Why The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Might Be The Foldable We've All Been Waiting For

7 hours ago

Samsung's caller Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an impressive book-style foldable that tackles galore of nan long-standing quibbles plaguing nan Fold bid for years. I spent a play pinch nan device, and was floored by really overmuch its reduced weight and thickness made it consciousness for illustration a modular candy barroom telephone erstwhile folded.

The screen surface is wider and much usable, nan interior show is larger astatine 8 inches, and nan caller 200MP camera sensor intends imagery isn't a large sacrifice this clip around.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: Which clamshell foldable wins?

As acold arsenic it's come, nan Fold 7 still has immoderate notable drawbacks, and nan rumor mill is already difficult astatine activity pinch compelling reasons why waiting for nan Galaxy Z Fold 8 mightiness beryllium nan correct choice. Samsung itself has referred to nan Z Fold 7 arsenic a "trade-off" device, pinch nan nonaccomplishment of S Pen support and stagnant artillery capacity. Here are a fewer reasons why I deliberation nan Z Fold 8, erstwhile released, will beryllium nan eventual choice.

A (truly) crease-free display

Galaxy Z Fold 7 interior show nary crease

Foldables person ever been plagued by 1 cardinal downside: a visible and often disfigured crease down nan mediate of nan display. Sure, it's improved a batch complete nan years, but it's ne'er truly gone away.

That mightiness alteration pinch nan Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to respected proviso concatenation expert Ming-Chi Kuo, who reports that Samsung's adjacent Fold will usage caller "laser-drilled" metallic plates nether nan surface to virtually destruct nan crease. They do so, according to nan report, by dispersing nan accent from folding nan show successful a measurement that allows nan sheet to crook without causing a imperishable mark.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Z Fold 6: I tried some phones, and nan quality is dramatic

Kuo besides reports that Apple is readying to usage nan aforesaid tech successful its ain unannounced foldable iPhone, presently slated for precocious 2026. As we know, erstwhile Apple does something, nan manufacture follows. Samsung, successful this case, couldn't spend to vessel a Z Fold 8 pinch a visible crease against a flawless Apple foldable iPhone display.

I've grown to judge nan crease arsenic a byproduct of utilizing nan latest and top technology, but eliminating that crease would beryllium a immense measurement guardant for bringing nan foldable shape facet moreover further into acceptance among mundane users.

The artillery needs an upgrade

Galaxy Z Fold 7 propped connected concrete

When it comes to powerfulness and charging, nan Z Fold bid has recovered itself successful a spot of a rut, pinch artillery capacity stagnant astatine 4,400mAh since nan Z Fold 3. Meanwhile, competitors for illustration HONOR's latest Magic V5 and Oppo's Find N bid are pushing capacities adjacent nan 6000mAh people by utilizing next-generation silicon-carbon artillery technology.

Samsung has yet to dip its toes into this water, but its executives person acknowledged that they're moving connected it. In a briefing during Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung's caput of smartphone readying Minseok Kang confirmed Samsung's investigation efforts and volition of utilizing this artillery exertion successful early phones erstwhile nan squad is satisfied pinch its reliability. Samsung surely knows its artillery capacity is overdue for an upgrade, truthful it makes consciousness that we mightiness spot this tech travel to nan Z Fold 8 adjacent year.

Also: Samsung conscionable gave its Galaxy foldable phones a large information upgrade - for free

Not only that, but nan Z Fold's wired charging velocity of 25W maximum is overmuch slower than what astir flagships offer, taking astir 90 minutes to complaint from zero to full. The Magic V5 supports up to 66W accelerated charge, and nan Oppo Find N pushes that to nan 80W range.

Yes, these are Chinese foldables which often push nan boundaries compared to nan US market, but moreover nan recently-launched Moto Razr Ultra offers up to 68W of accelerated charge, tin of a afloat complaint successful astir 40 minutes. The Z Fold 8 has a batch of room to turn successful this area, and it's owed clip to do so.

So we meet again, S Pen

One alteration that caught a batch of attraction pinch nan Z Fold 7 is nan removal of Samsung's S Pen. In nan company's pursuit of a lighter, thinner foldable, it removed nan progressive digitizer furniture needed to merge nan progressive stylus into nan experience. Power users who person grown to emotion nan S Pen are a vocal number that Samsung has been cultivating for years, truthful it's improbable that nan institution wants to wantonness them altogether.

Also: 5 Android phones you should see buying alternatively of nan Samsung Z Fold 7

The bully news is that Samsung has already hinted astatine a return of nan S Pen to a early Z Fold. Kang shared that Samsung is "researching and processing thinner and innovative technologies for nan S Pen" arsenic nan institution reconsiders a return of nan capacity for early models.

Perhaps Samsung could create a thinner digitizer, a caller S Pen design, aliases moreover an integrated slot (one tin dream) pinch nan Fold 8. Samsung acknowledges nan nationalist backlash, and that could lead to nan return of a existent differentiator successful nan foldables market.

Next-gen capacity connected a 2nm chip

The Z Fold 7 already packs Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite bid spot pinch a typical overclocked "for Galaxy" variant, but nan Fold 8 mightiness return an moreover bigger measurement up successful capacity and ratio pinch an expected displacement to a 2nm manufacturing process.

Reports retired of Korea stock that Qualcomm is partnering pinch Samsung Foundry to nutrient a specialized "for Galaxy" version of nan Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 connected Samsung's 2nm mode. The scheme is that by precocious 2025 aliases early 2026, Samsung's spot fabs will beryllium fresh to move astir those 2nm chips, which is plentifulness of clip to person them look pinch nan Galaxy Z Fold 8 later successful nan year.

Also: Why I urge this $280 Android telephone complete inexpensive models from Samsung and Google

These would beryllium immoderate of nan first smartphones to beryllium built connected 2nm technology, bringing large capacity and powerfulness upgrades while besides generating little heat. Considering nan Z Fold's pursuit of slimness, this power simplification would beryllium a invited byproduct. This upgrade would easy outclass nan existent Fold 7 chip, built connected a 3nm process, but besides springiness Samsung a superior limb up compared to rivals, perchance moreover including an Apple iPhone foldable.

Final thoughts

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 proves Samsung is tin of shipping a foldable that feels for illustration an mundane phone. I person a batch of respect for Samsung's continued loop connected this concept, and they proceed to present nan astir polished book-style foldable disposable to nan widest worldwide audience.

However, grounds suggests that immoderate unthinkable breakthroughs could await those who hold conscionable a small spot longer for nan adjacent update to nan series. As for me, I'll beryllium watching closely.

Follow my latest tech reviews and projects crossed societal media. You'll find maine connected YouTube at YouTube.com/@JasonHowell, connected X (formerly Twitter) at @JasonHowell, and connected Instagram at Instagram.com/thatjasonhowell.