The Future is Rollable: Samsung Aims for 2028 with its Galaxy Z Slide

Samsung has not forgotten the ambitious project of a rollable screen smartphone. Despite the rumors dwindling, the Korean company has remained committed, with a new article from Korea outlining concrete plans for the launch of such a device in the first half of 2028.

The phone, internally dubbed "Z-Slide" (although Samsung has also registered the name "Galaxy Z Roll"), aims to offer an alternative to current foldables, overcoming the thickness limitations inherent in solutions like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Early indications speak of a 10-inch flexible display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a pixel density of at least 440 PPI.

The Complexity of Rollable Screens and the Role of Samsung Display

Such a device would represent a paradigm shift in the mobile market, allowing for a tablet with minimal bulk, unrolled only as needed, like an ancient scroll. However, the challenges to realize this vision remain numerous. The report clarifies that Samsung is still facing difficulties with the extremely flexible technology needed for a display capable of reliably and durably wrapping around itself. The structural complexity of rollable screens is indeed greater than that of foldable panels.

In this scenario, Samsung Display emerges as a central player. The unit specialized in panel production, feeling the growing pressure from Chinese manufacturers in the foldable display segment (where BOE has managed to gain ground, even surpassing Samsung Display in terms of market share in the first quarter of the current year), aims to consolidate its leadership in the promising segment of rollable screens. Rumors reveal ongoing negotiations between Samsung Display and Samsung Electronics for the supply of panels destined for the future smartphone. An executive from Samsung Electronics has confirmed this information.

Samsung Display has invested years in this research, showcasing the first concepts as early as 2023 and providing panels for Lenovo's rollable laptops. Although the idea of rollable phones is not entirely new—similar concepts have also been explored by brands like Motorola and LG—Samsung, with its resources and expertise in producing high-quality displays, is the best-positioned company to bring this technology to mass market. The path laid out by Samsung Display seems decidedly ahead of the competition, opening the possibility of dominating the rollable market in the early years of its spread.

However, it is important to maintain a healthy skepticism about the actual availability of these products in the short term. Large-scale commercialization is projected for no earlier than 2028, with a possible successor already speculated for 2030.