Samsung may be investing in larger displays for its foldables in 2025, taking inspiration from the design of a limited release model it launched earlier this year. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is set to be the foldable of the coming year, which could feature a major increase in display size in comparison to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Samsung may have plans to outfit the Galaxy Z Fold 7 with the same display panels used to build the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition– a Korea exclusive foldable model that was released in late October, according to display analyst Ross Young recently detailed on X (via GSMArena).

If accurate, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 would take on the dimensions of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition, which features an 8-inch foldable main screen and a 6.5-inch cover display. This is a sizable difference from the 7.6-inch main display and 6.3-inch cover display on the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6. 

Samsung has remained consistent with the size of its displays since it introduced the second-generation of its foldable in 2020. There is the potential that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition was used as a test before potentially transitioning to a device that will be more globally available. 

The brand may be looking to make some changes to its design strategy as Digital Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) projected a stall in the foldable smartphone display market even though smartphone sales have increased overall. The firm expects to see the foldable smartphone display market increase by 5% in 2024, but decrease by 4% in 2025. DSCC noted that with the increased popularity of foldable smartphones and with Samsung as a primary supplier of foldable displays, the industry saw an impressive growth of 40% per year between 2019 and 2023. 

The unique form factor of foldables smartphones, such as being able to morph from a slate sized device to a tablet sized device at will, is a major appeal for consumers. However, the extraordinary price of foldables could be contributing to the industry cap for these devices. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 started at $1,900, and many similarly designed devices are priced an upward of $1500 in the U.S. Samsung also sells the Galaxy Z Flip series, which folds on its x-axis and mimics the style of a flip phone. This device starts at $1,100 in the U.S. Its lower prices makes it a popular option among consumers.  

There is also a rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 that is expected to receive a display bump to 6.85-inches for its main foldable display, paired with a 4-inch cover display, according to Young. This is up from the 6.7-inch main display, and 3.4-inch cover display seen on the Galaxy Z Flip 6.