Samsung Reinvents the Fold: Galaxy Z Fold8 Goes Wide, Fold8 Ultra Goes Big
Samsung's 2026 foldables split into two: a wider, passport-shaped Fold8 for watching and reading, and a Fold8 Ultra built for work. Prices start at $2,699.
For years, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold has followed the same recipe: a tall, narrow phone that opens into a squarish tablet. This year, just ahead of Apple's first foldable, Samsung has shaken things up by splitting the line in two.
Galaxy Z Fold8: wider and lighter
The standard Fold8 has an all-new shape. Closed, it is shorter and wider, roughly the proportions of a passport, with a 5.5-inch cover screen that feels much more like a regular phone than previous Folds. Open it and the 7.6-inch main display has a 4:3 aspect ratio, closer to a paperback or an iPad than a widescreen. That means far fewer black bars when watching video and a more natural page for reading.
At 201g it is Samsung's lightest Fold yet. It packs a 4,800mAh battery with 45W fast charging and up to 26 hours of video playback, a refined Armor FlexHinge and Galaxy AI features including Now Nudge. Colours are lavender, graphite and cream, plus an online-exclusive pistachio.
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra: the productivity flagship
If you liked the classic Fold, the Ultra is its successor in all but name. It has a larger 8-inch main screen, a brighter cover display, a 200MP triple camera system, Samsung's top-tier Snapdragon chip and a bigger 5,000mAh battery, all in a profile that measures just 4.1mm when open. It is the one to pick for multitasking, gaming and working across multiple apps.
Across the range, Samsung is using a new Flex Titanium display structure that pairs a titanium alloy film with a titanium plate, aimed at making the phones thinner while keeping the crease less visible. Neither Fold supports the S Pen.
Price and availability in Australia
- Galaxy Z Fold8: $2,699 (256GB), $2,999 (512GB), $3,599 (1TB)
- Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra: from $2,999, up to $3,899
- Availability: on sale now through Samsung and major carriers and retailers
Prices are up on last year, which Samsung attributes to rising component and memory costs. Even so, the standard Fold8 now undercuts Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold and sits well below Apple's A$3,499 iPhone Duo, which arrives in October.
Sources: Samsung Australia, BTTR. Image courtesy of Samsung.
