The Galaxy Z Fold8 range arrives with larger displays, deeper Gemini integration and higher prices as manufacturers compete for premium buyers during a severe global handset downturn.
Samsung Electronics has unveiled a new generation of foldable smartphones, expanding its premium Galaxy Z range as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to the mobile industry and rising component costs place pressure on both manufacturers and consumers.
Presented at the company’s Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, the new lineup comprises the Galaxy Z Fold8, the more powerful Fold8 Ultra and the compact Galaxy Z Flip8. Samsung is positioning the three devices as distinct products for productivity, entertainment and everyday communication rather than treating foldables as a single specialist category.
The most visible change is the redesigned Fold8, which adopts a wider, passport-like shape. The broader screen is intended to make video viewing, document work and multitasking feel more natural, addressing a longstanding criticism that book-style foldables can appear unusually narrow when closed.
The Fold8 will begin at $1,899 in the United States, while the Fold8 Ultra is priced from $2,099 and the Flip8 from $1,199. The prices represent an increase of approximately $100 compared with the previous generation, reflecting both Samsung’s premium strategy and the mounting cost of memory chips and other essential components.
Across the range, Samsung has placed artificial intelligence at the centre of the user experience. The devices incorporate the company’s Galaxy AI functions alongside Google’s Gemini technology, with tools designed to summarise information, assist with searches, interpret on-screen material and help users perform several tasks with fewer manual steps.
Samsung says the software has been adapted to each device’s form. On the larger Fold models, AI tools can operate beside documents, video calls or web pages, while the Flip8 uses its external FlexWindow to display recommendations and shortcuts without requiring the phone to be fully opened.
The strategy reflects a wider shift across the technology industry. Smartphone manufacturers are increasingly presenting AI assistants—not improvements to cameras or processors alone—as the main reason consumers should replace their existing devices.
Yet the commercial challenge is considerable. Global smartphone shipments are forecast to decline by 13.9 percent in 2026 as memory shortages, higher prices and economic uncertainty weaken demand. IDC expects total shipments to fall to approximately 1.08 billion units, potentially making this the industry’s steepest annual contraction on record.
Foldable devices remain a notable exception. Although they still represent a relatively small portion of global handset sales, IDC forecasts that the category will grow by about 20 percent this year. Manufacturers can charge substantially more for foldables, making them particularly attractive at a time when profit margins on conventional smartphones are being squeezed.
Samsung’s renewed push also anticipates greater competition. Apple is widely expected to enter the foldable market, a development that could rapidly expand consumer interest while challenging Samsung’s long-established leadership in the category. Chinese manufacturers, including Huawei, Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi, have already introduced increasingly thin and sophisticated folding devices, particularly in Asian markets.
The Fold8 Ultra appears designed to protect Samsung’s position at the top of that market. It applies the company’s established “Ultra” branding to a foldable phone for the first time, targeting professionals, content creators and buyers willing to pay more than $2,000 for a mobile device.
However, analysts caution that wider screens and modest hardware improvements may not be enough to persuade mainstream consumers. Foldables continue to face concerns over price, durability, repair costs, visible screen creases and the practical value of carrying a device that is heavier and more complex than a traditional smartphone.
Samsung is attempting to answer those concerns by presenting the devices as part of a broader connected ecosystem. The company also introduced the Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2, while outlining plans for AI-powered eyewear developed with Google and fashion-oriented partners. The glasses are expected to bring Gemini assistance, translation and contextual information into a hands-free wearable format.
That broader portfolio suggests Samsung sees the future of consumer technology as a network of AI-enabled devices rather than a market centred exclusively on the smartphone. Phones, watches and glasses would collect different types of information while allowing a single digital assistant to move between them.
The approach also raises questions about privacy. AI assistants capable of interpreting messages, images, health information and a user’s surroundings require access to highly personal data. Samsung has emphasised transparency, user control and privacy protections, but consumer confidence will depend on how clearly those systems explain what information is collected, where it is processed and how long it is retained.
For Samsung, the new Galaxy Z range is therefore more than an annual product refresh. It is a test of whether artificial intelligence can make foldable phones feel genuinely more useful—and whether that usefulness is compelling enough to justify higher prices during one of the smartphone industry’s most difficult years.
The foldable market is growing, but it remains far from mainstream. Samsung’s challenge is to turn technological novelty into an everyday advantage before competitors close the gap.
