Samsung’s Fold 8 may split into wider and Ultra models

Samsung is expected to launch its next foldables at a July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event in London, alongside devices such as the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Glasses. The headline phone is likely the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the successor to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, and current leaks suggest Samsung may split the lineup into two distinct versions: a wider model and an Ultra variant.

The naming is still murky. Early reports pointed to a standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 plus a wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. More recent leaks suggest the wider device may simply be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the more familiar book-style design could be branded Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. According to 9to5Google, case listings in the WPC database support that possibility, and the Ultra name has also reportedly appeared in the Bluetooth SIG database.

Pricing is also unsettled. CNET notes that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 started at $2,000, while its higher-capacity versions rose in price this year: the 1TB model went from $2,420 to $2,500, and the 512GB model from $2,120 to $2,200. One rumor says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 could stay at $2,000, while the Fold 8 Ultra could cost around $2200.

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Samsung is already offering launch incentives:

• a $30 Samsung credit for reserving a device
• up to $1,200 in trade-in credit
• up to $200 Samsung credit with a preorder if you do not trade in a device

Those credits cannot be applied to the phone itself, but can be used on accessories such as Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watches.

Design, displays and cameras

The wider model is shaping up as the more radical redesign. Dummy-unit photos shared by Sonny Dickson reportedly show the Z Fold 8 as shorter and wider than the Z Fold 7. Mashable says it may have a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Leaker Tarun Vats separately said the phone will use a 7.6-inch Quad HD Plus internal display with a 4:3 ratio and a 5.5-inch Quad HD Plus cover display with a 16:10 ratio, both using Dynamic AMOLED 2x panels at 120Hz.

Vats also says the wider Fold 8 will measure 123.9 by 81.9 by 9.7 millimeters when folded and 123.9 by 161.4 by 4.5mm when unfolded, with a weight of 201 grams. ZDNET Korea reported that this model uses 60-micrometer ultrathin glass, more than 30% thicker than the 45-micrometer glass on the Z Fold 8 Ultra, which could improve durability and reduce the visibility of the crease.

By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is rumored to closely resemble the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which has a 6.5-inch outer display and an 8-inch inner display.

Leaker Ice Universe has claimed the Ultra’s display resolution is “significantly” better than the Fold 7, whose outer screen is 422 pixels per inch and inner display is 368ppi.

Color rumors are inconsistent. According to Digital Citizen, the Fold 8 may come in cream, graphite, lavender and pistachio, while the Fold 8 Ultra may come in cream, graphite, green shadow and violet shadow. Another report says the Ultra could be offered in black, white and purple. Android Headlines has also published press images that reportedly show the Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8, and says pistachio will be an online exclusive.

Camera leaks point to a clear split between the two devices. Reports cited by 9to5Google from Korean publication Sisa Journal say the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will have:

• a 50-megapixel main camera
• a 50-megapixel ultrawide
• two 10-megapixel selfie cameras

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to get:

• a 200-megapixel main camera
• a 50-megapixel ultrawide
• a 10-megapixel telephoto
• two 10-megapixel front-facing cameras

Both phones are expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip found in the latest S26 lineup. The Fold 8 is rumored to ship with 12GB of RAM and a 4,800-mAh battery, while the Fold 8 Ultra could carry a 5,000-mAh battery. Both models are also expected in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB configurations.