[London (UK) = E-Daily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] SamsungElectronics(005930)has redefined the roles of its foldable smartphones. The “Galaxy Z Fold8” is optimized for videos, e-books, and web content with a shorter, wider screen, while the “Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra” is differentiated as a productivity-focused model featuring a large display and high-performance camera.

SamsungElectronics unveiled the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra at “Galaxy Unpacked 2026,” held in London, UK, on the 22nd (local time). This marks the first time the Fold lineup has been divided into standard and Ultra models. The Ultra model inherits the design and performance of its predecessor, the Fold 7, while the Fold 8 debuts with a new form factor featuring a changed aspect ratio.

Noh Tae-moon, CEO of SamsungElectronics and Head of the DX Division (President), stated, “As AI evolves, mobile devices will become the closest point of contact that best understands users and seamlessly integrates into their daily lives.” He added, “The new Galaxy Z series will provide personalized services and usher in the era of next-generation intelligence.”

“Folds like a notebook, unfolds like a tablet”… Changes to the Fold 8

The most noticeable change when you first see the Fold 8 is its shorter height. While previous Fold series models resembled elongated smartphones, the Fold 8 looks more like a small notebook or e-reader.

When folded, the width has increased, while the height has been reduced by 34.5 mm compared to its predecessor. It also weighs 201 g—14 g lighter—making it easier to hold with one hand or carry around.

The 5.5-inch cover screen was well-suited for simple tasks like checking messages or performing searches. While the wider width made typing on the keyboard comfortable, the amount of information visible at a glance was less than on the previous Fold’s elongated screen when scrolling through news or social media.

Its true value became apparent when unfolded. The 7.6-inch main screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio enhanced the usability of videos, e-books, and web content. When playing videos, the black bars at the top and bottom were reduced, and although the screen size was smaller than the previous model’s 8-inch display, the area occupied by the content actually felt more efficient.

The advantages were also clear with e-books and web documents. The line length and the number of sentences displayed on the screen were similar to those in a paper book, and websites could be used much like a small tablet. On photo-centric social media platforms, it was easy to view posts, descriptions, and comments all on a single screen.

However, the benefits of the new aspect ratio were less pronounced with vertical short-form videos or long documents. Users who primarily consume vertical content may find the previous Fold design more familiar.

Fold 8 Ultra: Evolving into a “Work-Ready Foldable”

The Fold 8 Ultra is a direct successor to its predecessor, the Fold 7. It maintains the 8-inch main screen, 6.5-inch cover screen, and 215g weight while boosting performance. The folded dimensions remain the same, and only the thickness when unfolded has decreased from 4.2 mm to 4.1 mm.

The biggest changes are in the camera and battery. It features a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 3x telephoto camera, and the battery capacity has been increased from 4,400 mAh to 5,000 mAh.

Both models feature a “Flex Titanium” structure that incorporates a titanium alloy film and reinforcing plates. This improves screen creasing and durability, and the maximum brightness has been increased to 3,000 nits to enhance outdoor visibility.

Foldables with AI… “They Even Suggest Your Next Action”

AI features have been enhanced to take full advantage of the large screen. SamsungElectronics has combined Galaxy AI with Google Gemini to introduce “Now Nudge,” which suggests your next action based on your schedule and location information.

The agent functionality, which connects various apps for search, reservations, and schedule management, has also been expanded. A key feature is that AI responses and source information can be displayed together on a single screen, resulting in a more natural workflow compared to regular smartphones.

The “My Fan Cam” feature, which reframes the screen to follow a specific person in a video, has also been added. It can be used to create videos centered on a desired subject when filming concerts or sports events. Further testing is needed to determine how stable the tracking performance is in situations involving fast movement or overlapping people.

The pricing reflects the differences in the products’ positioning. The Fold 8 256GB model is priced at 2,278,100 won, lower than its predecessor, while the Fold 8 Ultra 256GB is priced at 2,577,300 won. The 1TB models are priced at 3,152,600 won and 3,451,800 won, respectively, with the Ultra model exceeding the 3 million won mark.

SamsungElectronics has clearly defined the selection criteria for this Fold 8 lineup. The Fold 8 is a new foldable optimized for content consumption, while the Fold 8 Ultra is a premium foldable with enhanced camera and productivity features. It remains to be seen whether the foldable market will move beyond the “size race” to competition based on specific use cases.