There was a bit of an undertone present in Samsung’s latest Unpacked keynote. Not one of progress or triumph, but what felt a bit like fear. After seven years, the foldable market is about to enter uncharted territory and, frankly, I’m not sure Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series will be able to hold its ground.
Samsung and Apple have battled for decades, trading places as the world’s top-selling smartphone brands. But in the foldable space, Samsung has pushed forward uncontested for the better part of a decade, and now Apple is finally ready to step in. The first iPhone foldable is coming, and you can feel the tension in the air.
The Fold 8 series isn’t subtle in its acknowledgment of the first folding iPhone. Between a new form factor and “Ultra” branding, Samsung didn’t hold back in trying to beat Apple to the marketing punch.
“Does Apple make one?” is perhaps one of the most common replies to someone experiencing a foldable for the first time, so there will be a lot of eyes on what the company delivers, most of whom have never even considered an Android phone.
That’s why I struggle a bit with Samsung’s playbook here. Samsung is the market leader in foldables, the company that brought this technology to fruition in the first place. And, now, we’re just back to the usual, “So what’s Apple doing?”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Samsung is branching out. The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s new shape is delightful and so refreshing in what’s been a stagnating market, but that is the problem. After just a few generations, it’s ridiculous that foldables have already started stagnating. We’re certainly not getting mainstream tri-folds anytime soon, but maybe we could have tried a couple of other ideas.
The other thing about Samsung’s move here is that it very much feels like the company just wanting to position itself as having been correct from the start. By calling its existing form factor the “Ultra” and introducing this new shape as a standard offering, it’s rewriting history by making it seem like the taller display is the “right” one. I’ve yet to decide which one really is the best, but it could go either way if I’m being honest.
Consider these the ramblings of a foldable fan somewhat optimistic but still cautious about its future. Apple’s entrance will certainly give a lot of credibility to the form factor, but it’s pretty crazy that, with so much of a head start, every Android brand seems like it was just waiting for Apple to come up with something new to copy. That’s especially true when you’ve already seen companies like OPPO and Google trying and abandoning the same design.
Our Galaxy Z Fold 8 review is in progress. Stay tuned for more and, if you’re looking to buy, pre-orders are open.
Beyond just the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s new shape, other announcements this week include the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Flip 8, Watch 9, and Watch Ultra 2. These devices bring Samsung’s take on Android 17 to a stable release, introduce updated tech including silicon-carbon batteries, and more.
Android XR also took a bit of a spotlight this week, with a closer look at the first glasses from Samsung and Google. The Warby Parker and Gentle Monster styles were on display, with details on features and the privacy light also confirmed.
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