By Marcus Moloko
The latest generation of Samsung’s foldable phones were officially announced today, July 22, at the Galaxy Unpacked in Sandton. Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8.
The Galaxy Z Flip retails at R 26 999, the Z Fold at R 40 999, with the Z Fold Ultra at R 50 999.
Samsung officially lifted the curtain on its latest foldable lineup at the Galaxy Unpacked event, introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8.
This marks a bold shift, with the Fold series now split into two distinct form factors, while the Flip continues to refine its compact design.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a shorter, wider design with a 4:3 aspect ratio when unfolded, optimized for reading and streaming. The lightest fold this year, at 201g, with a razor-thin 4.5mm profile.
Displays: 5.5-inch cover screen plus a 7.6-inch main display.
Cameras: Dual 50MP wide plus ultrawide setup.
Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, 4,800mAh battery, 45W fast charging.
Price: R40,999 in South Africa.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
This successor to the taller book-style Fold 7is now slimmer at 4.1mm unfolded, its features a 6.5-inch cover and a larger8-inch inner screen.
Cameras: 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
Battery: Largest ever on a Samsung foldable at 5,000mAh.
Price: R50,999 in South Africa
Galaxy Z Flip 8
Dimensions: Slimmed to 6.1mm unfolded, weighing just 180g.
Displays: Expanded 4.1-inch FlexWindow plus 6.9-inch main screen.
Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (Exynos 2600 in Europe), 4,300mAh battery.
Price: R26,999 in South Africa.
The new titanium-alloy frame reduces crease visibility by 40%, and boosts impact resistance by 50%. The fold 8’s 4:3 unfolded screen mimics a passport for natural multitasking. It achieves an impressive thin 4.1 profile. The Flip 8’s larger cover screen supports full Android apps and widgets and comes with Gemini Notebook, which converts PDFs or audio notes into slide decks, podcasts, or scripts.
An interesting feature is the real-time translation in tent mode for face-to-face conversations.
The Fold 8 Ultra brings Samsung’s flagship Ultra camera tech to foldables. The Flip 8 hinge doubles as a retro camcorder grip for smooth one-handed video.
Pre-orders are open globally, with retail availability starting August 7, 2026.
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