‘Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’ leaks, but it’s probably not for the foldable you thought

Ben Schoon | May 25 2026 - 4:00 am PT

One of Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones seems to exist mainly as a counter to Apple’s rumored “iPhone Ultra” and, with the branding for “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” having now popped up, it all seems to be coming together – but not in the way you’d think.

Apple’s first foldable is rumored to be called the “iPhone UItra,” for some reason. But what’s far more interesting about it is the form factor, which is expected to revive a long-lost wider format that we saw in devices like the Oppo Find N and, more well-known, the original Google Pixel Fold. It mostly failed on Android due to app issues, but everyone seems like they want to give it another shot.

Samsung’s take on this has been thought to be called the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide,” a name that’s been widely accepted but that, at least personally, has always felt a little sloppy.

Somehow, the latest rumors are worse.

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Leaker Ice Universe says that Samsung is adding the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” to its lineup next year, not at the new wider form factor designed to directly compete with the “iPhone Ultra,” but as a rebrand of what we thought would be the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Given the obvious inspiration for Samsung’s new form factor, that seems like a wild choice, but there is one part that makes sense. Assuming all current leaks and rumors are mostly accurate, calling the “Wide” device the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” would have meant selling customers a device with two cameras and a 4,800 mAh battery as an “Ultra” as opposed to the standard device, which will have three cameras and a 5,000 mAh battery. With that in mind, that’s probably the right call. But, then again, the lack of comparable hardware to the actual Galaxy S26 Ultra makes that a harder pill to swallow.

What do you think of this potential branding swap?