Smartphone maker Samsung has unveiled three new models in its foldables line-up: the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra,Z Flip8, as well as a new form factor Z Fold8.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 512GBversion will retail for R50 999, or R1 799 on contract.
This was revealed yesterday during the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, livestreamed from London to an audience in Johannesburg.
The 256GBversion of the Z Flip8 starts at R26 999, or R999 per month on a cellphone contract. Meanwhile, the 256GB version of the Z Fold8starts at R40 999, or R1 500 per month on contract, said Justin Hume, vice-president for mobile experience at Samsung South Africa.
At the event, Samsung also announced two new smartwatches – the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 – and teased its upcoming artificial intelligence (AI)-driven smart glasses. The smart glasses have been developed in partnership with Google, eyewear company Warby Parker and Gentle Monster.
The Watch9 has a price tag of $379 (R6 221) and the Watch Ultra2 is set to retail for $699 (R11 476), although local pricing is yet to be announced.
Pre-orders for the products have already begun, with sales officially commencing on 7 August.
Hume said the release of the new smartphone line-up is not about whether to switch to a foldable device or not; rather, it gives consumers choice to state “which foldable device they are”.
The Z Fold8 has been designed for everyday immersion, like reading, browsing the internet, gaming or exploring, he noted.
New to the Samsung foldables stable, the Z Fold8 has advanced photography and AI features, according to the South Korean electronics giant.
The Z Fold8 features a new passport-like shape, with a cover screen at 10:16 aspect ratio. Unfolded, the device has a 4:3-inch-wide screen. The 4.5mm-thick device weighs 201g, making it Samsung’s “lightest” foldable device.
It features a dual 50MP wide and ultra-wide camera and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor.
The foldable smartphone has a battery capacity of 4 800mAh. For more detailed specifications, click here.
Considered a leader in the foldables segment, Samsung’s latest product drop is widely speculated to compete with Apple’s first foldable iPhone, set to launch in September.
Earlier this year, Samsung unveiled its first trifold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold.
Data released by the International Data Corporation(IDC) in December indicates foldables will outperform the smartphone market, representing over 10% of the total smartphone market value by 2029.
The IDC stated that worldwide foldable smartphone shipments reached 20.6 million units at the end of 2025, with multiple launches from smartphone makers anticipated to further ignite consumer demand for the foldables category this year.
Nabila Popal, senior research director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said: “Samsung will kick-start 2026 with the Galaxy Z Trifold, introducing trifold innovation to mainstream global consumers, building off the momentum of the successful Galaxy Z Fold7 in 2025. Huawei’s foldables, running on HarmonyOS Next, will also see strong growth, with shipments expected to almost double in 2026.
“But the real game-changer for the category comes at year-end when Apple enters the foldable space, projected to capture over 22% unit share and a staggering 34% of the foldables market value in its first year, thanks to an expected average price point of $2 400.”
According to the IDC, foldables and trifolds are becoming critical for an industry that has plateaued and needs meaningful innovation to motivate upgrades and drive value.
The research firm notes the foldables category is expected to grow at a compoundannual growth rate of 17% through 2029, compared with less than 1% for the traditional smartphone segment.
“The launch of Apple’s first foldable iPhone will mark a turning point for the foldable segment,” added Francisco Jeronimo, vice-president of client devices at IDC. “This move is likely to boost category awareness and drive consumer interest. Apple tends to be a catalyst for mainstream adoption of new categories.
“Although foldables will continue to be a niche segment from a volume perspective, it will become a relevant value driver for most vendors offering foldables, as average selling prices will be three times higher than a standard smartphone.”
Share
