Samsung adds Ultra and wide-body models to Galaxy Z foldable lineup
Samsung’s eighth-generation foldables add a third model, higher prices and new watches, with preorders open before August 7 availability.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Samsung has announced its 2026 Galaxy Z foldable phones, expanding the line to three models for the first time and adding new Galaxy Watches. The launch matters because Samsung is changing the shape and pricing of its foldable family while component shortages push already expensive devices higher, according to Ars Technica.
The new phones are available for preorder now and are scheduled to go on sale August 7. The lineup includes the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, with starting prices of $1,200, $1,900 and $2,100, respectively.
Three foldables in the Z8 series
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the successor to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, according to Ars Technica. Samsung is also adding the Galaxy Z Fold 8, described as the company’s first wide-body foldable built more for media use than multitasking, alongside a thinner Galaxy Z Flip 8.
All three phones use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip and ship with Android 17 and Samsung’s One UI 9 software. The Flip 8 comes with 12GB of memory and either 256GB or 512GB of storage, while the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra offer 12GB or 16GB of memory and storage options up to 1TB.
The Z Flip 8 has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main screen and a 4.1-inch cover display. Its camera system includes a 50-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel selfie camera.
The standard Z Fold 8 uses a 7.6-inch internal display and a 5.5-inch cover screen. Samsung lists two rear cameras for that model: a 50-megapixel wide camera with optical image stabilization and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, plus 10-megapixel selfie cameras for the main and cover screens.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra has a 6.5-inch outside OLED screen with proportions close to a standard smartphone, according to Ars Technica. When opened, it has an 8-inch display that is roughly twice as wide, giving the main panel a near-square shape.
Ultra gets the top camera and biggest battery
The Ultra model carries the most advanced camera set in the lineup. Its rear system includes a 200-megapixel wide camera with optical image stabilization, a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and optical image stabilization.
Battery capacity also rises across the range. Samsung lists a 4,300 mAh battery for the Flip 8, a 4,800 mAh battery for the Fold 8 and a 5,000 mAh battery for the Fold 8 Ultra.
The Flip 8 supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra support 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging, with Samsung saying each can reach more than 60% charge in about 30 minutes with the proper adapter.
Connectivity includes 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7 and SIM plus eSIM support across the three phones. The Flip 8 uses Bluetooth 5.4, while both Fold models list Bluetooth 6.0.
Samsung is offering the Flip 8 in pink, graphite, cream and an online mint option. The Fold 8 comes in lavender, graphite, cream and online pistachio, while the Fold 8 Ultra comes in violet shadow, graphite, cream and online green shadow.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.