Samsung is enjoying a Galaxy Z Fold 8 victory lap before Apple steps into the foldable market

Samsung’s latest foldables are already outselling last year’s generation as Apple prepares to join the race

By Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam Published September 8, 2026

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable smartphone — Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

Samsung has picked a pretty cheeky time to remind everyone how well its foldables are doing. On the eve of Apple’s expected foldable iPhone launch, the company has revealed fresh numbers for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and things are looking rather good.

One month after launch, combined U.S. purchases of the two Fold models are tracking 30% ahead of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. They also account for roughly 80% of current Galaxy Z series purchases in the country.

Samsung picked a great time to brag about the Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung says Fold 8 buyers have been particularly interested in its thin and light design, portability, and wider inner display. Fold 8 Ultra buyers, meanwhile, seem to prefer the extra screen space.

This also backs up what we heard shortly after launch. An earlier report suggested the Galaxy Z Fold 8 alone was selling at roughly three times the pace of the Fold 7 during the comparable early sales period. Demand reportedly caught Samsung off guard, and some configurations disappeared from Samsung and carrier stores.

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Samsung has another stat to wave around. More than three times as many Galaxy Z Flip owners are upgrading to the Fold 8 or Fold 8 Ultra compared to the Fold 7. In other words, Samsung’s gamble on the new Fold 8 shape appears to be working rather nicely.

Apple is about to walk straight into Samsung’s strongest foldable generation

Apple’s first foldable is expected to follow a similar short-and-wide design approach. Previous reports point to a 5.5-inch cover display and roughly 7.8-inch inner screen, putting it much closer to Samsung’s new passport-shaped Fold 8 than the tall Fold designs of previous years.

Then there is the price. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899, while Apple has reportedly discussed charging as much as $2,199 for its first foldable. Early supply may also be limited, with Ming-Chi Kuo previously estimating that just 500,000 to 1 million units could be ready during the third quarter.

Apple showing up will almost certainly bring a lot more attention to foldables. Samsung, however, has spent eight generations figuring them out, and hours before Apple is expected to enter the race, it seems more than happy to point at the scoreboard.

Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam

Contributor

I’ve got about 4 years of experience, mostly covering gaming, PC hardware, and smartphones. In my free time, I like…

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