In recent months, Samsung has justifiably been accused of a lack of innovation in its mobile division. The recent Galaxy S25 series phones are remarkably similar to their predecessors, while the latest Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 offered only minor updates.
However, there can be little doubt as to what the company is truly capable of, especially when it comes to screens. At MWC 2025 in Barcelona, Samsung’s Display group showed off some weird and wonderful display concepts that make me very excited for the future.
While I wasn’t allowed to go hands-on with any of these, there’s still plenty to talk about.
A Nintendo Switch rival that folds?
Handheld consoles make AAA gaming on the go realistic, but they’re not exactly subtle. Not everyone wants to haul around such a huge device just to get their gaming fix, yet most mobile games don’t quite offer the same experience.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Simply folding the device in half would make a big difference to portability. In Samsung’s imagined example, the display folds horizontally, with the joysticks and d-pad arranged so they can neatly slot into one another.
It’s not clear how noticeable the crease would be, but unlike on a phone, you wouldn’t need to touch the screen nearly as often. As long as it doesn’t affect visibility, this seems like an ideal solution for portable gaming.
The brief case of a folding display
LG brought the idea of a screen within a suitcase to life with the StanByMe Go in 2023. But with a 27-inch display, it’s massive and can’t easily be taken everywhere with you.
On paper, Samsung’s flexible briefcase is a much better solution. Unlike LG, the display folds and unfolds when you open and close it, meaning you can fit twice as much screen within the same footprint.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
I could see this being a perfect solution for a camping or hiking trip, allowing everyone to watch movies on a large screen rather than being tied to a phone or tablet.
Round of a-claws
The other most interesting concept concerns flip phones.
It shows a Galaxy Z Flip-style device which closes via two hinges – one at the top and one at the bottom. Instead of the current flip phone model of a regular phone that folds in half vertically, this would allow you to have a taller display.
Sadly, I didn’t get to see this for myself, as it had been removed from the demo area by the time I arrived. But it appears deeply flawed, with part of the display still visible and thus exposed to the elements permanently. I can’t see it avoiding scratches or other damage for long.
Nonetheless, new approaches to flip phones are welcome. Unlike the book-style form factors, we’re yet to see any company deviate from the traditional vertical folding model.
However, I can’t see this concept being the one that takes off.
For more interesting devices and concepts like these, see Tech Advisor’s Best of MWC 2025 Awards. Samsung’s presence at MWC comes hot on the heels of the launch of its new mid-range phones – the Galaxy A26, Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A56.