There are real reasons to be excited about Samsung’s upcoming foldable devices, but the more I think about it, the more I realize there’s a lot of potential for the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” to not only be disappointing, but also a bit of a cruel joke.
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I own a Galaxy Z Fold 7. I paid for the Samsung foldable last year because, seriously, it’s a In fact Good folding. There are other great options out there now, like Motorola’s new Razr Fold that I just reviewed, but I’m still on the Fold 7. As such, am I’m pretty excited about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, despite also being worried and confused about it.
As repeated leaks have shown, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be split into two: a new, larger form factor that will take on the name “Galaxy Z Fold 8” and a slightly improved version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that will be sold as “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.” Aside from the simple fact that “Ultra” doesn’t fit on a Samsung foldable in literally any capacity, I’m quite concerned about the impact this could have.
The “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” will debut as a device that is effectively an updated Galaxy Z Fold 7. same designsame form factor, same cameras, and really just a few improvements to the screen fold and a Long-awaited battery capacity increase. Once again, the “Ultra” moniker here borders on the comically inaccurate, but that’s none of my concern.
What worries me is the price. There is almost no chance that Samsung will sell these two smartphones for the same price if the existing leaks are accurate. The branding largely implies a situation where the Fold 8 would cost about the same as the Fold 7 (about $1,999) and the “Ultra” would be more expensive. But with what we know about this “Ultra” device, there is absolutely nothing to justify a price increase – besides RAMaggedonof course. Market conditions are already threatening to increase the price of Samsung’s next foldable, but unless Samsung is somehow able to turn this new, wider device into a more affordable option, I just don’t see how we’ll end up with a line that makes any sense.
Effectively launching a refreshed foldable as a more expensive “Ultra” while also including an entirely new form factor in last year’s price would be incredibly frustrating.
However, that’s where we are. Smartphone makers are backed into a corner right nowbut Samsung has also put itself in this position with this supposed brand. Hopefully, “Ultra” will not see the light of day and Samsung will be able to launch two smartphones that simply allow consumers to choose their priorities, without taking into account the price.
What do you think?
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