Samsung’s next foldable launch is expected to be its most important in years and India is going to be in line to receive the devices within days of its global unveiling. This year, speculations are rife that Samsung is going to introduce three foldables headlined by the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra alongside Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide and the Z Flip 8. Multiple South Korean reports point to 22 July as the date for the next Galaxy Unpacked event and for the first time, the event is rumoured to take place in London rather than Samsung’s usual venues in Seoul or the United States. Based on the leaks and rumours so far, here are five things to expect from the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Samsung is reportedly restructuring its foldable lineup this year. The direct successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to launch as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra while a separate, wider foldable takes on the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 name, which is also referred to in earlier leaks as the Fold 8 Wide. This effectively mirrors how the Galaxy S series is structured, with the Ultra positioned as the flagship and the standard Fold 8 serving as a wider and lighter alternative. A Bluetooth certification listing showing five separate variants under the Fold 8 Ultra name adds weight to this naming change, even though Samsung has not confirmed anything officially.
Expect to pay more this year, though reports disagree on the exact number. Some supply chain leaks suggest the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s base 256GB variant could start at around $2,099 globally, up from the Z Fold 7’s $1,999 launch price, with the 512GB and 1TB variants climbing even further, potentially crossing $2,300 and $2,600, respectively. Other reports claim Samsung may hold the base price flat at $1,999, specifically to stay competitive ahead of Apple’s rumoured first foldable iPhone later this year. The rise is attributed largely to increasing RAM and storage component costs across the industry. For India, where the Z Fold 7 launched at Rs 1,74,999 for the base variant, the Fold 8 Ultra could land anywhere from roughly that same level to past Rs 1,89,999, with the top-end 1TB configuration likely to cross Rs 2,20,000.
The Fold 8 Ultra’s camera system is expected to remain unchanged and will carry over its 200MP main sensor and 10MP telephoto lens from the Fold 7. But the ultrawide camera is tipped to jump from 12MP to 50MP. This would be the most notable photography upgrade on the device this generation. The selfie camera on the cover display is also rumoured to shrink in size, with its cutout reportedly going from 3.7mm to as small as 2.5mm in diameter but without a corresponding megapixel increase.
Samsung is reportedly using a new laser-drilling technique on the display support structure to make the crease significantly less visible than on previous Fold models, though leaker Ice Universe has cautioned that the improvement may not be dramatic. The battery is expected to grow to a 5,000mAh typical capacity, up from the Fold 7’s 4,400mAh using a dual-cell setup. The charging speed is also tipped to nearly double from 25W wired charging on the Fold 7 to 45W on the Fold 8 Ultra.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to launch on One UI 9 based on Android 17, with Samsung promising up to seven years of software and security updates in line with its current policy. Gemini is expected to be more deeply integrated this time with tighter app integration, smoother handling of multi-step tasks and a new prompt-driven system for generating custom widgets. Other software changes rumoured for the update include a refreshed Samsung Internet browser with support for separate windows and an in-browser “Ask AI” feature, alongside continued support for Flex Mode and Samsung DeX.
While none of this is officially confirmed, the sheer volume and consistency of leaks suggest the broad outline of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is largely set. The final details, including exact India pricing, will only be clear once Samsung holds its Unpacked event next month.