Samsung's wide foldable is a preemptive strike at Apple's first foldable iPhone Samsung confirmed its next Galaxy Unpacked event for July 22 in London, and the teaser tells you everything you need to know. The invite shows a ticket with the stub torn off, making it shorter than before. The tagline: "A new shape unfolds."
That shape is a wider, squatter foldable designed to mirror the dimensions of Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, which is expected to land in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series. Bloomberg reports that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will feature a shorter and wider design that resembles Apple's planned folding iPhone.
Samsung is getting its answer out first. The lineup itself is expanding. Instead of the usual two foldables, Samsung is expected to announce three models: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and a higher-tier Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
The Ultra variant is rumored to pack a 6.5-inch outer display and an 8.0-inch inner screen, along with a redesigned hinge that dramatically reduces the crease, a 200-megapixel camera, and the return of the S Pen. The Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 will be more iterative upgrades, running Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip with minor camera improvements.
AI is the throughline across every device. Samsung said the next generation of Galaxy devices will "deliver more personal, adaptive experiences and set a new standard for the AI era," building on the Galaxy AI features already present in the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Expect deeper AI integration for productivity on larger screens. The wearables lineup is getting a refresh too. The Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 are expected, with the Ultra model reportedly gaining a display capable of reaching 5,000 nits of brightness, an 800mAh battery, and an IP69K durability rating.
Samsung may also offer an early preview of its long-rumored smart glasses, developed in partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, as part of its Android XR ecosystem. The event kicks off at 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BST on July 22 and will be livestreamed on Samsung's website, Newsroom, and YouTube channel. Samsung is already offering a $30 pre-order credit and up to $1,230 in trade-in savings for early adopters.
Pricing is the one sour note. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to cost around $2,500, while the Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 could see $100 increases over their predecessors, driven by the ongoing memory shortage. The wide foldable is expected to launch simply as the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the taller Fold 7 successor carries the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra branding, but whatever it's called, the message is clear: Samsung is reshaping its foldable strategy before Apple even enters the category.
