Samsung's foldable phone has evolved once again. The company unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold8, signaling the start of a full-fledged era for 4:3-ratio foldable phones.
When Samsung introduced the world's first foldable phone seven years ago, some foreign media were dismissive — one outlet told Samsung to "fold a hot dog" instead. Samsung has since proven the foldable market's growth potential and maintained a firm grip on its leadership.
Samsung is now looking to extend that dominance with a redesigned 4:3-ratio foldable, moving to secure an early lead in that format ahead of Apple's anticipated entry into the foldable market.
At Galaxy Unpacked 2026, held Wednesday (local time) at Old Billingsgate in London, Samsung Electronics unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip8.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Z series open in South Korea on Tuesday and run through Aug. 3. The devices will roll out sequentially from Aug. 7 in major global markets including South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Brazil.
Prices for the 12GB memory, 256GB storage models are 2,278,100 won ($1,540) for the Galaxy Z Fold8, 2,577,300 won for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and 1,683,000 won for the Galaxy Z Flip8. All three models will be available in Graphite and KREAM colorways, among others.
The updated Galaxy Z series is designed around three distinct user profiles — content immersion for the Fold8, maximum productivity for the Fold8 Ultra, and personal expression with an optimized AI experience for the Flip8 — giving users significantly more choice.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 features a 138.4mm (5.5-inch, 10:16 ratio) cover screen when folded, suited for everyday tasks such as messaging, social media and short-form video. Unfolded, its 193.2mm (7.6-inch, 4:3 ratio) main display is optimized for video, reading, gaming and web browsing. The device weighs 201 grams and packs a 4,800mAh battery.
The 50-megapixel dual camera on the Galaxy Z Fold8 delivers high-resolution images in both wide-angle and ultra-wide shooting. Dual Recording allows simultaneous use of the front and rear cameras, capturing both the subject and the person filming at the same time. A My Fancam feature automatically edits footage around a selected person.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Samsung's flagship foldable, sports a 203.1mm (8-inch) main display suited for multitasking. It weighs just 215 grams and, when unfolded, measures 4.1mm thin — the slimmest of any Fold device to date.
A 200-megapixel camera captures fine detail at high resolution, with a newly supported 200-megapixel HDR mode further enhancing detail and color reproduction. A 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera — a first for the Fold series — handles everything from wide-angle shots to close-up macro photography.
The Fold8 Ultra handles not only multitasking but also AI-driven workloads quickly and reliably. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy 5th-generation mobile platform, enabling multiple tasks simultaneously on its large display. The device carries a 5,000mAh battery and, in a first for the Galaxy Z series, supports up to 45W fast charging and a dual-path charging system.
The Galaxy Z Flip8 is optimized for personal expression and AI usability. It is the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Flip to date, at 180 grams and 6.1mm thick.
The Flip8's cover display, FlexWindow, has been upgraded with an AI-centric interface. Users can access the quick panel and app tray, check apps, key features and personalized information — all without unfolding the device. A 50-megapixel wide-angle camera paired with an AI-based Pro Visual Engine captures sharp images for both portraits and everyday shots.
The Galaxy Z series introduces Flex Titanium technology for the first time, combining a titanium alloy film with a reinforced titanium plate. The result is improved durability and a noticeably reduced screen crease.
The Galaxy Z series delivers an agent-style AI experience powered by Galaxy AI and Gemini Intelligence, designed to understand the user's context and seamlessly connect tasks as needed.
Gemini Intelligence, making its debut on a mobile phone, offers a more advanced level of service than before. It reads the context of what is on screen and acts accordingly — automatically launching around 40 apps covering delivery, reservations and shopping, and handling tasks such as searching for nearby restaurants, making bookings, managing schedules and looking up tickets.
Now Nudge reads the user's situation and context to suggest natural next steps, with information browsing and task execution displayed visually alongside a chat window on the foldable's large screen. Now Brief draws on the user's daily routine, interests and usage patterns to surface relevant schedules, news and health information.
AI features are backed by a reinforced security framework. Samsung Knox provides comprehensive, trust-based protection from the chipset level across the entire device. The Personal Data Engine processes personalized AI functions on-device. Knox Vault safeguards sensitive information in a physically isolated secure area within the device.
Enhanced privacy alert features identify potential threats in real time, notifying users proactively — including warnings about unnecessary background permission access and other latent risks.
Samsung Electronics is also offering a Double Storage discount for customers who pre-order the 256GB model, upgrading them to the 512GB model at no extra charge. Customers who pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra or Fold8 in 512GB can upgrade to the 1TB model by paying an additional 310,700 won — roughly half the price difference between the two storage tiers.
Roh Tae-moon, president of Samsung Electronics' DX Division, said the more AI evolves, the more mobile devices will become the closest point of contact with users. "The new Galaxy Z series will take the mobile experience to the next level, deliver personalized services and usher in the next era of intelligence," he said.
ko@heraldcorp.com
