[Edaily Reporter Han Kwangbeom ] SamsungElectronics(005930)will officially launch its new foldable smartphones—the “Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8”—and smartwatches—the “Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9”—in the South Korean market starting on the 7th. Beginning with South Korea, the products will be rolled out sequentially to approximately 100 major countries worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan.
The 8th-generation Galaxy Z series achieved record-breaking sales of 1.44 million units during a seven-day pre-sale period that ran from the 28th of last month through the 3rd of this month—the highest figure ever for a Galaxy smartphone.
Notably, approximately 7 out of 10 pre-order customers chose the “Galaxy Z Fold8,” demonstrating strong demand for the new form factor and design. Half of the pre-order customers on Samsung.com were in the 10-30 age group, and the number of female customers in this age group who purchased the “Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra” and “Galaxy Z Fold8” more than doubled compared to the previous model.
In terms of popularity by model, the “Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra” was most popular in Graphite and Violet Shadow; the “Galaxy Z Fold8” in Cream and Graphite; and the “Galaxy Z Flip8” in Pink and Cream. One in two buyers of unlocked models subscribed to the “Next Galaxy AI Subscription Club.”
Convenience features such as “Smart Switch” for data transfer, “Quick Share” for easier sharing with iOS devices, and “Samsung Wallet,” which supports transit cards, coupons, and ID cards, also contributed to the strong sales.
The 8th-generation series, reflecting seven years of accumulated technological expertise, clearly differentiated itself across each model line. The ‘Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’ enhances portability by measuring just 4.1 mm thick (when unfolded) and weighing 215 g, despite featuring a large 203.1 mm display. Its 5,000 mAh battery enables up to 27 hours of video playback, and it is equipped with a 200-megapixel main camera and the Fold series’ first 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.
The 'Galaxy Z Fold8' features a 193.2mm main display (4:3) and a 138.4mm cover display (10:16), enhancing the immersive content experience. Weighing 201g, it is the lightest model in the Fold series and is equipped with a 4,800mAh battery and a 50-megapixel dual camera.
The 'Galaxy Z Flip 8' weighs 180g and is 6.1mm thick (when unfolded), making it the thinnest and lightest model in the Flip series to date. Its new 'Mirror View' feature allows users to check their appearance just like a pocket mirror.
The 'Galaxy Watch Ultra 2' and 'Watch 9,' released alongside the phone, also recorded double-digit growth in pre-sales compared to the same period for their predecessors. The Watch Ultra 2 in Titanium Gray and the Watch 9 in 44mm Graphite and 40mm Cream models were particularly popular. Notably, despite being available only in a single 47mm size, the Watch Ultra 2 saw a roughly 15% increase in the proportion of female buyers compared to its predecessor.
The ‘Galaxy Watch Ultra2’ is optimized for outdoor environments with an 800mAh battery and a display with a maximum brightness of 5,000 nits. The ‘Galaxy Watch9’ provides 24-hour personalized health guidance, including vital signs, heart health score, daily aerobic load, and physical fitness index.
SamsungElectronics is running various promotions for customers who purchase the watches in August. Buyers of the Galaxy Z series will receive a 10% discount coupon for new watches redeemable on the Samsung.com app, a 30% discount coupon for cases and accessories, a 6-month subscription to Google AI Pro, and a 3-month subscription to Willa.
Customers who purchase a new Galaxy Watch model by August 31 will receive two 50% discount coupons for exclusive watch bands and a 6-month subscription to TimeFlick watch faces. The “Watch Style Challenge,” in which users share combinations of watch bands and watch faces on social media, will run until September 14.
Jeong Ho-jin, Executive Vice President of SamsungElectronics Korea, stated, “The 8th-generation Galaxy Z Series is a product that has achieved true mass adoption by bringing together our expertise in foldable technology,” adding, “We hope you’ll experience the advanced Galaxy ecosystem alongside the new Galaxy Watch, which provides personalized healthcare guidance.”
