Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 announced to compete with the future iPhone Fold

After months of development, Samsung has finally revealed its new, very interesting foldable device – the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

At the Galaxy Unpacked event in London, the Korean tech company announced three new foldable phones: Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. However, it’s the Z Fold 8 that might be the biggest draw, for two reasons. First, the Z Fold 8 is a completely new device and form factor. Second, it looks well placed to compete head-to-head with the yet-to-be-announced iPhone Ultra Fold, which we think will be unveiled in September. We expect Apple’s first folding to have a short, wide form, like the Z Fold 8.

Mashable got a chance to try out the new Galaxy Folds ahead of the launch event, but before we get into the details, we have one point to clarify. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 isn’t exactly the successor to the Z Fold 7 from last year, as you might expect. If you want that, check out the new Z Fold 8 Ultra.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is available for pre-order and starts at $1,899.99. The base model has 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. It’s available in four colors — lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio — and will be widely available starting Aug. 7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 specifications

The new foldable Galaxy Z Fold 8 smartphone has an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is the perfect size for either landscape or portrait. The interior display has more than enough real estate for multitasking and entertainment. And if you’re worried about the crease in the middle of the display, don’t worry. We got up close to the device, and the crease disappears completely when the display is activated.

These are the important features you should know:

• Internal display: 7.6-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• External display: 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

• Colors: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio

• Open dimensions: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm

• Folded dimensions: 1123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm

• Weight: 201 grams

• RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

• Battery: 4,800mAh battery

• Charging: 45W wired, 20W wireless

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie cameras

Key features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung’s latest foldables are very small.
Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

As mentioned above, the main distinguishing feature of the new Z Fold 8 is its 4:3 aspect ratio compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra. If the latter is a folding book type, the former could almost be called a tablet-style folding, instead. We think the wide screen will work best for reading books or multitasking with several apps open at the same time.

And, on the 201g, Samsung really emphasizes how bright the device is. The company calls it “the easiest place in the world.”

And while the device may be light, it is not heavy. Samsung’s newest foldable features Flex Titanium technology, making the Galaxy Z Fold 8 more durable. Speaking of durability, it also boasts Samsung’s own hinge technology, Armor Flexhinge.

The IZ Fold 8 feels like a solid middle point between the premium Z Fold 8 Ultra and the relatively affordable Z Flip 8. All three phones use the same chip, but the Z Fold 8’s 4,800mAh battery is smaller than the Z Fold 8 Ultra. However, the Z Fold 8 it does you have a 16GB RAM and 1TB storage option, same as the Ultra.

Where the Ultra will feel is much better than the Z Fold 8 in terms of camera. The Ultra comes with a 200MP primary shooter, while the Fold 8’s is only 50MP. The former also has a telephoto lens, while the latter does not. Its relatively small cameras are close to those of the Z Flip 8, which means it’s probably best for social media photos, not professional photography. However, Samsung says the Fold 8 can still shoot 8K video at 30 frames per second.

Speaking on social media, Samsung showed off a brand new feature called My Fancam. This feature can automatically track a person in a video with the help of AI and crop it to the desired video size of their choice to create clips made for social media.

All eyes are on Apple now. We can’t wait to directly compare the Z Fold 8 to whatever Apple is cooking up. Hopefully all will be revealed in September.

Where to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 8

You can buy the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung, Amazon, and other mobile retailers. If you’re looking for the best pre-order deals, check out the latest deals from carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile as well.