Foldable phones might be heading into a new phase, and this one could matter a lot more for actual daily use.
According to new leaks reported by GSMArena, vivo, Oppo and Honor are all said to be working on wider foldable smartphones. That would put them in the same conversation as Samsung, which is rumoured to be preparing a Galaxy Z Fold8 Wide, and Apple, which has also been linked to a wide-screen foldable iPhone that could launch as the iPhone Ultra.
The short version: brands may finally be moving away from foldables that feel like narrow phones outside and awkward mini-tablets inside. Instead, the next wave could focus on wider screens that feel more natural for reading, gaming, multitasking and media.
For vivo, tipster Smart Pikachu reportedly shared details on the upcoming vivo X Fold6. One claimed upgrade is a less obvious display crease, which is honestly one of the big things foldable users still complain about. Creases have improved over the years, but once you notice them while scrolling, watching anime or reading manga panels, susah nak unsee.
The same tipster also claims vivo’s future foldables will use a wider display layout. That could make the unfolded screen feel closer to a small tablet instead of just a stretched phone. For Malaysian users who use one device for work WhatsApp, Grab, banking apps, YouTube, games and maybe some light editing, that extra width could be more useful than just chasing thinner bodies every year.
Oppo is reportedly testing a wide foldable too, though it is still said to be under evaluation. That means we should not treat it as confirmed launch hardware yet. Oppo has already shown it can make slick foldables, so if this wide model becomes real, the big question for SEA will be availability. Some foldables launch in China first and either arrive late in Malaysia or skip the market completely, which is always pain.
Honor is also apparently in the mix. Another tipster claims Honor has been developing a wide foldable for some time and could reveal it soon. Honor has been pushing hard in the premium Android space, and a wider foldable would give it something sharper to fight Samsung with, especially if pricing is aggressive.
This wider foldable trend is not happening in a vacuum. Huawei recently introduced the Pura X Max, which GSMArena notes has one of the widest displays seen on a foldable so far, even if its design is more unusual. Apple is also rumoured to be preparing its own wide-screen foldable, which would instantly make the form factor mainstream if it launches globally.
For gamers and anime fans in Malaysia, the appeal is obvious. A wider inner display could make mobile games less cramped, manga and webtoons easier to read, and split-screen multitasking less annoying. Imagine Discord on one side, game guide or livestream on the other — that is the kind of use case where foldables actually make sense.
Still, the usual foldable problems remain: price, durability, app optimisation and whether local telcos or retailers will carry them properly. Until vivo, Oppo and Honor announce official models, specs and Malaysia pricing, this is still leak territory.
But if these reports are accurate, 2026 could be the year wide foldables stop being weird concept phones and become the next premium Android flex.
Source: GSMArena