Out of all of Samsung’s bookstyle foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is the company’s most popular folding phone to date. And how could it not be? As its name suggests, it is a culmination of eight painstaking generations and development and growth that allowed it to evolve from an experimental first step to a premium device that all the brands are racing to develop.
Humble Origins
It all started with the Galaxy Fold, which debuted back in 2019. It was the first commercially available bookstyle foldable that featured a 4.6-inch cover screen and a 7.3-inch internal display that boasted some impressive functionality.
Though the phone was certainly innovative for its time, its breakthrough came with a cost. While the internal screen was flexible, it was still fragile; there have been several infamous reports of the device breaking at the hands of testers, which resulted in a recall. Because of its unique shape, it faced an unexpected problem, which was dust getting into the nooks and crannies of the device, which ultimately ruined its longevity. These were painful lessons for Samsung, lessons that the company won’t ever forget, especially when it came to developing its successor.
A year later, the company developed the sequel called Galaxy Z Fold2, which, as the name suggests, introduced the “Z” series of smartphones to the company’s lineup of products. This model will go on to address the problems of its predecessor by introducing more innovations like the Hideaway Hinge, which was an array of sweeper bristles to keep dust out.
The phone received major redesigns as well, as it was the first phone to feature a hole-punch camera and the much-beloved Flex Mode hinge. It’s worth noting that Samsung also introduced its first clamshell foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip, that same year.
Levelling Up Your Productivity
Samsung took the durability and productivity of its foldables more seriously with the introduction of the Galaxy Z Fold3 in 2021. The model was a significant milestone for the series, as it was the first foldable smartphone to come with an IPX8 water-resistance rating. It also brought several durability improvements, including an Armor Aluminum frame and hinge, a tougher protective film for the main display, and an enhanced hinge design.
On the productivity front, the Z Fold3 was also the first foldable smartphone to support Samsung’s S Pen, allowing users to take notes, sketch, and interact with the larger 7.6-inch main display using a stylus. It also introduced an under-display camera, giving the screen a more uninterrupted look without a visible camera cutout. Together, these upgrades made the Z Fold3 a more practical option for users looking to get more work done on a foldable phone.
Samsung continued to refine the formula with the introduction of the Galaxy Z Fold4 in 2022. The model featured a new linear hinge mechanism that helped make the phone lighter and less bulky than its predecessor. It was also the first foldable to ship with Android 12L, a version of Android designed specifically for large-screen devices.
This introduced a PC-like Taskbar, making it easier to switch between apps and multitask on the larger display. The Z Fold4 also received a significant camera upgrade, becoming the first device in the Galaxy Z Fold family to feature a 50MP main camera.
Closing The Gap While Getting An AI Boost
The next phone in the series was the Galaxy Z Fold5, which finally addressed one of the longstanding issues with Samsung’s foldables: the gap between the two halves when folded. It introduced the new Flex Hinge, featuring a dual-rail mechanism that allowed the display to fold in a waterdrop-like shape, letting the phone close almost completely flat. Despite the new hinge, Samsung also managed to make the Fold5 thinner and lighter, setting the stage for further improvements in the generations that followed.
However, the foldable we know today would only start to take its familiar shape with the Galaxy Z Fold6. It introduced a boxier yet more ergonomic design, giving it a look that was closer to a traditional smartphone. It also brought an upgrade in durability, becoming the first foldable to feature an IP48 rating. The phone would prove to be an indispensable productivity device as well because it is the first device to feature Galaxy AI, bringing features such as Circle to Search, Note Assist, and real-time translation to Samsung’s foldable lineup.
Slim Is In
Now, we have the Galaxy Z Fold7, which pushed the design of Samsung’s foldables further than ever before. It was the thinnest Galaxy Z Fold at the time, measuring just 8.9mm when folded. Despite its slimmer profile, it also became the first device in the family to feature a 200MP main camera, bringing flagship-level imaging capabilities to Samsung’s foldable lineup.
Improving Upon Perfection
We’ve finally arrived at the current generation, the Galaxy Z Fold8 series. For the first time, Samsung split its traditional Fold lineup into two models: the familiar flagship Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the new passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold8. While the two may not look dramatically different from the previous generation at first glance, Samsung introduced its new Flex Titanium display structure, which helps make the foldable thinner while improving durability and reducing the visibility of the crease. Even with that change, it still has an amazing camera array to back it up.
While we may be familiar with the standard foldable form factor, the Galaxy Z Fold8 takes a different approach with its redesigned dimensions. So, what exactly does Samsung’s latest foldable bring to the table? Well, for starters, because it has a 4:3 aspect ratio when unfolded, it creates a unique viewing experience that isn’t obstructed by large black bars. Flip the device by 90 degrees, and you have the perfect device for reading stories and web browsing.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 is also well suited for multitasking. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, it can handle demanding games while running up to three apps simultaneously, making full use of its large display.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 can also be a handy tool for getting through your workload, especially with Gemini’s Notebook features. For example, users can turn lengthy documents into a slide deck or infographic, making it easier to digest large amounts of information without having to manually sort through everything. There’s also Audio Overview, which can transform your documents into an AI-generated podcast that you can listen to while on the go. With the Z Fold8’s large display and multitasking capabilities, these features make it easier to read, organise, and work with your documents wherever you are.
While seeing a device with a folding inner screen may seem like everyday now, let us not forget that the main idea of a device has only been with us for less than a decade. Yet, in that small timeframe, we’ve seen the device category transform into a lineup mainstay, and we have Samsung to thank for that.
Even with all of these changes, this is still the beginning of something phenomenal. For those who are interested in being part of the foldable revolution, then you’re in luck, as Samsung is offering an exclusive promo! Customers who purchase the device from 14 August to 4 October can receive discounts of up to RM1,909.90 for a total of RM5,399. If you’re interested, head on over to Samsung’s official website and get the Galaxy Z Fold8 today!
This article is brought to you by Samsung.
