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

After months of buildup, Samsung finally unveiled its newest, most interesting foldable device — the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

At a Galaxy Unpacked event in London, the Korean tech company announced three new foldable phones: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the 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 an entirely new device and form factor. Second, it looks well-placed to compete head-to-head with the still-unannounced iPhone Ultra Fold, which we think will be revealed in September. We expect Apple’s first foldable to have a shorter, wider form factor, just like the Z Fold 8.

Mashable got the chance to try the new Galaxy foldables ahead of the launch event, but before we get into the details, we have one point of clarification. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not really a successor to the Z Fold 7 from a year ago, 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 today 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 specs

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a sizable inner display.
Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

The new Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable smartphone has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is an ideal size whether in landscape or portrait orientation. The inner display has enough extra real estate for multi-tasking and entertainment. And if you’re worried about a crease in the middle of the display, don’t be. We got up close with the device, and the crease fully disappears when the display is activated.

These are the key specs to know:

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

• Outer display: 5.5-inches AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

• Colors: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio

• Unfolded 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

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 key features

Samsung’s latest foldables are ultra-thin.
Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

As stated above, the main distinguishing factor of the new Z Fold 8 is its wider 4:3 proportions compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra. If the latter is a book-style foldable, the former can almost be called a tablet-style foldable, instead. We think the wide screen will serve even better for reading books or multitasking with several apps open at once.

Also, at 201g, Samsung is really emphasizing how light the device is. The company is calling it the “world’s lightest fold ever.”

And while the device may be light, it’s no lightweight. Samsung’s newest foldable features Flex Titanium technology, which makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 more durable. Speaking of durability, it also boasts  Samsung’s advantage hinge technology, Armor Flexhinge.

The Z Fold 8 feels like a solid middle point between the premium Z Fold 8 Ultra and the comparatively affordable Z Flip 8. All three phones use the same chip, but the Z Fold 8’s 4,800mAh battery is smaller than that of the Z Fold 8 Ultra. However, the Z Fold 8 does have an option for 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage, similar to the Ultra.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 debuts at the London Galaxy Unpacked event.
Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable

Where the Ultra will feel distinctly more premium than the Z Fold 8 is in the camera array. The Ultra comes with a 200MP main shooter, while the Fold 8’s is only 50MP. The former also has a telephoto lens, while the latter does not. Its relatively meager camera specs are closer to those of the Z Flip 8, meaning it’s probably best for social media shots, not professional photography. However, Samsung says the Fold 8 can still shoot 8K video at 30 frames per second.

Speaking of 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 to the desired video dimensions of their choice to create tailor-made clips 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 purchase the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Samsung, Amazon, and other mobile retailers. If you’re looking for the best pre-order launch offers, check out the new offers from mobile carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile as well.