Samsung is changing things up with its latest foldables, bringing the Ultra name into the category, making its base model smaller and square-ish, and adding delicate, lighter hues to the collection. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra are joined by the Galaxy Z Flip 8 as well as two new smartwatches, including one with an ultra-durable IP rating. All five products launched at Galaxy Unpacked in London today, but I had the chance to see them last week at an exclusive media event in Toronto.
At the heart of the new foldables line is Samsung’s Flex Titanium technology that increases durability and reduces crease visibility. It combines a titanium alloy film with a titanium plate to withstand external shock and repeated folding while still maintaining a thin design.
The titanium alloy film is the third of the thickness of an average human hair. It supports the display from within, sitting below the OLED panel. The titanium plate, meanwhile, sits below it, supporting the display module. The tighter bonding with the display eliminates air gaps between the module and the adhesive so you get more stable support under the display when unfolded, says Samsung. The design also affords better power efficiency for the screen, Samsung adds.
What else should you know about these phones, all of which come with Android 17 and Samsung One UI 9? Explore the collection with me here and read more about each device below.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
Let’s start with the top-line model, which employs a design closest to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which I reviewed last year. Available in Violet Shadow, Graphite, or Cream, as well as an online-exclusive Green Shadow finish, it has a 6.5-inch 2,520 x 1,080 FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 cover display that opens to reveal a larger 8-inch 2,504 x 2,256 QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x screen, higher res than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. You get a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate as well. It’s the thinnest foldable to date in Samsung’s line.
Powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, you get 12GB RAM with the 256GB and 512GB storage options and 16GB RAM with the 1TB. It’s equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0, 20W Wireless Charging 2.0, and Wireless PowerShare. Thus, it has a bigger battery than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and charges more quickly, both wired and wirelessly. However, there’s still no Qi2 built in, so you can only use wireless chargers with a compatible case.
There’s a 50MP ultra-wide camera, much higher-res than the predecessor, 200MP wide camera, and 10MP telephoto camera on the rear and a 10MP main screen camera and 10MP cover camera. You can shoot up to 8K videos at 30 fps with the main camera and up to 4K at 60 fps with the front camera. You get up to 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom.
It meets an IP48 dust- and water-resistance rating and comes with expected features like a fingerprint scanner, facial recognition, and Samsung DeX. The Z Fold 8 measures just 8.9mm thin when folded, 4.1mm thin when unfolded, which is virtually identical to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will sell in Canada for $2,700 for the 256GB version, $2,980 for the 512GB, and $3,540 for the 1TB.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a new design proposition for Samsung in this line, with a compact and more square-like footprint. It’s also the lighest foldable model to date in the line. Available in Lavendar, Graphite, and Cream (plus Pistachio online), it has a 5.5-inch 1,972 x 1248 FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x cover display and a 7.6-inch 1,848 x 2,448 QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x screen, both with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
With the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and the same 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage options as well as 12GB or 16GB RAM (latter for the 1TB version), it has a slightly smaller 4,800 mAh battery with the same 45W wired and 20W wireless charging. It meets the same IP48 dust- and water-resistant rating as its bigger sibling.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP wide camera along with a 10MP front camera and 10MP cover camera. You get up to 10x digital zoom. The phone offers improved Nightography and Galaxy AI tools like My FanCam, a feature that content creators especially will love. After capturing video footage, you can lock focus on a specific person in the frame then follow them specifically in a new version of the video. Imagine following your child playing a sport, for example, or a specific musician in a band on stage (as long as you’re close enough to detect faces). I participated in a demo of this feature at the Toronto event to get a feel for how it works. After recording a group of about five of us walking around the room, the Samsung rep chose one person to follow and the perspective changed, capturing his movements specifically as a highlight focus of the clip.
This phone is slightly thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at 9.7mm when closed and 4.5mm when open. But it’s also a bit lighter at 201 grams versus 215 grams. It’s an interesting option for those who want something a bit more compact with a wider versus taller cover screen. It will sell for $2,400 (256GB), $2,680 (512GB), and $3,240 (1TB).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8
For those who prefer the flip style, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 comes in Pink, Graphite, and Cream (Mint online) with a 6.9-inch 2,520 x 1,080 FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x main display and 4.1-inch FlexWindow that’s a 1,048 x 948 HD+ Super AMOLED, both with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It combines an upgraded FlexWindow that can fit 16 apps on a single screen now, with smarter Galaxy AI and enhanced FlexCam to help you capture, edit and share content seamlessly.
Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 octa-core processor, it boasts 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. The 4,300mAh battery supports 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. Snap photos with the 12MP rear ultra-wide camera, 50MP wide camera, and 10MP front camera, and take it with you everywhere thanks to the IP48 rating.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 will sell for $1,550 for the 256GB version and $1,830 for the 512GB.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Samsung is really upping the ante with its Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, which meets not only a 10ATM and IP68 rating, but also IP69 and IP69K. The latter is the highest rating you can receive, affording protection against not just water submersion but also pressure. This means you can safely dive with it. It can even be used in saltwater, as with its predecessor, Samsung said at the launch event. To show off its incredible durability at the Toronto event, the watch was on display in glass cases filled with water, ice, and sand.
Compared to the previous generation watch, along with more rugged durability, you get a brighter display, bigger battery, advanced GPS navigation, and safety features like Fall Detection. It runs on a Snapdragon Wear Elite processor with Wear OS 7 powered by Samsung.
Available in titanium grey or silver, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has a 1.52-inch 498 x 498 Super AMOLED screen with up to 5,000 nits brightness. There’s also a digital bezel and quick button. You get an 800 mAh battery for up to 60 hours per life with the always-on display, dual GPS, NFC, and an LTE option. It has 2GB memory and 64GB storage.
It captures all the data and vitals you’d expect with the Samsung BioActive Sensor, temperature sensor, and more; and has a mic, speaker, and siren. Given its extreme durability, it’s no surprise that the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is diving certified.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will sell in Canada for $950. Both the Ultra 2 and Watch 9 come with softer and lighter bands so they’re presumably more comfortable to wear all day, and especially while sleeping.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
For everyday users, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 comes in Graphite, Silver, and Cream and has a 1.5-inch 480 x 480 Super AMOLED screen for the large size and 1.3-inch 438 x 438 screen for the small. Both offer up to 3,000 nits brightness alog with 2GB memory and 32GB storage.
With a touchscreen and digital bezel, the Galaxy Watch 9 has a 390 mAh battery that runs up to 30 hours per charge, along with a mic and speaker. It meets a 5ATM and IP68 rating as with the previous generation model. You get features like sleep apnea detection, heart health, and daily health insights.
The Galaxy Watch 9, which runs on the same processor and boasts the same OS, will sell for from $520 to $640, depending on the size and model.