Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 needs to stop chasing thinness and fix what matters
Android Police 2026-07-22 12:15:15
Context: Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 needs to prioritize improvements in battery life, charging speeds, and camera capabilities over mere incremental reductions in thickness and weight. The current Galaxy Z Fold 7, while remarkably thin and light, still struggles with poor battery life and slow charging speeds. With the next iteration, Samsung must focus on delivering a more complete and practical flagship experience.
Key Facts
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, launched in 2021, had a 4,400mAh battery and 25W fast charging support, and four years later, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 still features the same 4,400mAh cell and wired charging speeds.
- Chinese foldable smartphones, such as some competing models, manage to pack 5,500mAh or larger batteries into designs that are just as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
- The Galaxy Z Fold 7's camera system, while improved with a 200MP main camera, still uses a 12MP ultrawide sensor and a 10MP 3x telephoto sensor, which feel like an afterthought and are not sufficient for a $2,000 flagship phone.
- The Galaxy Z Fold series currently tops out at 25W wired charging, which can charge the 4,400mAh battery to 50% in 30 minutes, but this is considered slow for a productivity-focused device.
- Samsung's potential strategy to justify the premium pricing of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 could include offering a one-time free screen replacement, bundling a year of Samsung Care+, or increasing the base storage to 512 GB.