Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra arrives with an 8-inch screen and a new “Ultra” badge for foldables

Samsung held its summer Unpacked event in London on July 22, and for the first time, the company’s foldable lineup got the “Ultra” treatment. Three new phones were announced: the Galaxy Z Fold8, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and the Galaxy Z Flip8, alongside updated smartwatches.

Until now, “Ultra” was a label reserved for Samsung’s S-series flagships. Bringing it to the Fold line signals the company wants to make a true top-tier foldable, not just one version of the Fold for everyone.

Two Fold models

Galaxy Z Fold8 has a different design that is both wider and shorter than the previous model. According to Samsung, the new sizes are better suited for video viewing and using multiple apps at once. It’s also the lightest Fold version the company has made, at 201 grams, roughly 14 grams less than the Ultra version.

The Fold8 Ultra takes the opposite approach: bigger screen, bigger battery, more advanced cameras. It comes in at 4.1mm thick when unfolded, with an 8-inch main display built around what Samsung calls AI-powered multitasking. Both phones run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip built for Galaxy devices.

Charging speeds are shared across the two models. Samsung says its fast-charging system can bring the battery from empty to 67 percent in about 30 minutes under the company’s own test conditions, though real-world results will likely vary by user.

Camera and software changes

Samsung is leaning heavily on a feature it calls My FanCam, which automatically tracks a person during recording and reframes the footage to fit different formats. It’s aimed at people who film themselves or others for short-form social content, and it’s rolling out across the new Fold and Flip models rather than being exclusive to one device.

The Flip8, meanwhile, gets an upgraded cover screen Samsung calls FlexWindow, along with a feature named Now Brief for quick glanceable updates. New camera tools include a Camcorder Grip mode, a steadier recording option with horizontal lock, and dual recording that captures both the person filming and their subject at once.

Price gap

The standard Galaxy Z Fold8 and Fold8 Ultra were early listed at a premium difference of around $200, keeping both within reach of the same buyer who might already be shopping for a premium foldable. Some early reviewers have questioned whether the Fold8 Ultra’s price increase over last year’s model is justified, since spec gains are incremental in some areas even as the Ultra label suggests a bigger leap.

Watches and wearables update

With the phones, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, continuing its yearly refresh cycle for wearables. Full specifications for the watches were shared at the same event, though the phones have understandably taken most of the spotlight so far.

What happens from here

Pre-orders are now open for the new line-up, and wider availability for retailers is set to come soon. As with most Unpacked launches, the real test will come once reviewers and everyday users get hands-on time with the Fold8 Ultra outside of Samsung’s own demos, particularly around battery life, hinge durability, and whether the Ultra label justifies its place at the top of Samsung’s foldable range.