I Galaxy Z Fold 7 it was one of my favorites phones of 2025. It was surprisingly small and light, and unlike other Samsungs which is collapsible in the past, it felt like a normal phone for everyday use. The Korean phone maker also added a few key improvements like a stronger hinge, a 200-megapixel main camera and a larger cover screen, helping it win the CNET Editors’ Choice Award from Abrar Al-Heeti’s. review.
A year later, it remains one of the smallest and lightest foldable phones around, setting the stage for its rumored successor. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Of course, Samsung is rumored to add the “Ultra” moniker to its book-style folding, while new widescreen device that is also rumored to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8. These two phones may be announced in a few weeks, but before the launch, there are some strong challengers out there.
I am coming from Oppo Find N6 again Honor Magic V6and I noted a few sensible quality-of-life features that I wish Samsung would add to its upcoming device. I enjoyed using the glossy internal screen with a small crease and I didn’t miss the good zoom camera.
If Samsung wants to keep the momentum of the Fold 7 and take on Apple’s upcoming foldable The iPhone Ultra challenge, it will need to do more than just open the wide foldable screen. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra needs to borrow these few features from its Chinese rivals to find a permanent place in people’s pockets.
Add a bigger battery
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn’t even compete with rivals like the Honor Magic V6 (left) and Oppo Find N6 (right) in terms of battery capacity.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 battery has a very low capacity compared to other recent book-style foldable phones.
While I liked its battery performance in my first month of use, when the 4,400-mAh cell got me through the day, things changed when I started traveling. When I was on the road, constant scrolling, texting and using the camera didn’t help, and I was left with average battery life.
In contrast, both the Oppo Find N6 (with a 6,000-mAh battery) and the Honor Magic V6 (with a 6,600-mAh battery) performed better in the same usage. The phones have batteries with silicon-carbon anode tech, which allows for more capacity without adding more weight. Both Oppo and Honor phones are thicker and heavier than their Samsung rivals, but I don’t mind because they’re still comfortable to hold and use with one hand.
I hope Samsung will use silicon-carbon battery technology in their upcoming foldable phones, but there are no rumors pointing to any such acquisition. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is tipped to pack a larger 5,000-mAh battery in a slimmer design, weighing 215 grams like the Z Fold 7.
It is expected to be powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite “Galaxy” chip as the chip. Galaxy S26 Ultra. Along with the efficiency of the processor in that phone, the 5,000-mAh battery in the Z Fold 8 Ultra may be able to deliver an all-day battery life. Hopefully, it will last a long time when you travel.
A highly immersive folding screen
The Oppo Find N6 (left) has an anti-reflective coating on the folding screen, making it more reflective compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right). Both screens are at high brightness.
The most noticeable difference between the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Oppo Find N6 is the folding screen. Oppo’s panel has a matte finish with a slight crease, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a sleek and smudge-prone folding screen. Every time I open it outside, I have to clear it to see my Maps navigation clearly.
I had no such problems on the Find N6. The Oppo phone wasn’t flashy and it was easy to look at in direct sunlight, thanks to an almost crease-free anti-reflective panel.
Speaking of the crease, you can’t feel it with your fingernail and it’s hard to see. In contrast, my Galaxy Z Fold 7 screen is deeper and deeper over time.
The Oppo Find N6 is almost out of the crease, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Oppo has also faced this problem in its new folding. The Oppo foldable is said to provide “338% of maximum form resistance,” so it shouldn’t develop a crease as you continue to use the device. While my two months of use are too short to judge these claims, the Find N6 remains a solid foldable phone right now.
I hope Samsung realizes this development to give its Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra the light it deserves. According to tipster Ice Universe, it could have a folding screen similar to the Find N6, which would be amazing. Samsung Display showed off a concept foldable display featuring a design with an almost invisible crease, so it’s within the realm of possibility.
I would also like it to have the matte finish of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It would be a godsend for people who take advantage of the large canvas on their foldable phones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra needs a significant design change
Samsung’s folders have sharper hinge corners than preferred ones, making the phones fit comfortably in my palm.
The Galaxy Z Fold series had a major design overhaul last year. It went from feeling like I was holding a thick line, to a thin line I held a normal wire. And it was Samsung’s best redesign in years.
However, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a big flaw for people on the left. You can’t hold the phone with your left hand without feeling a sharp edge poke into your palm.
Samsung’s current-gen foldable has flat sides, which feel premium in the hand. But the lower left corner, below the hinge, is too sharp to hold loosely. I noticed this when I started to hold the phone with my left hand and it hit my palm hard. Now, I make sure I use it with my right hand.
I have never had this issue with any other 2026 foldable phone. Most of them have curved edges, so they are more comfortable to use, regardless of which hand I hold them. I hope Samsung will fix this design so that the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be more comfortable in both hands.
An upgrade to the telephoto camera would be nice
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup is in dire need of a telephoto upgrade.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 received the much-needed 200-megapixel camera upgrade last year. Samsung also updated the ultrawide camera to a slightly larger sensor. However, it did not develop a third camera. As a result, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 had a 10-megapixel 3x zoom telephoto camera like the Fold 6, which was the same as the Fold 5 and its predecessor from 2022.
Samsung has been using the same telephoto camera for four years. While it has improved processing, its 1/3.94-inch sensor size is too small to offer natural-looking bokeh. A large sensor with a large optical aperture can help with a strong, natural bokeh effect by physically reducing the depth of field. It would allow the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra to have one of the most complete camera systems on a smartphone.
We’ll likely know soon if any of these improvements make it into the next line of Galaxy foldable phones. Until then, you can check out what we’ve heard so far about Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in this rumored conference.
Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide Spotted in the Wild and Looks Real
