Samsung will launch three new foldable smartphones simultaneously: the Galaxy Z Fold8, Fold8 Ultra and Flip8. Centered on the horizontally folding Fold8 with a 4:3 aspect ratio, the company is planning a simultaneous global launch, including Japan, on 7 August.
Samsung has announced three models simultaneously, centered on the new-form-factor Galaxy Z Fold8, alongside the horizontally folding Fold8 Ultra and vertically folding Flip8. The Fold8 adopts a new 4:3 display, while the Fold8 Ultra features a large screen of approximately 8 inches and a roughly 200-megapixel-class camera, and the Flip8 emphasizes compactness and its cover display. This suggests an aim to shift the market from asking “whether to choose a foldable smartphone” to asking “which foldable to choose.”
The Galaxy Z Fold8 is positioned as a new third type of foldable, distinguished by its screen aspect ratio and size when folded and unfolded. Usability is prioritized even when the device is closed, while opening it reveals a display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Samsung is positioning the device as a new smartphone experience with the aim of expanding adoption in Japan and overseas.
The three models will launch simultaneously worldwide, including in Japan, with their release scheduled for 7 August. The backdrop is speculation that Apple will introduce a foldable smartphone, and Samsung aims to expand the foldable market as interest grows. In Japan, the company appears intent on avoiding the later launches that have been typical in the past and on ensuring that it is not merely following the market.