I held Samsung’s secret, canceled Z Fold 8 prototypes — and they killed the best one

So the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is official, and it’s the next foldable to jump on the passport-sized trend with a shorter, wider form factor that makes it ideal for content consumption.

I do like it from my time testing it (bar that $1,899 price tag). Some of the ergonomic issues I saw with Huawei’s stubby foldable have been resolved in software, and having a nicer 4:3 aspect ratio gives your Netflix shows or websites much more screen space to fill than the squarer Z Fold 8 Ultra.

I had a chance to speak to Samsung’s design team head, Hubert Lee, about the decisions made to get to this form factor, and I got to hold some of the different-sized devices that were left on the cutting room floor. And…well…is this a safe space? Because I think they’ve dropped the ball by not going for something smaller here.

The story of the design

Galaxy Z Fold 8 shown in hand — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

So how did Samsung land on the Z Fold 8? Well, it’s a long story of trying to balance emotional warmth and geometric symmetry — a mission that Lee labels “Emotive Geometry” — alongside 3D printing many different form factors for this new stubbier foldable.

After much experimentation with over 500 handmade mock-ups to evaluate grip, comfort and usability across different sizes and proportions, it became clear to the team that drawing inspiration from the passport was (in their words) a golden ratio.

Smaller versions aimed at users with smaller hands were tested, but ultimately scrapped because they felt too similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 8
Larger versions were also rejected because they were too close to the Z Fold 8 Ultra

And in the same spirit as Goldilocks trying out different beds and bowls of porridge, the company stumbled on what they believe is “just right.” Its ergonomic dimensions are specifically designed to be held and opened with a single hand, while being compact enough to be pocketable. And in my time using it, I can see how they arrived at that decision.

Yes, I’m a little disappointed that there’s still black bars with the 4:3 aspect ratio inside display, but you certainly get a lot more content on screen than you would with the productivity-focused Z Fold 8 Ultra.

But as I was shown these mockups, and got to hold them, I was left asking one question: did they make the right decision? I’m really not sure.

How small can you go?

I’ll admit this comes from a biased place. I loved my iPhone 12 mini and have always adored having smaller smartphones over the gigantic slabs that they’ve all become. So once I started holding these tiny options, my mind was spinning with the possibilities of what could’ve been.

Because yes, that smallest device is basically a Z Flip 8 turned sideways, but it also meant a 16:9 aspect ratio display inside — no black bezels whatsoever on your content! But if you still really wanted the same aspect ratios as the finished product, you’ve got smaller options that felt amazing in one hand.

Simply put, there's a lot more room for aspect ratio experimentation if content consumption was the key mission here, and I think Samsung's really missed an opportunity here to do something that breaks new ground.

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Now, I know what one of your many responses will be here. “What about battery life?” As you already know, there’s a 4,800mAh silicon carbon cell inside to maximize the balance between longevity and making this the lightest Galaxy Fold.

With that technology (and a touch more thickness), it could be argued that you could still find that good balance. We’ve seen standard smartphones go all the way up to 7,000mAh with this new battery tech, so it’s not fantasy to believe the same could happen here.

Take me back to small phones

I know I may be in a minority here — after all, every time a company tried to make a small phone, they quickly pivoted to big screens (RIP iPhone mini). However, foldables give you the best of both worlds, and while I do appreciate the intentional choice of Samsung here, I feel there was a better golden ratio right in front of them.

Passport-sized foldables are definitely all the rage right now, as Apple looks set to join this party real soon. But holding these smaller options sent my mind spinning on what could’ve been.

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Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a Managing Editor of Computing at Tom's Guide. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Tom's Hardware, Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you'll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza if he isn't already.