Igeekphone reported on April 9th: After the release of the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung’s focus is now shifting to the next generation of foldable smartphones.
According to a report by Korea Economic TV today, Samsung plans to hold its next Galaxy Unpacked event in London, UK on July 22, 2026. This will be Samsung’s first time to launch its strategic devices in Europe.
In addition to the regular Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Fold 8, Samsung will also introduce a new wide-folded device called Galaxy Z Fold Wide (or Wide Fold) at that time. This is a “secret weapon” specially prepared to counter the challenge from Apple’s foldable iPhone.
In January this year, Flip 8 (SM-F776U) and Fold 8 (SM-F976U) were already listed in the GSMA database. Along with them, another model with the code name “H8” (the code for the Fold series is “Q” and for the Flip series is “B”) – SM-F971U – was also present.
As a new product line, the biggest highlight of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Wide lies in its screen ratio. Rumors suggest that it will adopt a 4:3 screen ratio, shifting from the current slender design of the Fold series to a wider, more traditional tablet-like shape. This design is believed to significantly enhance the experience of using the device in landscape mode, reducing the large black borders on the top and bottom when viewing photos and videos, and improving multitasking capabilities.
The most important thing is that this device is expected to be 0.5 millimeters thinner than the Apple foldable screen iPhone.
In addition to the brand-new Wide Fold model, the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 have also undergone several major upgrades. The most notable improvement is the display technology. Samsung Display showcased an OLED panel at CES 2026 that virtually eliminates visible creases. The industry generally believes that this technology will be first applied to the Z Fold 8 and Fold Wide, and creases will become the core battlefield in the competition of future foldable phone models.
Furthermore, the S Pen handwriting pen support that was absent on the Z Fold 7 due to the pursuit of a slim design is also highly likely to return on the Z Fold 8 or Fold Wide, becoming another significant differentiating advantage for Samsung in the competition with Apple’s foldable phone models.
In terms of core specifications, the Z Fold 8 is expected to be equipped with an internal screen of approximately 8 inches and an external screen of 6.5 inches, both of which support a 120Hz refresh rate. In terms of cameras, there may be regular upgrades, with the main camera expected to be upgraded to 200 million pixels; while the Fold Wide model may feature an internal screen of 7.6 inches and an external screen of 5.4 inches, using a dual-camera system. In terms of chips, both of the new Fold models are expected to be equipped with the Qualcomm 5th-generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition platform, but the possibility of using the Exynos 2600 cannot be completely ruled out.
In terms of pricing, the starting price of the Z Fold 8 is expected to remain at the same level as the previous generation, which is $1999 (Note from Igeekphone: current exchange rate is approximately 13,680 yuan). However, considering the increase in component costs and tariff pressures, the final price may also be raised.
Apart from the new foldable screen model, Samsung’s upcoming event might also introduce a new generation of smartwatches, namely Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.