For a brand that’s stuck to safer updates for most of its annual updates, Samsung’s odd new passport-shaped foldable was a surprisingly risky move–and it seems like that gamble is paying off. Early demand suggests the company may have underestimated just how many buyers wanted something different.
According to a BusinessPost report, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is selling at roughly three times the pace of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 during the comparable early sales period. Demand has reportedly caught Samsung off guard, leaving the company working to increase production and get more units into stores.
Samsung hasn’t shared exact sales figures for each model, so the threefold comparison should still be treated as an early report. Other signs point in the same direction, however. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 reportedly sold out through Samsung’s online store and several carriers in some markets, pushing estimated deliveries into the second week of August.
Samsung saw this coming, but was still caught off guard
Samsung had already made a sizeable bet on its new design before launch. A Korean supply-chain report placed planned Galaxy Z Fold 8 production at 2.8 million units, compared with 2 million Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra units. The company had previously raised its early production forecast for the wide model by around 200,000 to 300,000 units. But even this larger allocation seems to have fallen short.
The wider foldable has also reportedly beaten the Fold 8 Ultra during preorders despite Samsung producing 40% more units of the cheaper model. The Ultra remained easier to find while several Fold 8 configurations disappeared from online and carrier inventories.
Broader preorder numbers provide another encouraging sign. Samsung’s three new foldables collected more than 271,000 preorders in India within 72 hours. Last year’s Fold 7 and Flip 7 required 15 days to reach a similar combined total. Those figures cover the entire lineup rather than isolating the Fold 8, though they show demand accelerating across Samsung’s foldable business.
Samsung’s odd new shape may be exactly what buyers wanted
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 abandons the tall proportions of the Fold 7 for a 5.5-inch 10:16 cover screen and a 7.6-inch 4:3 inner display. It weighs 201 grams and starts at $1,899.99, placing it $200 below the Fold 8 Ultra. However, it comes with its own set of compromises.
Samsung’s wide foldable has a smaller battery (compared to the Ultra) and also falls behind in camera versatility. Replacing the Z Fold 7’s 200MP triple camera module with two 50MP shooters on the back, dropping the telephoto lens entirely. Although the Fold 8 Ultra is technically the direct successor to the Fold 7, making the reported sales comparison slightly unconventional.