Samsung may be preparing to move beyond foldables and into a new category of premium devices. Reports indicate that the company is in advanced talks to supply and use an OLED rollable panel for a smartphone targeted for the first half of 2028.
If that timeline holds, the device could become one of Samsung’s most important experiments in years. It would also blur the line between phone and tablet in a way that foldable designs have only partly achieved so far.
A bigger screen without a bigger body
Market research firm Omdia expects the planned device to use a 10-inch OLED panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 440ppi pixel density. That combination suggests a display built for both productivity and video viewing.
In practice, a rollable design could let the phone stay compact when closed and expand when the user needs more space. That is the core appeal of the category, and it is also what sets it apart from hinge-based foldables.
| Expected display detail | Reported specification |
|---|---|
| Panel type | OLED rollable |
| Screen size | 10 inches |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Pixel density | 440ppi |
Samsung Display’s role is central
Money Today reports that Samsung Display is in advanced discussions to supply the panel to Samsung MX, the company’s mobile division. A Samsung Electronics executive was also said to have stated internally that a rollable phone is being developed for a launch in the first half of 2028.
That matters because Samsung Display has spent years showing off future-facing panels, including dual-folding, rollable, and stretchable concepts. Until now, however, Samsung has only brought OLED folding screens to commercial smartphones.
The move toward a rollable handset would therefore mark a shift from demonstration to productization. It would also show how closely Samsung’s display arm and device arm are working together as the company searches for the next major smartphone form factor.
A bid to lead the next form factor race
Samsung Display is understood to be aiming for leadership in the next generation of smartphone designs. That ambition follows years of dominance in the foldable segment and reflects the company’s effort to stay ahead as the market explores more flexible device shapes.
Industry watchers say companies with strong technology and supply chains will be best placed to commercialize rollables. In that context, Samsung’s internal display expertise could become a major advantage if the project reaches the market.
The company has already shown the Rollable Flex OLED concept at SID 2023, proving that the underlying technology has been under development for some time. A commercial release would turn that concept work into a consumer product for the first time.
If the rollout happens as reported, Samsung could debut its first rollable phone around the 10th anniversary of its foldable smartphone line. That timing would give the launch symbolic weight as the company pushes the Galaxy family into a new era of screen design.
For now, the device remains a reported project rather than an official announcement. Even so, the direction is clear: Samsung appears intent on using its display technology to reshape the way a phone can expand, adapt, and compete.