Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the wider Z8 lineup appear to be selling strongly, yet Samsung’s mobile business is losing money. The contradiction comes down to one major issue: the cost of building smartphones has risen far faster than Samsung can raise its prices.

In Q3 2026, Samsung expects to post 107.4 trillion won (~ $80 billion) in operating profit. However, the company’s MX and network division is estimated to have recorded another operating loss of between 1 trillion and 3 trillion won.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has certainly helped Samsung on the sales side. Analysts expect MX and network revenue to reach around 35 trillion won in the third quarter, up from 33.2 trillion won in the previous quarter.

Samsung’s own figures indicate that mobile memory purchase prices jumped 211% in the first half of 2026 compared with last year’s average. Smartphone average selling prices, meanwhile, increased by only around 7%.

The company cannot simply pass the entire increase to consumers without making its phones considerably more expensive and potentially hurting demand.

Meanwhile, mobile DRAM and NAND price increases are expected to slow during the second half of the year, even though memory remains under supply pressure as manufacturers prioritize more profitable server products.

In my view, this makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s strong sales more interesting, not less.

Samsung has confirmed that stablecoin wallet functionality is coming to Samsung Wallet in the US during the last week of October 2026. The feature will initially support USDC, giving eligible Galaxy users a way to make certain international transfers without installing a separate crypto wallet.

The move puts Samsung Wallet a step closer to becoming more than a home for payment cards and digital credentials. Samsung says the functionality will initially be available across 82 million eligible Galaxy devices in the US, although availability will depend on device and user eligibility.

Samsung Wallet Stablecoin support coming this month

Users will be able to send USDC from Samsung Wallet to compatible crypto wallets internationally, with Samsung promising transfers in seconds and no transfer fees.

The service will also support transfers to qualifying bank accounts in more than 60 countries, with recipients receiving funds in their local currency.

Eligible Galaxy users will be able to send USDC directly from Samsung Wallet to compatible crypto wallets internationally in seconds and with no transfer fees.

Samsung is working with Bastion and Coinbase to handle the underlying infrastructure and asset security. Bastion will provide the stablecoin payment framework, while Coinbase will act as its sub-custodian through Coinbase Prime Vault. Transfers will also require biometric authentication on registered Galaxy devices.

The launch expands Samsung’s existing relationship with Coinbase, which already includes Samsung Pay support within the Coinbase app and Coinbase One benefits for eligible Samsung Wallet users.

For now, USDC is the only stablecoin confirmed for Samsung Wallet. Samsung says future plans could include using stablecoins for online purchases and tap-to-pay transactions, as well as expanding the service to other markets when local regulations allow.

Bringing the experience directly into Galaxy devices is a meaningful step in that direction, particularly for users who simply want faster cross-border payments without dealing with private keys or standalone crypto apps.

Samsung reportedly plans to cut production of phones by 30 percent in Q4, resulting in roughly 70 million fewer units in 2026. The memory crunch is to be blamed on the surge in high-value DRAM and HBM semiconductors.

According to MoneyToday, Samsung may be cutting the production of phones in Q4 by 30 percent, with 2026 targets dropping by about 70 million.

The report suggests that Samsung has requested its component partners to reduce product delivery volumes by 20 percent to 30 percent. That said, a relative decline in smartphone production will likely occur in the fourth quarter.

Memory prices are skyrocketing and directly impacting electronic gadgets. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, almost everything has gotten expensive. Meanwhile, the component cost continues to decline, showing no signs of relief.

That said, Samsung may have decided to cut production to reduce impact. The company appears to have stopped making profits, which is forcing it to revise the yearly production at the end of the year.

Samsung’s MX division decided to cut production by an even larger margin than market forecasts. Although Samsung was initially expected to produce up to 270 million smartphones this year fueled by the box-office success of new products such as the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the fourth-quarter production cuts are likely to bring total annual shipments down to the early 200 million range.

Q2 2026 was the first time Samsung’s mobile business landed in deficit. The company has revealed an $80 billion profit estimate for the third quarter, but the mobile division is largely rumored to have an operating loss.

• Samsung’s Q3 2026 profit jumps 782% to $80 billion on AI chip demand

Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is selling well, and the Galaxy S26 series hasn’t lost momentum. Meanwhile, consumer behaviour toward new purchases has changed significantly, as they now prefer to wait and watch rather than frequent upgrades.

On October 8, Samsung revealed its earnings and profit guidance for Q3 2026. The company’s profit jumped a record 782 percent, driven by AI chip demand, which is expected to result in a massive profit of $80 billion.

Samsung’s profit of 107.40 trillion Korean won is considered the highest a tech company has ever secured. The company’s semiconductor business has helped flag massive financial leverage as the opportunity emerged.

Samsung Electronics today announced its earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2026.

• • Consolidated Sales: Approximately 195 trillion Korean won
  • Consolidated Operating Profit: Approximately 107.40 trillion Korean won

This is the first time in Samsung’s history that the company has predicted an estimated operating profit of over 100 trillion Korean won. AI boom has put chips in high demand that is letting Samsung print money at scale.

Additionally, Samsung Electronics’ quarterly operating profit rose 782 percent year-on-year. Revenue from consolidated sales came in at about 195 trillion won, up nearly 127 percent from the same period last year.

For context, Samsung flagged record revenue of 171.5 trillion won and record operating profit of 89.5 trillion won in Q2 2026. The third quarter numbers are even better, showing a steep improvement in earnings and profits.

Even though the current figures are just estimates, Samsung’s final Q3 numbers will not be much different from the estimates. The company is expected to release the full Q3 2026 earnings and profit data by the end of the month.

Samsung’s HBM4 has significantly improved its market position in the high-value memory market. The surging price of DRAM is also playing a role; however, its mobile division will likely be posting a deficit for the second time in a row.

Samsung’s latest foldable phones have received a major award from Which?, a well-known UK consumer organisation. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has received the ‘Best Buy’ award after going through detailed tests. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8 have also received the same award.

Which? tests smartphones on important features such as battery life, camera quality, screen, speed, sound, ease of use and durability. These tests help people choose the right phone.

In its test, Which? praised the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for its new design, large inside screen and good battery life. The phone lasted about 40 hours on a full charge when the screen was set to maximum brightness. A 15-minute charge could also provide around 17 to 19 hours of use.

Which? called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 “an outstanding foldable phone”. It praised the phone’s screen, camera, performance and battery life. Which? said the phone gives users a “truly premium experience in almost every way”. When asked if people should buy the phone, Which? gave a clear answer: “Definitely.”

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra was also praised for its two screens, powerful performance, long battery life and camera features. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 was described as “quite possibly the ultimate flip phone” because of its compact design, strong performance, cameras and display.

With all three phones receiving the ‘Best Buy’ award, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z series has become one of its most successful foldable phone ranges. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has also received many five-star ratings from technology media. All three phones are now available in the UK.