Sorry, iPhone Ultra. It looks like Samsung is beating you to the punch.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 launch event is coming up fast, with reports suggesting that Galaxy Unpacked could happen on July 22. But there's still time for things to leak, and the latest news about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series teases one of the upgrades that could help it fight back against Apple's first foldable.
According to the leaker Ice Universe, the hinge on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is "noticeably different from previous generations." This change has apparently been made to improve the look of the crease with Samsung reportedly making the folding action "more decisive."
The hinge feel of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is noticeably different from previous generations.To further improve the crease, Samsung has made the folding and unfolding action more decisive. In other words, it is no longer as easy to hold at certain angles as before.But this…July 6, 2026
The new design is supposed to offer a "significant improvement in crease control," with Ice Universe claiming that Samsung has reached "the top level in the industry." This means that the crease visibility is on par with the Oppo Find N6, a foldable that's been praised for how discreet the display crease actually is.
The downside is that the new hinge apparently doesn't offer the same level of precision as it did on previous models. This means holding it at specific angles isn't as easy as it used to be. So those of you that took advantage of Samsung's Flex mode may not appreciate the upcoming upgrade as much as everyone else.
Why this matters ahead of iPhone Ultra launch
According to reports, Apple is focusing on four key selling points where the foldable iPhone Ultra is concerned. One is the display's lack of visible crease, a design detail that Apple has reportedly been very particular about during the development process.
So what happens when Samsung, easily the biggest foldable phone maker outside of China, is able to accomplish the same thing before the iPhone Ultra is released? Well, it means the iPhone Ultra is just a little bit less special, and Apple is going to have emphasize other selling points.
It's also worth mentioning that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, formerly known as the Z Fold Wide, comes in a new form factor that seemingly emulates that of the iPhone Ultra. It's shorter and wider than the Z Fold 8 Ultra (the successor to the Z Fold 7), and could give prospective iPhone Ultra buyers one less reason to buy Apple's foldable.
Of course, the one thing Samsung can't do is make an iPhone. That's a uniquely Apple undertaking, and it means there will always be a group of people that are out of its reach. Just today we reported on analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicting that the iPhone UItra will immediately sell out during the pre-order period even at a $2,300 to $2,500 price.
With Samsung Unpacked tipped for July 22, we don't have long to see what the Galaxy Z Fold 8 truly brings to the table in Samsung's foldable fight against Apple.
