Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 launched in India: a new “wide” foldable, and Samsung’s lightest Fold yet

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold8 alongside the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Flip8, but the Z Fold8 stands apart as an entirely new form factor for the company. Where previous fold models chased a single design language, the Galaxy Z Fold8 introduces what Samsung calls a “wide” foldable, built around how people move between quick glances on the cover screen and longer, more immersive sessions once unfolded.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 India price and availability

The Galaxy Z Fold8 starts from Rs 1,79,999 for the base model with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The 12GB + 512GB and 16GB + 1TB variants are priced at Rs 1,99,999 and Rs 2,39,999, respectively. Buyers can avail an exchange bonus of Rs 10,000 or an instant bank discount of Rs 9,000. The foldable is available for pre-order starting today in select markets, in Graphite, Cream, and Lavender colours, with an online-exclusive Pistachio colourway available only on Samsung.com. 

Specs at a Glance

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specifications

Design and display

At 201 grams, Samsung says the Galaxy Z Fold8 is the lightest Galaxy Z Fold to date, measuring 4.5mm thick when unfolded. This is built on Samsung’s new Flex Titanium display structure, which combines a titanium-alloy film with an enhanced titanium plate to strengthen display support, absorb impact and reduce crease visibility over time, while also refining how the hinge feels when opening and closing.

The display setup is designed around three distinct ratios rather than one. Folded, the 5.5-inch cover screen uses a 10:16 ratio suited to quick interactions. Unfolded, the 7.6-inch main display shifts to a 4:3 ratio for a larger, more immersive canvas for games and video. Rotated, that same main display ratio is tuned for reading, giving articles, ebooks, and long-form content more room without needing a separate device. Both screens support up to 3,000 nits of brightness with Vision Booster and a low-reflection finish for outdoor visibility.

Performance and battery

The Z Fold8 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, paired with a 4,800mAh battery (rated capacity 4,660mAh). Charging is rated at up to 63 percent in around 30 minutes over a 45W wired connection, alongside 20W fast wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare for topping up other devices. Memory and storage options go up to 16GB of RAM with 1TB of internal storage, with 12GB/512GB and 12GB/256GB configurations also available.

Camera

The Z Fold8 gets a dual 50MP rear camera system, a wide-angle lens with OIS and 2x optical quality zoom, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens, aimed at consistent detail across wide and ultra-wide shots. Dual Recording lets users capture both sides of a moment at once while previewing themselves on the cover screen, and a new My FanCam feature automatically tracks a chosen subject and reframes footage into a preferred aspect ratio for social-ready clips with less manual editing.

Software and AI

The Z Fold8 ships with One UI 9 on top of Android 17, bringing Samsung’s Galaxy AI features tuned for the foldable format. This includes Now Brief for personalised daily insights, Now Nudge for surfacing next steps during conversations, and deeper Gemini Intelligence integration, including Gemini Notebook for organising notes, images, and documents into one workspace. Samsung is also extending connected AI experiences across Galaxy Watch Ultra2, Galaxy Watch9, and its upcoming Intelligent Eyewear.

On privacy, Samsung is leaning on its Knox Matrix framework, with on-device protections like Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection and Knox Vault for sensitive data, alongside a new AI Assistant Activity dashboard in One UI 9 that gives users visibility into AI actions happening on their behalf.

Our take

The Z Fold8 is a more interesting story than a routine spec bump. Samsung has effectively split its Fold lineup into two philosophies this year: the Ultra for productivity and creation, and the standard Fold8 for a lighter, more content-driven foldable experience. Whether that distinction holds up in daily use, or just reads as an Ultra with a smaller camera system, will depend a lot on how the three display ratios actually feel in practice.

Existing Z Fold7 users primarily focused on productivity might find the Ultra more appealing, while those seeking a lighter, more media-centric experience might consider the Z Fold8 if the price point is attractive.