Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is impossible to ignore, could inspire a new wave of foldables in India

• By Ashish Kumar
Published On: 28 July 2026 | 16:06 IST

Samsung has added a new foldable into its lineup, calling it the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (first impressions). It seems to serve as the hero product in the company’s latest-generation foldable lineup, which has also led to a change in the naming convention. While the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is straightforwardly named the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the OEM is calling the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s successor the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. This has been done to accommodate the latest foldable in the lineup, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which will target a new set of users.

What’s so new about the Galaxy Z Fold 8?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is positioned between the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. The new addition not only bridges the gap between the two models in terms of pricing but also form factor. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a slightly larger footprint than the Flip-style foldable, while remaining more compact than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Like its Ultra sibling, it adopts a book-style design with a vertically folding hinge, rather than the horizontal hinge found on Flip-style foldables.

To put the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s size and design into perspective, it is roughly the size of a wallet and slips easily into a shirt pocket. However, the comparison that best captures its dimensions is a passport, as the phone closely matches one in both thickness and overall form factor.

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 may not be the world’s first in the form factor, it is certainly one of a kind in India and could inspire several other manufacturers.

Upcoming passport-style foldables in India (rumoured)

Apple iPhone Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is likely to inspire the long-rumoured iPhone Ultra. The first-ever foldable from Apple is expected to debut in the same passport-style foldable as the Samsung offering later this year. In fact, it’s being reported that Samsung is the sole manufacturer of the foldable displays for the Cupertino-based company. It’s possible that the upcoming iPhone Ultra could use the same Flex Titanium display tech found on the latest Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Samsung’s latest innovation uses a titanium support plate to create a thinner, more durable display structure that is designed to better withstand drops while also reducing the visibility of the display crease. As a result, the displays on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8 feel like a single, seamless panel, with a crease that is barely visible and almost imperceptible to the touch.

OPPO Find N7

Within hours of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, it was leaked that OPPO is also working on a similar-style foldable, called the Find N7 Wide. If it does, it won’t be the first time OPPO will launch a passport-style foldable. The original OPPO Find N was launched with a similar form factor; however, it wasn’t launched in India. Hopefully, the OEM could introduce its rumoured next-gen OPPO Find N7 Wide in the country.

What the new, wide foldable form factor solves

For starters, the Galaxy Z Fold8’s new passport-style form factor is aimed at users who want the benefits of a book-style foldable in a more compact package. The handset is easier to slip into a pocket and more comfortable to hold in one hand than a traditional book-style foldable.

The design also caters to multimedia enthusiasts who spend a lot of time watching movies and TV shows on their smartphones. Its passport-style proportions offer a larger viewing area than a regular/ clamshell smartphone, while making better use of the display than a traditional book-style foldable. This reduces the black bars that often appear when streaming content, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience.

Furthermore, the aspect ratio of the passport-style foldable’s cover display matches those of the social media apps, making them more optimised for this form factor. When folded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8’s cover screen measures 10:16, making it familiar and comfortable for short moments, such as messaging, social updates, browsing and short-form video, per the company. When unfolded, the 4:3 main display creates a larger canvas that helps users lose themselves in games and films.

Samsung also believes the main display on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is more reader-friendly. “The same display ratio becomes naturally suited to reading, giving users a more comfortable way to settle into articles, e-books and long-form content without carrying another device,” claims the OEM.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the kind of product that makes you rethink what a foldable can be. It’s more pocketable, more media-friendly, and more approachable than anything Samsung has put out in this category before, and it arrives at a moment when Apple and OPPO are reportedly circling the same form factor. If those launches materialise, the passport-style foldable could quietly become the next big shift in how we think about smartphones. Samsung got here first, and with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, it has set a benchmark that will be hard to ignore.