To say that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 was the least exciting of Samsung’s new foldables would be an understatement.
Phone-tablet hybrids are clearly the company’s priority, with a new passport-style Z Fold 8 joining the refreshed Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Meanwhile, the Z Flip 8 feels like an afterthought, and it speaks volumes that there’s no cheaper ‘FE’ model this year. With tiny upgrades and a hefty price hike, there’s no reason to buy the new Flip unless you loved a previous iteration.
If rumours that this is the last Galaxy Z Flip turn out to be true, I won’t be surprised. In fact, with no sign that Samsung wants to address the Z Flip’s biggest issues, I think it’s time to pull the plug.
Where are the upgrades?
Earlier this month, I wrote about the 5 upgrades the Z Flip 8 had to have to save itself from potential cancellation. Samsung hasn’t addressed a single one.
Having five glaring flaws is unacceptable
The closest it got was a loosening of restrictions on the cover screen, with a user interface that feels more intuitive and extra optimised apps. However, to get most third-party apps running, you still have to jump through some ridiculous hoops that some owners might not even know about.
Also, the camera system is still missing the all-important telephoto lens, with zero improvements elsewhere. And it still lacks proper dust protection with an IP48 rating, meaning taking it to the beach would mean a repeat of my Z Fold 7 nightmare.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
But the lack of battery upgrades is undoubtedly the most disappointing. While Samsung has finally shifted to silicon-carbon (Si-C) tech, the capacity is still stuck at 4300mAh – that’s tiny by modern standards, and makes me doubt its ability to last for a full, demanding day.
It doesn’t help that charging remains at a paltry 25W, despite both the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra getting 45W. To top it off, there’s no built-in Qi2, so you’ll need a case to charge and connect accessories magnetically.
On a premium foldable that costs more than most non-folding flagships, having five glaring flaws is unacceptable.
The actual changes don’t really matter
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 isn’t identical to last year’s Z Flip 7 – even if it looks and feels like it. But Samsung has targeted improvements in areas that were already plenty good enough.
It says a lot that the Z Flip 8 misses out on the titanium hinge
Take the chipset, for example. Samsung is continuing with its split strategy, offering the newer Exynos 2600 in Europe and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in North America. But the previous iterations were already plenty good enough, and I doubt the minor performance and power efficiency improvements will make a big difference.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Literally the only other hardware upgrades of note are that it’s now slightly thinner (0.6mm less when folded) and lighter (8g down). Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference, and I doubt you’ll be able to either.
It says a lot that the Z Flip 8 misses out on the titanium hinge that I enjoyed so much on the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra.
The affordable dream is over
I’d be less critical of the Galaxy Z Flip 8’s weird approach to upgrades if it was genuinely affordable. But it isn’t.
With two other foldables to maintain, Samsung could easily call it quits now
With a new starting price of £1,149/$1,199.99, it’s £100/$100 more expensive than last year’s Z Flip 7. Of course, global RAM shortages are partly to blame, but the Z Flip needed to pivot hard in the other direction to really make a splash.
Luke Baker
Aside from trade-ins, there aren’t even any good pre-order offers from the Samsung UK or Samsung US websites, where you can buy one now ahead of its 7 August release date.
At this price point, it’ll only attract phone enthusiasts who are willing to drop over a grand on a flawed phone. For everyone else, something in our best budget, mid-range or flagship phone guides will almost certainly suit them best.
Will the Galaxy Z Flip really be cancelled?
While far from confirmed, there’s a very real chance.
The now-deleted X post from fireuniverse wasn’t evidence enough on its own, as leakers get things wrong all the time.
@fireuniverse8 / X
But once Ice Universe, a well-established leaker known for their accurate Samsung news, got on board, everyone had to sit up and take notice.
Of course, the “likely” caveat in the post above means Ice Universe is covered if Samsung decides to release a Galaxy Z Flip 9, so there’s a very real chance that this will happen.
Indeed, Samsung indicated that the Z Flip 7 was the most popular iteration yet in the US in the weeks after it launched, so there’s clearly appetite for the form factor.
However, that device introduced the much-anticipated cover screen upgrade. I wouldn’t be surprised if the unambitious Z Flip 8 reverses that trend and sales fall as a result. With two other foldables to maintain, Samsung could easily call it quits now.
A 360-degree display won’t save it
Or, instead of cancelling it outright, could Samsung reinvent the Galaxy Z Flip with a completely new design?
Samsung should invest in the features people actually care about, rather than skirting around the edges or exploring wacky concepts
That’s what a new patent from the company (as discovered by FixyFlow) might be hinting at. It showcases a bold, flip-style phone that could fold a full 360 degrees.
Instead of one fold in the display, this patent envisages having two, with both able to fold fully inwards and fully outwards where the situation allows. At its full extension, it’d offer much more screen real estate than the 6.9-inch panel on the Z Flip 8.
FixyFlow
However, I highly doubt it’ll ever make it to market, let alone save the Z Flip line. The engineering challenges would be huge, especially in terms of durability, meaning it’d likely be ruinously expensive.
It’s also unclear what problem this solves. The Z Flip 8’s display is already too tall to be comfortably usable; this concept would only make things worse.
If it really wants the line to be a success, Samsung should invest in the features people actually care about, rather than skirting around the edges or exploring wacky concepts.
Topic: I tried the Galaxy Z Flip 8. It’s time to pull the plug (Read 780 times)
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May 08, 2025, 02:34:27 AM