New sightings of the SM-F971 indicate that Samsung is plotting a global release for its iPhone Fold rival. Reportedly wider and shorter than the Galaxy Z Fold7, this new release could come to market months before Apple gets its alternative out the door.
There have been increased hints that Samsung is about to launch a second book-style foldable online, the Galaxy SM-F971. To put it into perspective, an enigmatic smartphone with the model number SM-F9710 emerged towards the end of last year. In more recent times South Korean media indicated that Samsung was hoping to sell much more of this foldable than the Galaxy Z TriFold after the latter was available in a limited release in the US.
Currently, numerous regional versions of this so-called Galaxy Z Wide Fold have been mentioned in new IMEI database output. In particular, Samsung seems to test SM-F9710, SM-F971N, SM-F971U SM-F971U1 and the SM-F971W. According to the model numbering currently used at Samsung, the new versions will be Chinese, South Korean, US and Canadian and rest-of-the-world versions respectively.
Consequently, it appears that the Galaxy Z Wide Fold will be internationally released. Finally, this is hardly the last name of the device. Nonetheless, these SM-F971 naming suggests that the device has nothing in common with already released foldables such as Galaxy Z TriFold, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip7 FE or the Galaxy Z Fold7 (curr. $1,249 – refurbished on Amazon). Today, Samsung is estimated to be aiming at releasing the Galaxy Z Wide Fold in July 2026, in order to beat the iPhone Fold which Apple is expected to release.
