Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is officially available today and, as per usual, that comes with some cuts to the deals that were available during the pre-order period, including some big cuts to trade-in values. Here’s an overview and where to find the best deal.

It looks like Samsung is riding a wave of success with the recent Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra, as the Korean tech giant says they are the most pre-ordered foldables in Europe to date.

Samsung says that, amid huge success for its Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, more Galaxy Z Flip owners are switching to the Fold this year – and it’s pretty easy to see why.

Since Samsung insists on a camera design that stacks instead of spans, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, like many Galaxy phones, is naturally incompatible with magnetic accessories. UAG fixed that with one simple design change.

As Samsung’s pre-order perks for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 come to an end, the company continues to advertise its new form factor as a perfect fit for “full-screen” video, which is a pretty big departure from the reality of using this new foldable.

Following reports from the media, Samsung has officially confirmed the initial record-breaking sales numbers for its Galaxy Z Fold 8 right as pre-order deals are coming to their end.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, alongside the Flip 8, has broken 1.44 million sales during the pre-order phase, smashing a record previously set by the Galaxy Note 10.

In a new interview, Samsung talks about its decisions around the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s new shape, the color choices across its new foldable lineup, and the controversial “cushion” design still in place on Galaxy Watch 9.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 series has turned out to be an absolute smash hit for the company, with the new foldables now delayed across the board in shipping amid demand that’s apparently 3x higher than initial Fold 7 demand.

Between two foldables – we can ignore the flippy one – the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra positions itself as the specced out monster next to its little brother, the Galaxy Z Fold 8. But “specced out” comes with a disclaimer, because there are only a couple of true differences. And even with a better camera, battery, and various hairline differences, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra might be too good to get excited about.

The appeal of a book-style foldable is obvious. A smartphone that opens up to something more expansive, more capable – just, more. Yet, the tall and narrow Galaxy Z Fold designs of yesteryear never fully resonated with the general public. As each generation has pushed itself a bit wider than the last, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is now here as Samsung’s first “ultra-wide” foldable. After spending over a week with it, I see why Samsung released two Galaxy Folds this year, and I figured out that this new Galaxy Z Fold 8 shape is the one made for everyone else.

A lot of improvements to the foldable experience come in One UI 9, but the latest one that lets you adjust the Galaxy Z Fold 8 display’s zoom level on an app-by-app basis is easily one of the best.

Samsung’s latest foldables are finally up for pre-order, but unlike past launches, the best deal you’ll actually find isn’t on the company’s own website — it’s at Amazon. Whether you’re chasing after the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra or looking at the newly-rectangular Z Fold 8, Amazon can knock off up to $600 with the right trade-in, all while bundling a $350 gift card with every purchase.

Samsung has quietly introduced a nice quality-of-life feature on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, where its new foldables can automatically unlock screen rotation when you use the inner display.

Following a brief sell-out and heavy delay on shipping, Samsung has seemingly restocked the “Pistachio” Galaxy Z Fold 8 in the US, with shipment dates moved up to August.

Samsung reportedly increased Galaxy Z Fold 8 production prior to launch, but it appears the smaller foldable model is still selling much faster during pre-order than the company anticipated. It already looks like certain models are getting delayed due to low stock.

For the time being, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in “Pistachio” seems to be available again after users were getting errors during checkout, but it’s delayed.

The best version of Samsung’s adorable new Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the green “Pistachio” one and, fittingly, that’s the one that already appears to be selling out.

There was a bit of an undertone present in Samsung’s latest Unpacked keynote. Not one of progress or triumph, but what felt a bit like fear. After seven years, the foldable market is about to enter uncharted territory and, frankly, I’m not sure Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 series will be able to hold its ground.

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Samsung is finally switching over to silicon-carbon batteries in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series but, apparently, their lifespan is reduced by quite a bit.