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Foldable phones are no longer a novelty, but what is novel this year is that Apple is almost certainly joining Samsung and Google in releasing a phone in a foldable form factor — and the launch is significant enough that it's led to a change in strategy from Samsung, now in its eighth year of launching Galaxy Z Fold models.

If you've been keeping up with the rumors, you'll know that Samsung is widely expected to reveal both a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a 'wide' version of the phone when the next Unpacked rolls around on Wednesday, July 22 .

That's very likely because the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold if you prefer) is being tipped to adopt the wide form factor itself. By wide, we mean the phone is shorter and wider than previous book-style foldables, whether it's open or closed.

So why the shift in design this year? Is it likely to drive more foldable phone sales? And should you be looking at picking up either a Galaxy Z Fold 8, an iPhone Ultra, or a Google Pixel Fold 11 over the coming months? As a tech journalist whose used foldable phones for years now, I can lay out what's going on for you.

The rumors so far

Rumors around a foldable iPhone are nothing new, but for months now it's been clear that this is the year that the speculation finally turns into an actual device: there have been so many rumors, from so many well-placed sources , that it would now be a huge surprise if the iPhone Ultra didn't show up around September time.

As the rumors have started gaining momentum, we've seen a running theme: the iPhone Ultra's screens are going to be shorter and wider than is typical for a device like this. A 5.5-inch cover screen and a 7.8-inch main display are what we're expecting, which would make it smaller overall than the foldables Samsung and Google have been producing.

Through leaks such as this 3D CAD mockup , we've got a pretty good idea of what the Apple phone will look like, and it might be the most interesting design choice on this device (though I'm also looking forward to seeing just how 'invisible' Apple has been able to make that crease, which will go a long way to determining how appealing the phone is).

Samsung's Unpacked invite hints at a change in form factor (Image credit: Samsung) Over to the Samsung camp then, and around the same time that it emerged that Apple was taking the shorter and wider form factor approach with its foldable, we got news that Samsung was bringing out its own version — presumably to appeal to those who would otherwise go with Apple for their next folding phone.

Originally known as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, it now appears that this handset will get the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 moniker, while the 'normal' foldable will become the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (try and keep up at the back). You'll get a direct choice between Samsung and Apple when it comes to this more 'squat' approach to foldable design.

Google, meanwhile, doesn't appear to be changing its approach for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold (due on Wednesday, August 12 ): that means this phone will be more of a regular handset size when it's closed, and have a squarer screen when opened, and that brings us to the reason why these wide foldables are appearing.

The foldable phone experience

For as long as foldables have been around, manufacturers have had to balance two experiences: what the phone is like to use when it's closed, and what it's like to use when it's opened. A foldable handset needs to score highly on both counts to get consumers to consider spending money on, but to date there's been almost too much of a compromise.

As a tech journalist, I've had the privilege of using multiple foldable phones, including many months with a Pixel 9 Pro Fold that Google loaned to me. Here's the thing though: most of the time I used that phone, I kept it closed. I didn't really have any need to switch to the bigger display, even though it's an impressive feat of engineering to have the two screens in one device.

Now part of the appeal of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold — as mentioned prominently in our review — is that it looks like a 'normal' phone when it's closed. But if that's one of the main selling points, it begs the question of why you wouldn't just buy a normal PIxel, which is going to be significantly cheaper and much thinner.

An opened Pixel 10 Pro Fold (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) The trade-off from sticking to a standard display aspect ratio when a foldable is closed is that the larger display is more or less square. That means big black letterboxing when you're watching videos and playing a lot of games, and when I've used foldables in the past, I've usually ended up watching movies and shows with the phones closed and in landscape orientation.

That brings us back to what Apple and Samsung are doing this year. A square display is still useful for some tasks — like web browsing, and getting two apps up side-by-side — but these new foldables will have a more tablet-like 4:3 aspect ratio when opened up. That will make them much better for watching video content and for gaming (and much more iPad-like, in Apple's case).

The whole point of a book-style foldable, after all, is that larger display — and in 2026 that's the screen that Samsung and Apple are going to be focusing on, even if it does mean the handsets will look rather odd when they're closed. The passport-style foldable is the future, and I think it'll be a successful switch.

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With Matt Reeves ' iteration of the Dark Knight front-and-center on the big screen, the Batman franchise still has no concrete plans for the character's official introduction into the James Gunn -crafted DC Universe. Fans are, unsurprisingly, on the edge of their seat wondering how Batman will fare in the current cinematic adventures. The character obviously exists, as referenced in Blue Beetle and is briefly seen in Creature Commandos , but we have yet to see him properly introduced in live-action in Gunn's DCU. As we continue to wait, perhaps DC Studios could look to video games for inspiration on how to update the comic book character for the small screen; a game like Batman: Arkham Asylum may prove a worthy foundation.

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Like many people, Ricky Gervais has multiple interests. High on that list would be cats and comedy. His fascination with cats is visible throughout his social media, where he regularly shares pictures of himself with his cats. Meanwhile, his relationship with comedy is also quite strong, as he is one of the most celebrated voices in the medium . His claim to fame is for creating the British version of The Office , which inspired numerous global remakes, including the 2004 American remake that went on to become one of the most popular comedies of the 2000s and the 2010s. Gervais has also created and acted in other shows in addition to his stand-up comedy work.

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A custom Palisade support rig assists Hyundai’s IMSA racing team.

The modified SUV sports custom N graphics and off-road bits.

It holds spare tires, tools, and fluids to support the Elantra N TCR.

Wagons and commercial vans once filled the paddock, but SUVs have taken over as the support and safety vehicles of choice in modern racing. Hyundai went a different way. Rather than reach for something wearing a performance badge, the company drafted the off-road-minded Palisade XRT Pro as the official paddock partner for the Elantra N TCR.

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The build exists to move gear, spare tires, and tools around the paddock during a race weekend, and nothing else. An XRT trim seems like an odd fit for a racing program until you learn the rugged SUV was developed with input from Hyundai’s N division. Having said that, the latest generation of the Palisade is heavier and slower compared to its predecessor .

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The one-off build wears a stealthy dark grey finish, broken up by signature N Performance red-orange racing stripes and light blue checkered flag graphics. Sponsor decals sit on the front doors and rear quarter panels, with N Track Support Vehicle lettering along the profile.

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Beyond the XRT Pro bodykit and its recovery points, there’s a Thule roof rack, an auxiliary LED bar, and rock sliders. Those last two will get about as much use on a paved circuit as the chunky BF Goodrich T/A rubber wrapped around the black five-spoke alloys.

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At the rear, Hyundai added a hitch-mounted carrier holding a set of wheels, so the crew can change tires anywhere on the property. Another wheel on sticky Michelin Pilot Sport rubber rides in the cargo area, joined by a WeatherTech mat, professional-grade Motul racing fluids, high-strength recovery straps, a heavy-duty storage case, and a custom Bell helmet belonging to IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge veteran Mark Wilkins.

The N Track Support Vehicle exists to back the factory-supported Bryan Herta Autosport team through the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, which means no dealership lots and no spot in the accessories catalog. A shame, since it would suit anyone hauling gear for the roadgoing Hyundai Elantra N TCR .

Hyundai

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