Jenith
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Samsung's “budget” Galaxy Z Flip experiment arguably failed. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE quickly disappeared from store shelves in key regions, such as the USA, and not because it was a best-selling item. Rather, Samsung didn't bring it back in stock, signaling abysmal sales.
There are no clear signs of Samsung developing another budget Galaxy Z Flip model for 2026, at least not as of this writing. However, you may have recently come across reports about a patent application saying otherwise.
Sketches of a cheaper-looking Galaxy Z Flip featuring a Watch-like circular cover screen are floating around, but most reports seem a little too optimistic about its meaning.
The patent application in question has an international registration date of March 3, 2026, which appears to have sparked the recent speculation that Samsung is working on another “budget” Flip.
Whether or not Samsung is doing that is unknown. However, dig a little deeper in that WIPO application and you'll find that Samsung filed the patent in 2024. Worse yet, in Korea, the application was actually filed even earlier, in 2022.
https://www.imeisource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/samsung-flip-circular-screen-patent.png
Samsung Display / WIPO
Incidentally, Samsung's patent first surfaced months after Huawei released the P50 Pocket foldable flip phone, which featured a circular, watch-like cover screen.
But the idea that Samsung would revive this patented design from four years ago to release another budget Flip phone in 2026 seems a little too far-fetched. Especially when even Huawei moved away from this design in recent years.
Furthermore, the patent was filed with WIPO by Samsung Display and describes “the ornamental design for a display device, as shown and described.”
This wording suggests the patent may have less to do with the Flip phone design itself and more with the concept of a circular cover screen.
The final nail in the coffin is that almost every part of the non-existent Flip phone is drawn using dotted lines. This matters because the patent application clearly states the following:
The phone's case, even cameras, are drawn using broken lines. The only components that aren't are the circular screen and its housing.
So, to wrap things up, Samsung actively exploring this design for another cheaper Flip experiment this year seems very unlikely. It's an older patent, and even if we ignore the broken lines, the design doesn't really align with Samsung's current design language or broader vision.
There are no clear signs of Samsung developing another budget Galaxy Z Flip model for 2026, at least not as of this writing. However, you may have recently come across reports about a patent application saying otherwise.
Sketches of a cheaper-looking Galaxy Z Flip featuring a Watch-like circular cover screen are floating around, but most reports seem a little too optimistic about its meaning.
Here's why this phone will most likely never happen
The patent application in question has an international registration date of March 3, 2026, which appears to have sparked the recent speculation that Samsung is working on another “budget” Flip.
Whether or not Samsung is doing that is unknown. However, dig a little deeper in that WIPO application and you'll find that Samsung filed the patent in 2024. Worse yet, in Korea, the application was actually filed even earlier, in 2022.
https://www.imeisource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/samsung-flip-circular-screen-patent.png
Samsung Display / WIPO
Incidentally, Samsung's patent first surfaced months after Huawei released the P50 Pocket foldable flip phone, which featured a circular, watch-like cover screen.
But the idea that Samsung would revive this patented design from four years ago to release another budget Flip phone in 2026 seems a little too far-fetched. Especially when even Huawei moved away from this design in recent years.
Furthermore, the patent was filed with WIPO by Samsung Display and describes “the ornamental design for a display device, as shown and described.”
This wording suggests the patent may have less to do with the Flip phone design itself and more with the concept of a circular cover screen.
The final nail in the coffin is that almost every part of the non-existent Flip phone is drawn using dotted lines. This matters because the patent application clearly states the following:
The phone's case, even cameras, are drawn using broken lines. The only components that aren't are the circular screen and its housing.
So, to wrap things up, Samsung actively exploring this design for another cheaper Flip experiment this year seems very unlikely. It's an older patent, and even if we ignore the broken lines, the design doesn't really align with Samsung's current design language or broader vision.