Samsung has officially announced its latest Galaxy Unpacked event, scheduled for July 22 in London, where the tech giant is expected to unveil its newest foldable smartphones. The spotlight will likely fall on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the successor to last year's highly praised Galaxy Z Fold 7, which earned recognition as one of the best foldables on the market. While official details remain under wraps, a steady stream of leaks, rumors, and certification filings have painted a detailed picture of what consumers can expect from the device.

This article consolidates all the known information about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, covering its likely price, release window, design changes, specifications, and camera upgrades. It also addresses the confusing naming situation surrounding Samsung's foldable lineup, as the company may introduce multiple variants under the Z Fold umbrella.

Price and Release Date Expectations

Based on historical patterns, Samsung typically launches its new foldables within a week or two after the Unpacked announcement. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is therefore expected to hit store shelves in early August, though pre-orders may begin immediately after the July 22 event. Last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched at a starting price of $1,999, representing a $100 increase over its predecessor. Given the current economic climate and industry challenges such as what analysts have dubbed 'RAMageddon' — a global shortage of memory chips that has driven up component costs — another price hike is highly probable. Many industry watchers anticipate a $100 to $200 increase, pushing the base price of the Z Fold 8 Ultra to $2,099 or even $2,199. However, no concrete pricing leaks have emerged yet, so this remains speculative.

The regular Galaxy Z Fold 8 (if it exists as a separate model) might be priced lower, possibly around $1,799, to appeal to a broader audience. But the Ultra variant is expected to be the flagship, commanding a premium.

The Naming Confusion: Z Fold 8, Fold Wide, or Ultra?

One of the most intriguing developments in the rumor mill is the potential for Samsung to introduce not just one but multiple foldable phones under the 'Z Fold 8' branding. Reports suggest that the device previously referred to as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may actually be called the Z Fold 8 Ultra, while the name 'Z Fold 8' could be reserved for a new, wider foldable model. This 'Wide Fold' device is rumored to feature a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, a departure from the traditional book-style aspect ratio seen on previous Z Folds.

The rationale behind this move appears to be competition with Apple's anticipated iPhone Fold, which is expected to launch late this year with a similarly wider design. Leaked images of Apple's dummy cases and Samsung's own dummy units, posted by prominent leaker Sonny Dickson, show a clear third device beside the Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Z Flip 8. This 'Wide Fold' could be marketed as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (standard) or perhaps as a separate line altogether, such as the Galaxy Z Fold Wide. Official certifications from regulatory bodies have referred to a 'Z Fold 8 Ultra,' so that name seems locked in for the top-tier model.

Until Samsung provides official confirmation at Unpacked, we refer to the premium model as the Z Fold 8 Ultra throughout this article. Consumers should be prepared for a possibly confusing lineup, with three foldables — Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold Wide, and Z Flip 8 — launching simultaneously.

Design and Build: Lighter and Slimmer

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 impressed users with its remarkably thin profile: just 8.9mm when folded and 4.2mm unfolded, weighing only 215 grams. The Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to improve even further. A Korean news report suggests the new model could weigh as little as 200 grams, making it one of the lightest foldables in the market. This weight reduction would be a significant achievement, as foldables have often been heavier than traditional smartphones due to their complex hinge mechanisms and dual displays.

Leaked dummy units and renders indicate that the overall dimensions will remain similar to the Z Fold 7: approximately 6.5 inches for the outer cover screen and 8 inches for the main inner display when unfolded. However, the 'Wide Fold' model would have a smaller outer screen (5.4 inches) but a wider inner aspect ratio, offering a different user experience. The Z Fold 8 Ultra is also expected to retain the IP48 water resistance rating that debuted on the Z Fold 7, providing protection against dust ingress and low-pressure water jets.

The hinge mechanism could see refinements to enhance durability and reduce the crease effect on the inner screen. Samsung has continuously improved its foldable displays, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra will likely feature an Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) layer that is even more resilient than before.

Specifications and Battery Life

Under the hood, the Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to be powered by the latest Snapdragon chipset, likely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (or whatever Qualcomm names its 2024 flagship processor). The Galaxy S26 lineup, which launched earlier this year, used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, so the Z Fold 8 Ultra should benefit from an even more powerful and efficient chip. This will enable smoother multitasking, better gaming performance, and improved AI capabilities.

The battery is one area where Samsung is rumored to make a substantial upgrade. The Z Fold 7's 4,400mAh battery was widely considered its weakest point, often requiring a midday top-up for heavy users. According to the same Korean report that mentioned the weight reduction, the Z Fold 8 Ultra could feature a 5,000mAh battery cell. This 13.6% increase in capacity would be a welcome improvement, potentially allowing the device to last a full day even with intensive use.

Furthermore, charging speeds may finally see an upgrade. The Z Fold 7 supported 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, which lagged behind competitors like the OnePlus Open and the Google Pixel Fold. Rumors suggest the Z Fold 8 Ultra could support up to 45W wired charging, bringing it closer to parity with flagship slab phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Wireless charging might also improve to 25W or 30W.

RAM and storage configurations are expected to start at 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with options for 16GB or even 24GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. The higher RAM variants would cater to power users who run multiple apps simultaneously or use Samsung's DeX desktop mode extensively.

Camera System: Significant Upgrades

The camera array on the Z Fold 7 was already impressive, featuring a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. For the Z Fold 8 Ultra, Samsung is reportedly planning substantial upgrades to the secondary lenses. According to Dutch outlet Galaxy Club, the ultrawide lens will jump from 12MP to 50MP, while the telephoto lens will increase from 10MP to 12MP. The main 200MP sensor is expected to remain unchanged, likely the same ISOCELL HP2 sensor used in the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The ultrawide upgrade to 50MP will provide much greater detail and better low-light performance in wide-angle shots. The telephoto lens, while only a modest resolution bump, might also gain a wider aperture or improved optical zoom capabilities. Some leaks hint at a periscope telephoto with 5x or even 10x optical zoom, but that remains unconfirmed. Software enhancements will likely include advanced AI-based features such as improved night mode, enhanced portrait mode with better edge detection, and new editing tools like object removal and sky replacement.

Selfie cameras are also expected to be upgraded. The Z Fold 7 had a 10MP under-display camera on the inner screen and a 10MP front camera on the cover display. The Z Fold 8 Ultra may improve these to 12MP sensors with larger pixels for better image quality in video calls and selfies.

Source:Mashable News