Samsung Z Slide Listing Suggests Affordable Expanding Phones Incoming

It's been a while since we've seen a smartphone – or any smart device – that's changed the way we've conducted our lives. This month Samsung Display previewed a set of devices that we assumed would be concepts, ready to inspire the next generation of smartphone and/or tablet. If a European Union Intellectual Property Office listing is any indication, it would appear that Samsung Electronics is close to releasing one of these conceptual devices as a real deal phone!

The Samsung Z Slide was listed here in May of 2021 with EUIPO as a trademark name as registered by Samsung Electronics. The trademark was filed as Goods and Services with the following categories: Smartphones, Electronic pens for smartphones, Mobile telephones, Telecommunication apparatus. The full document also covers a WHOLE BUNCH of other bases – but this shorter list is shown on the primary listing block.

As noted by LetsGoDigital, this name could be attached to a device that slides upward or sideways. It could be as simple as the Samsung A80 from 2019, complete with a flipping camera array. Given the video released this month by Samsung Display, it would seem more likely that it's side-slideable, something like what you see above and below.

Samsung's device shown in the "Better life through Samsung OLED" video is approximately the dimensions of a Samsung Galaxy Note, while in standard mode. Once requested, the device can slide out to the right – the display panel emerges from the right side, as if by magic. This allows the phone to show standard apps when in standard mode, and next-level, new sorts of apps with the device's larger display when needed.

This device takes the foldable (expandable) display idea to a much more elegant place. Given Samsung's "more accessible" promise, we're hoping the masses will be able to afford this device once it's released, too!