9 and 21:9 Display

Tipster Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) says Samsung is working on a phone with a sliding display that can switch between 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratios. In other words, the screen could be shorter when the phone is closed and extend to offer a taller viewing area when needed.

Photo Credit: X@UniverseIce

This is a little different from the rollable phones we have seen in concept form so far, where the display usually pulls out sideways to make the screen wider. Here, the screen is said to expand vertically. There is no word yet on how Samsung plans to make this work, or whether users will be able to adjust the screen to different sizes.

There is some reason to think Samsung has been looking at this kind of design. A recently published patent shows a phone with two sections that slide apart, with a flexible display connecting them. One section moves out to extend the screen, while the other stays in place.

It sounds similar to what the tipster is describing, but patents do not always make it into actual products. It is also worth noting that the 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratios may have been worked out from concept images, rather than confirmed specifications.

The sliding mechanism could also have an impact on the phone's battery and internal space. The motors and rails needed to move the display would take up room inside the handset, potentially leaving less space for the battery. The mechanism would also require power to extend and retract the screen, though its actual impact on battery life cannot be verified yet.

Samsung has not said anything about the phone yet. The company is also expected to be working on its first rollable smartphone, which could arrive in the first half of 2028 and possibly be called the Galaxy Z Roll. Whether this is the same device the latest leak is referring to, or a separate project, is not clear at this point.