Samsung splits the foldable phone fight into three shapes
Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8 arrive Aug. 7 as Apple is expected to enter foldables this fall.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Samsung’s foldable phone lineup just got more crowded, pricier and better timed for a fight with Apple.
The company introduced three new folding smartphones Wednesday at its Unpacked launch event in London: the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8. All three are scheduled to ship Aug. 7, according to Samsung details reported by NBC News.
The big change is shape. Samsung now has two book-style foldables aimed at different habits, plus a clamshell model for buyers who want the old flip-phone motion with modern hardware.
Three folds, three prices
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 opens like a small book or passport into a wider main screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio. NBC News reported that the broader display is designed to feel more tablet-like and better suited to video. It starts at $1,900.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra keeps the taller, narrower form Samsung has used on earlier Fold models. Samsung is positioning it more toward productivity, and NBC News reported that it now includes a much larger battery. It starts at $2,100.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 folds vertically, in the style of early-2000s flip phones. It starts at $1,200.
Drew Blackard, Samsung’s senior vice president of mobile product management, told NBC News that the Fold 8 redesign was driven more by how people use the device than by reports about Apple’s plans. “Media consumption has really changed a lot since the first one we launched” in 2019, he said.
Prices are climbing
The launch also brings higher costs for some buyers. Blackard told NBC News the Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8 are each $100 more expensive than the models they replace.
He pointed to hardware upgrades, including the Ultra’s larger battery, but said rising RAM and storage costs were a “big driver” of the price increases. He described those component costs as a major challenge, while adding that many U.S. shoppers may see carrier promotions or billing offers that soften the upfront bite.
Apple’s expected arrival changes the stakes
Samsung’s announcement comes as Apple is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone in September, according to NBC News. Reports have suggested Apple’s model may use a wider, book-style design similar to Samsung’s new Fold 8.
Samsung has spent seven years trying to turn phones that unfold into tablet-size screens into a mainstream pitch. Blackard told NBC News that Samsung’s advantage is the time it has had to refine durability, design and features.
Asked about Apple’s expected move, Blackard said Samsung is now offering three form factors and speculated that Apple will probably begin with one.
That leaves Samsung entering the next round with more options on the table: one foldable for watching, one for working and one that snaps shut like a pocket-size throwback.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.