Is Samsung creating a new standard for folding phones or has the configuration race reached its limit, forcing competitors like HONOR, OPPO and vivo to change their strategies?
Samsung has officially introduced the new generation of Galaxy Z folding phones including Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip8. The three devices target three different customer groups but all focus on thinner and lighter design, new generation performance, 120Hz AMOLED screen and Android 17 and One UI 9 right from the factory. According to Samsung, the devices will open for pre-order in some markets from July 23, 2026 and start selling from August 8, 2026.
Galaxy Z Fold8 is the standard version but still significantly upgraded. The device uses a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main screen with QXGA+ resolution, a 5.5-inch secondary screen, both supporting adaptive scanning frequency of 1 to 120Hz and maximum brightness of 3,000 nits. Weighing only 201 g, becoming Samsung's lightest Galaxy Z Fold model to date of launch.
Inside is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor manufactured on a 3 nm process, up to 16 GB of RAM, and up to 1 TB of internal memory. The camera system includes a 50 MP main sensor and a 50 MP ultra wide-angle camera, combined with a Pin 4,800 mAh supports 45 W fast charging and 20 W wireless charging.
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the highlight of this year's product line when Samsung first brought the Ultra version to a book-style folding phone. The device has an 8-inch main screen, a 6.5-inch external screen, still uses Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy but has a strongly upgraded camera with a 200 MP main sensor, a 50 MP super wide-angle camera and a 10 MP telephoto camera that supports 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom. The device is only 4.1 mm thick when opened, weighs 215 g and is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery.
Galaxy Z Flip8 continues to target the group of users who love clamshell folding phones. The device has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main screen, a 4.1-inch Super AMOLED external screen supporting 60 Hz and 120 Hz. Unlike the two Fold models, the Galaxy Z Flip8 uses a 2 nm Exynos 2600 processor developed by Samsung, 12 GB RAM, 4,300 mAh battery and 25 W fast charging.
Quick comparison table of three new Galaxy Z models
Galaxy Z Fold8 Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra Galaxy Z Flip8 specifications
Main screen 7.6 inches 8 inches 6.9 inches
Secondary screen 5.5 inch 6.5 inch 4.1 inch
Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy Exynos 2600
Main camera 50 MP 200 MP 50 MP
Battery 4,800 mAh 5,000 mAh 4,300 mAh
Wired charger 45 W 45 W 25 W
Weight 201 g 215 g 180 g
Operating system Android 17 Android 17 Android 17
The most notable point of the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra lies in the fact that Samsung brought the Ultra series experience to the folding device instead of just focusing on the Galaxy S Ultra as before. 200 MP camera helps the productm competes directly with HONOR Magic V5 Ultimate, OPPO Find N6 and the new generation vivo X Fold in the high-end folding phone segment, where camera quality used to be the weakness of many folding devices.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Z Fold8 focuses on optimizing the daily use experience with a lighter, thinner design but still retains high-end configuration and multitasking capabilities on a large screen. This is considered a different direction from the HONOR Magic V5, which prioritizes maximum thinness, while OPPO Find N6 focuses on the camera system in cooperation with Hasselblad.
Galaxy Z Flip8 also shows that Samsung continues to place its trust in the Exynos chip line in the high-end segment. This will be an important test when competing with folding phones using Snapdragon from Motorola and Chinese companies.
Samsung still maintains the IP48 water resistance standard on all three models, supports Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and side fingerprint sensor. Android 17 combined with One UI 9 promises to bring many AI features and multitasking optimization specifically for folding screens.
Regarding price in the Indian market, Galaxy Z Fold8 has a starting price of about 1.79 lakh Rupees, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra from about 1.99 lakh Rupees and Galaxy Z Flip8 from about 1.24 lakh Rupees. Samsung also launched a pre-order program with renewal incentives, payment discounts and no down payment in installments in applicable markets.
