Samsung Reportedly Planning Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for 2026

Samsung is reportedly preparing to introduce an Ultra model in its foldable smartphone lineup, a move that would mark the most significant branding shift for the Galaxy Z Fold series in years. The company is expected to launch two distinct foldable devices in 2026: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, with a July 22 Unpacked event in London seen as the likely debut date.

Under the rumored naming scheme, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra would serve as the direct successor to 2025's Galaxy Z Fold 7, inheriting the premium positioning and foldable design familiar from previous generations. The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, meanwhile, would adopt the wider, shorter form factor that had been circulating in leaks under the informal "Wide" codename. This wider design is expected to make the phone look more like a conventional device when closed, but it will reportedly come with a tradeoff: the loss of one rear camera, a decision similar to the approach taken with the Galaxy S25 Edge.

The application of the Ultra label to a foldable has already drawn scrutiny. Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra smartphones have set a high bar, featuring a built-in S Pen, a privacy-focused display, a...