Samsung has unveiled a completely new design for the Galaxy Z Fold8, ditching the tall, narrow book-like form for a wider, shorter passport-shaped display. The change is driven by shifting consumer habits: Drew Blackard, Samsung's senior vice president of Mobile Product Management, notes that 80% of video viewing now happens on mobile devices, often in vertical orientation on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
A passport design for video consumption
The new Fold8 features a 10:16 aspect ratio on the cover screen and a 4:3 inner display, both optimized for vertical and horizontal content. The unfolded 7.6-inch screen offers a more natural reading experience for websites and ebooks, and the phone is significantly lighter at just 201 grams — 32 grams less than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Samsung claims it is the lightest book-style folding phone on the market.
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Improved hinge and flatter display with Flex Titanium
A key innovation is the Flex Titanium layer, a titanium-alloy film that reduces the visibility of the crease, making the screen feel flatter than previous generations. Durability is also improved, and the hinge mechanism is smoother. However, the Fold8 is not designed to sit half-open in Flex Mode, which remains a feature for the Fold8 Ultra and Flip8.
Record lightness: 201 grams for a foldable
Weight has been a barrier to foldable adoption. Samsung's focus on slimness and portability aims to make the Fold8 comfortable for one-handed use. Blackard notes that most foldable buyers do not return to traditional candybar phones. The Fold8 starts at $1,900, positioning it between the $2,099 Fold8 Ultra and the limited-edition $2,899 TriFold, which sold out quickly in the US.
Rising prices but carrier subsidies soften the blow
Component cost increases, especially memory, have led Samsung to raise foldable prices by about $100 over last year. IDC's Francisco Jeronimo explains that premium buyers are less sensitive to price hikes due to installment plans. Samsung has no plans to offer a foldable under $1,000 soon, after the Flip7 FE failed to meet expectations. Meanwhile, competition intensifies: Motorola and Huawei are gaining share, and Apple's rumored foldable iPhone, expected in September, could capture 30% of the global foldable market in 2026. Geopolitical tensions with Chinese AI models also echo in the smartphone arena, where innovation remains a battleground. For the full story, read the original article on WIRED.
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Source: https://www.wired.com/story/why-samsung-gave-its-next-folding-phone-a-new-shape-galaxy-z-fold8
