Samsung is reportedly finalizing the US prices for its Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra. Rising component costs are set to hurt consumers this year, as a credible report sheds light on the potential price hike.

According to SEDaily, Samsung is increasing prices for Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra in the US. While a final confirmation is awaited, the possible price hike could weigh $100 for the base 256GB storage variant.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra may start at $2,099 in the US. This is the first time a foldable phone from Samsung could surpass the $2,000 range. Over the past years, the company’s foldables kept the starting price at $1,999.

The wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 could bring a price tag of $1,899. This is a new entrant, so there’s no natural predecessor for price comparison. However, it’s $100 cheaper than the Z Fold 7, and $200 cheaper than the Fold 8 Ultra.

256GB version is seeing a $100 increase, but the bigger storage variants could be even pricier. RAM and storage are grabbing a significant portion in BoM. As costs continue to jump, Samsung can no longer absorb the full crunch.

Market research firm Omdia reported that the share of memory costs within the total production cost of premium smartphones priced above $800 rose from 11 percent in Q3 2025 to 26 percent in Q1 2026.

A price hike seems unavoidable, so Samsung has focused more on software-driven advancements. The aim is to offer an experience never seen before, with One UI 9 and Gemini Intelligence playing a major role in this goal.

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Samsung Galaxy AI has taken the lead over Apple Intelligence in a new consumer survey, with higher awareness among users, stronger real-world usage across every major AI category, and better satisfaction with its built-in experience.

According to ConsumerInsight (via iNews24), Samsung Galaxy AI holds an early advantage in the on-device AI race compared to Apple Intelligence.

Among Samsung smartphone users, 29 percent were aware that their devices included Galaxy AI, while only 21 percent of iPhone users knew their phones supported Apple Intelligence.

Galaxy AI recorded 39 percent awareness compared to 37 percent for Apple Intelligence, indicating that consumers are generally familiar with both AI brands. The bigger gap appeared once people started using the features.

Source – Consumer Insight

Galaxy AI delivered higher monthly usage across every major category measured in the survey. Information search and notification assistance led the list, with a 67 percent usage rate versus 47 percent for Apple Intelligence.

Photo and video editing followed at 64 percent against 44 percent, while summarization, recording, and writing assistance reached 50 percent compared to Apple’s 29 percent. Interpretation and call assistance also favored Samsung, posting 43 percent versus 30 percent.

Ease of access emerged as one of Galaxy AI’s biggest strengths. Apple Intelligence also scored well here but trailed Samsung. The Korean tech giant may have benefited from introducing the Galaxy AI feature suite earlier.

As Samsung and Apple continue expanding their AI platforms through software updates, this gap could narrow, but for now, Galaxy AI seems to be enjoying stronger momentum in everyday use.

Samsung Galaxy A18 5G will launch later this year, but the phone’s CAD renders have just revealed its design. If you’re looking to buy an affordable Galaxy smartphone with decent specifications, it would be a great pick to look at.

SmartphoneChecker (via Onleaks) revealed the CAD renders of the Galaxy A18 5G, which showcase the phone’s design. The device appears to be retaining the design from its predecessor, but the camera island refinements are likely.

No punch-hole display

Galaxy A18 could come with an Infinity-U display. The bezels are thick, and the chin is pretty much noticeable. Samsung is using a punch-hole display in this year’s Galaxy A2x device, and the A1x lineup could upgrade in the future.

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Well, upgrading major components such as the display is pretty much difficult. Memory prices are skyrocketing, and there’s no hope for a sudden drop. Therefore, a punch-hole display will remain on our wishlist for a future model.

Camera Island refinements

Galaxy A18 5G comes with a familiar three-sensor setup with a camera module. Although Samsung retained the appearance, the camera bump has adopted refinements. The overall look has become clearer than before, which is noticeable too.

Apart from design, the report also revealed the expected price for the UK. The 5G model of the Galaxy A18 could be priced around £199-209, while the LTE version may come with a price tag of around £169-179.

Before this phone, you can consider buying a new smartwatch. Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy Watch 9 at July 22 Unpacked. The company has opened reservations in several countries, offering premium perks for preorders.

As the Unpacked month began, leaks of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra have intensified.

Samsung is preparing three foldable phones for 2026. The lineup reportedly includes a flip phone and two book-style foldables. The company has also revamped its naming strategy for the next foldable lineup.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 would feature wide cover and main screens. It was earlier rumored to launch as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, but Samsung plans differently. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be a true successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Unpacked invite and reservations [Update – July 7]

Tipster AbhishekYadav claimed on X that Samsung will officially announce the Unpacked event tomorrow, and the reservations program would go live as well.

Samsung will open pre-reservations for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8 and Galaxy Watch on July 8.

The official Galaxy Unpacked launch event will take place in London on July 22, where Samsung will unveil its next generation of foldables and wearables.

Thinborne cases [Update – July 3]

Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra, have been revealed in Thinborne cases. The devices feature a similar appearance revealed in early leaks and CAD renders.

Blind reservations in China [Update – July 3]

Offline stores in China have allegedly started blind reservations for Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones. This comes shortly after the company has officially dropped initial teasers to build the hype for the Unpacked event.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) key specifications [Update – June 30]

Ahmed Qwaider, a trusted source in the smartphone industry, has now revealed the key features and specifications of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 (New Fold) smartphone.

• Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120 Hz refresh rate
• Screen size:
  • Cover: 5.5-inch QHD+ (16:10)
  • Main: 7.6-inch QHD+(4:3)
• Dimensions:
  • Folded: 123.9 x81.9x 9.7 mm
  • Unfolded: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm
• Weight – 201 grams
• Camera specs:
• Main: 50 MP Wide (F1.8)
• Ultrawide: 50 MP Ultra Wide (F1.9)
• Front:
  • Cover: 10 MP, F2.2
  • Inner: 10 MP, F2.2
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3 nm)
• 12GB+256/512 GB, 1TB
• 4,800mAh battery with 45W wired charging charging
• Fast Wireless Charging 2.0

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Kindsuit cases appear alongside NBTC listing [Update – June 28]

Samsung’s Kindsuit cases spotted together for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in one picture. The image has been shared by TarunVats and follows the same development for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide mode.

In addition, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Fold 8, and Fold 8 Ultra have appeared on Thailand’s NBTC certification database, confirming their launch names (via SammyGuru).

Galaxy “New Fold” Kindsuit cases emerge [Update – June 27]

Enthusiast MohammedKhatri spotted an alleged picture of Samsung Kindsuit cases. The retail boxes show a design familiar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, featuring a wide screen form factor and a dual rear camera island.

Interestingly, the case boxes feature “Galaxy New Fold,” rather than Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. If the leak is legit, Samsung may have a totally different branding planned for its iPhone Ultra foldable rival.

Flip 8 to get Snapdragon chip in the US [Update – June 24]

FCC certification of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 validates the claim made by tipster IceUniverse that the flip phone will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor in the US, while other markets could ship the Exynos 2600 version.

Global sale to start in early August [Update – June 24]

Samsung is rumored to hold its Summer Unpacked in late July 2026. If supply chain reports are to be believed, the event would be held on July 22 in London. That said, the official Samsung reveal is roughly 30 days away.

PriceBee has listed that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be announced on Wednesday, July 22, and the worldwide sale may begin on Wednesday, August 5. The company may run a preorder program for about two weeks.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra price rumor [Update – June 18]

Samsung may launch Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at higher prices than the Fold 7. The company would offer a 256GB version of the new foldable phone at around the same cost as the 512GB model of last year’s Fold device.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 series emerges on FCC [Update – June 15]

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has appeared on FCC certification database. Following the certification, the device is now approved to launch in the United States. Samsung’s SM-F976U has surfaced along with a design render on the database, via DroidLife.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 appears on BIS certification [Update – June 11]

Samsung will launch its Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) model in India as well. This has been confirmed after the device’s model number SM-F971B surfaced on the country’s BIS certification database; however, it doesn’t reveal any other details.

Galaxy Z Flip 8 obtains FCC certification [Update – June 9]

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 has surfaced on the FCC database with the SM-F776U model number. The device has reportedly gone through an RF exposure test, specifically a SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) test report.

Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Fold 8 series clear BIS certification [Initial post]

Ahead of their official reveal, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8 have cleared the BIS certification in India. This milestone hands the three foldables a mandatory regulatory approval for official release in the market.

Our friends over at SammyGuru spotted Samsung’s unreleased SM-F776B, SM-F-971B and SM-F976B models on the BIS database.

Image credits – SammyGuru

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SoC will power the upcoming Samsung foldables. The clamshell model, which is rumored to be the last of its kind, is slated to bring Exynos 2600 chips to certain markets.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is reportedly getting a 5000mAh battery with 45W charging support. The camera system is staying the same, which should have been improved to justify the company’s decision to slap the Ultra tag.

Chinese foldable phones always gain traction for their display crease reduction. Samsung has made many great foldables, but this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 phones may be the real answer to Chinese crease-free phones.

Samsung has reportedly refined the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s hinge, giving it a noticeably different feel than previous models. The folding action is now firmer and more decisive throughout daily use.

According to IceUniverse, this change greatly improves crease control, even though the phone is less stable at partially folded angles. The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s crease is said to rival the OPPO Find N6.

Initial story: 29/05/2026

Oppo launched its latest foldable phone, the Find N6, in March this year. The smartphone has mastered the crease control and received praise around the world. Samsung is about to impress its fans this year, as per tipster IceUniverse.

It’s said that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra may bring major display crease improvements. This particular and important aspect would match the Oppo Find N6, as per the leaker, but Samsung should be better.

Foldable phones come with foldable OLED screen, which naturally creates a crease/wrinkle due to its nature. It’s practically impossible to completely remove the crease problem, as the OLED will degrade over time and usage.

Still, there’s room for improvement, specifically on Galaxy Z series phones. When Chinese phone makers offer a less visible display crease, why can’t Galaxies do?

Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Ultra are the naming

Samsung has reportedly finalized the naming scheme of its foldable phones.

• The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide would launch as the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
• The Galaxy Z Fold 8 would be called Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra instead.

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Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is rumored to cost more than its predecessor. With the Wide model launching as Fold 8, the Ultra tag would make the Galaxy Z Fold 7 successor slightly expensive.

Samsung could host Unpacked 2026 on July 22 in London.