As already marks the summer tradition in the tech universe, Samsung has just presented new foldables. The different thing this time is that there are no longer two, but three models presented and the novelty is that the Galaxy Fold8 launches a new passport type formatmore square and compact when folded and more panoramic when open. The question we ask ourselves is why this format? But above all, why now?
Samsung was a pioneer in folding products and has been betting on two very specific formats for eight generations now, the Fold and the Flip. That they add a third format is striking because it is the first time that Samsung does not set the standard and follows that of others. Let us remember that this format was first explored by OPPO with the OPPO Find N2and later by Huawei with the Huawei Pure X. The difference, and it’s not just any difference, is that this is the first to be sold in Spain.
Returning to the question of timing; with the serious crisis of components that we are going through, with prices through the roof and manufacturers dropping that Maybe we don’t need a new high-end every yearSamsung arrives and presents not two, but three folding ones. And also taking risks with a new format. We have come to London to learn first-hand about Samsung’s new launches and we have taken the opportunity to ask Javier Vitón, product manager at Samsung Spain, about these issues.
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A foldable for each type of client
Samsung’s foldable trio for 2026
Samsung launched the first Fold in 2019 and in 2020 the Galaxy Z Flip. Since then, they have remained faithful to these two formats, with a clear distinction to the type of user they were aimed at: the Fold for those looking for maximum productivity and cutting-edge specifications, and the Flip for a younger audience and with a more affordable price. The new Fold with passport format is placed halfway between both: It has the advantage of a much larger screen, but when folded it is more compact than the classic Fold.
Javier Vitón tells us that “We do not like to see the folding family as a family of devices tiered in specs and prices, but rather as a device for each type of person.” The Fold8 Ultra is the model for those who “want to get the most out of that large screen and be able to multitask with the highest product specifications,” while the new Fold8 is “perfectly suited to consuming multimedia content” and the Flip is more aimed at “very expressive young people.”
In 2013 Samsung already said what they wanted to offer a mobile for each type of user and today, thirteen years later, we see that The strategy hasn’t changed much. “What we are looking for is a device for every need,” says Vitón, adding that the strategy goes beyond folding “Also with the S, the Galaxy A family… there is surely a product that can fit for each customer.”
However, it is still curious that, in the midst of a component crisiswith the prices of RAM and memory through the roof, Samsung has decided to launch a third folding mobile phone. David Alonso, vice president of Samsung, is aware of this problem, but as he stated in statements to Xataka, “our scale, technological capacity, strategic alliances and supply planning allow us to respond with greater flexibility while maintaining investment in innovation to minimize its impact. The highest priority for Samsung is to ensure availability and stability of supply, compliance with our commitments to the consumer and offering real value to the user.”
“Even in a complex context, we believe it is important to continue expanding the category with differentiated proposals”
In his own words, “the arrival of Galaxy Z Fold8 responds to this long-term commitment. We have identified a clear evolution in the way people watch content, read, browse and play from their mobile, and this new format offers a more natural and immersive screen, allowing us to offer the lightest Galaxy Z Fold to date.” For Alonso, “even in a complex context, we believe that it is important to continue expanding the category with differentiated proposals that respond to real needs.”
The strong point of the Fold8
This is what a 4:3 video looks like on the Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra
The new Galaxy Fold8 was born after analyzing user behavior: “It has a 4:3 screen format that is ideal for consuming games, playing multimedia content such as videos or movies or watching sports.” In the image it is clearly seen: The videos adapt much better to the internal screen of the Fold8 than that of the Fold8 Ultra. In some videos that are more panoramic we still have the classic black bands at the top and bottom, but they are much thinner and the screen is better used.
Regarding the external screen, Vitón tells us that “it has a 10:16 format that adapts perfectly to consuming social networks” and also highlights that it is very comfortable for writing. Unlike the Flip screen where we can only open some apps, here we have a perfectly functional mobile phone, only with a much more square format than we are used to. From what I have been able to try, I have found it quite comfortable, although I have to say that handling it with one hand seemed somewhat complicated at first. We’ll see in the review.
The elephant in the room: the foldable iPhone
Perhaps the answer to the question of why now is related to a fact that is difficult to ignore, and that is that everything indicates that Apple will launch its anticipated launch this year. foldable iPhone. And what format is that foldable iPhone going to have? At the moment they are leaks, but it seems quite clear that it will be (surprise) a folding passport type.
Javier Vitón explains to us that “We don’t know what the competition is going to do about this. We have seen based on the statistics we have of the users that we believe it may fit better. It is a different and very immersive format. I think the experience is totally different from what we have.”
Although Samsung does not say it openly, it is inevitable to see this new Samsung Galaxy Fold8 as an advance to compete with Apple’s highly anticipated commitment in this category. The move is smart: Samsung already has years of experience in folding phones, it has the folding screens, the components and the best-oiled supply chain in the entire industry. This allows them act in advance and position a solid product in the market, instead of waiting and reacting to what Apple ends up presenting.
Finally, there is an interesting detail and that is that the new folding does not have a new name, but rather it appropriates the one that the classic Fold already had, while this one is renamed Fold8 Ultra. This, which may seem like a minor detail, is more important than it seems and is a declaration of intentions: the new format is not a rarity that is added to the catalog to try to see how it goes, it is the new standard.
Images | Amparo Babiloni, Xataka
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