This year's wave of Samsung Galaxy foldables is going to be different. Samsung reportedly has three foldable phones on the way, and everything we've heard suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 isn't going to be the flagship. Instead the Z Fold 8 is the name being given to the new wider model, while the pricier Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to take over from last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Obviously, this means quite a big change is coming the likes of which we haven't seen since the release of the original Galaxy Z Flip back in 2020. The new Galaxy Z Fold 8 design is set to be shorter and wider, with a passport-inspired design that'll be going head to head with the iPhone Ultra.
Here's everything we know about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 ahead of Galaxy Unpacked.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Rumored Specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (rumored) |
Cover display | 5.4-inch OLED (120Hz) |
Main display | 7.6-inch OLED (120Hz) |
Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
RAM | 12GB or 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Battery | ~4,800mAh |
Rear cameras | 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide |
Front camera | 10MP selfie (cover and main) |
Price | TBA |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Price and Release Date rumors
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to be revealed at Galaxy Unpacked later this month, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8. Samsung hasn't confirmed the exact date of Unpacked, but rumors suggest that it will be happening on July 22 in London.
Typically Samsung leaves a couple of weeks between launch and release, and if that pattern holds true for another year we should see the new foldables go on sale either July 31 or the first week of August.
We don't know much about pricing at the moment, and the fact the Z Fold 8 lineup is undergoing such a big change means we can't really predict what's going to happen. Considering the rising cost of memory, storage and other phone components, don't expect this phone to be much cheaper than the $1,999 Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Based on a leak reported on by Android Authority, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 could start at €2,099 in Europe, but we have not yet seen U.S. pricing.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Design & Display
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is set to look unlike any Galaxy foldable we've seen thus far. This new design is a lot different, with a look that feels like it was inspired by a passport, complete with less height and more width. It's no surprise that this phone was tentatively called the Galaxy Z Fold Wide.
The benefit of the wider format is two-fold. On the outside, you'd have a wider display that makes it easier to type and run apps. And on the inside you'll have a more immersive viewing experience with smaller black bars above and below the display.
Rumored dimensions are 123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7mm (4.88 x 3.22 x 0.38 inches) in a folded state and 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5mm (4.88 x 6.35 x 0.18 inches) when unfolded. The cover display is tipped to be 5.4-inches, while the inner foldable display is supposed to be a 7.6-inch panel.
We should expect to see all the same display tech we've seen on other Galaxy foldables, including LTPO OLED panels, capable of a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, and as close to QHD resolution as the size of the screen will allow.
Renders suggest that this phone will feature a pair of rear-mounted cameras instead of the usual three, and hole-punch selfie cameras in both displays. More on that below.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Cameras
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 cameras are rumored to be a downgrade compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and not just because a telephoto zoom camera is missing. While the Z Fold 7 debuted with a 200MP main lens, it's been suggested that this will be an Ultra-exclusive feature.
This means the Z Fold 8 is expected to come with a 50MP main lens, paired with a 50MP ultrawide camera. Rumors also claim that the lenses will shoot 24MP photos by default, rather than the 12MP that is common on so many other smartphone cameras.
We haven't heard anything about the pair of selfie cameras, but my guess is that they'll come with the same 10MP resolution that was afforded to the Z Fold 7 last year. If there are any upgrades, the most we're likely to see are 12MP lenses instead — but I wouldn't hold out hope for that.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Performance
We haven't heard any concrete leaks about the Z Fold 8's performance hardware, but we can make some educated guesses based on past experience.
The most obvious upgrade is that this phone will likely run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset — at least in North America. Some have speculated that we'd see the custom "for Galaxy" variant of that chip, just like we saw on the Galaxy S26 series, but that doesn't seem likely. Samsung has never offered a for Galaxy chip on past foldables, and with RAMageddon still happening I don't see that starting now.
There is a chance that international models may be powered by the Exynos 2600 chipset, which was the case with the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus outside North America. We expect that will happen with the Z Flip 8, but considering the Z Fold 8 is a whole new kind of foldable we don't really know what to expect.
RAM is also a big unknown right now. The Z Fold 7 offered 12GB of RAM by default, and up to 16GB on certain high-storage models, and I suspect Samsung may do something similar again this year.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Battery life & Charging
While the biggest battery upgrades seem to be going to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, there are some changes rumored to be coming to the Z Fold 8. The main one is that we may see a larger 4,800 mAh battery, and while that's not quite as big as the Ultra's 5,000 mAh, it would still be an improvement over the 4,400 mAh battery in the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Charging speed is another matter. There's a chance the Z Fold 8 could join the Ultra and include 45W wired charging, but there's a good chance that it will also stick with 25W charging instead. My guess would be the latter, since it would allow Samsung to keep the cost of the phone down, but it's not clear right now.
Leaked case designs show that the Z Fold 8 should offer Qi2 wireless charging, on account of some cases featuring a magnetic ring. However, it's likely that Samsung will stick with 15W speeds, rather than the faster 25W speeds that are available on certain models.
It's also unclear whether the phone will feature its own internal magnetic ring, as we've seen on Pixel 10 and various iPhone models. I wouldn't count on it, though, as Samsung tends to prioritize thinness over built-in magnets.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Outlook
There's a lot we still don't fully know about the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a rather exciting time for Samsung Galaxy foldables. We've seen a bunch of special edition models over the past few years, but there's something about this that seems permanent — and Apple could be the reason why.
The iPhone Ultra could prove to be a major thorn in Samsung's side. So the fact it's releasing a phone that looks heavily inspired by leaked iPhone Ultra designs tells us that it isn't going to be complacent and let Apple encroach on its territory without a fight.
However, there's only so much we can gleam from the various leaks we've had already, and that means we're going to have to wait to find out more. Stay tuned for our hands-on review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 once Samsung Galaxy Unpacked arrives.
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