Samsung is set to reveal three new foldable smartphones-including the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8-on July 22. Early images show the Flip 8 and Fold 8 Ultra sticking close to the current designs, but the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopts a wider, more traditional smartphone shape when folded. This shift aligns Samsung with Chinese rivals who have pushed for less tall, more pocket-friendly foldables over the past two years.
The renders come from Thinborne, a known accessory maker that leaks images based on early CAD files manufacturers share with case producers. Past leaks match these images, making it unlikely these are outdated prototypes or random mockups. Manufacturers often give accessory makers detailed blueprints weeks or months before launch.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopts a wider, thinner folded design
Samsung expanding the Fold line with a wider, thinner design makes sense given recent industry trends. Chinese competitors like Honor with the Magic V and Oppo with the Find N have popularized foldables that open like a book but fold down to a shorter, stubbier phone shape than Samsung’s typically tall and narrow in-folders. Introducing a Fold Ultra model allows Samsung to push higher price points without abandoning the classic Fold design.
Competition from Apple and other foldable smartphone makers
Rumors of an iPhone foldable with more conventional dimensions indicate Samsung will soon face direct competition from Apple in this segment, making design evolution a strategic necessity rather than just an academic exercise. Foldables still account for a small share of the smartphone market-roughly 1.5 to 2 percent of global shipments in recent quarters, according to analysts at Counterpoint Research and IDC.
Upcoming Galaxy Z foldable event on July 22
For Samsung, foldables remain the clearest way to showcase technical leadership. The upcoming July 22 event will reveal whether the company is ready not just to shave millimeters off thickness but to rethink the Fold’s entire form factor.