The 'Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra' has the potential to be a cruel joke

There are actual reasons to get excited about Samsung’s upcoming foldables but, the more I think about it, the more I’m realizing that there’s pretty strong potential for the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” to not just be disappointing, but a slightly cruel joke.

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I’m a Galaxy Z Fold 7 owner. I paid up for Samsung’s foldable last year because, genuinely, it’s a really good foldable. There are other excellent options out there now, like Motorola’s new Razr Fold that I just reviewed, yet I’m still on the Fold 7. As such, I am pretty excited about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, despite also being worried and confused about it.

As repeated leaks have shown, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is being split into two – a new wider form factor taking over the “Galaxy Z Fold 8” name, and a slightly upgraded version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that will be sold as the “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.” Aside from the simple fact that “Ultra” does not fit onto a Samsung foldable in literally any capacity, I’m pretty worried about the impact this might have.

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The “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” is set to debut as a device that is effectively an upgraded Galaxy Z Fold 7. The same design, the same form factor, the same cameras, and really just some improvements to the display crease and a long overdue battery capacity boost. Again, the “Ultra” moniker here borders on comically inaccurate, but that’s not my concern.

What I’m worried about is pricing. There’s almost no chance Samsung sells these two smartphones for the same price point if existing leaks are accurate. The branding heavily implies a situation where the Fold 8 would be around the same cost as Fold 7 – $1,999 or so – with the “Ultra” being more expensive. But with what we know about this “Ultra” device, there’s absolutely nothing that justifies a price hike – besides RAMaggedon, of course. Market conditions already threaten to jack up the price on Samsung’s next foldable, but unless Samsung is somehow able to turn this new wider device into a more budget-friendy option, I just don’t see how we end up with a lineup that makes any sense.

Releasing effectively a rehashed foldable as a more expensive “Ultra” while putting a brand new form factor into last year’s price tag would be incredibly frustrating.

Yet, that’s just where we are. Smartphone makers are backed into a corner right now, but Samsung has also placed itself in this position with this alleged branding. Hopefully, “Ultra” won’t see the light of day, and Samsung can put out two smartphones that just give consumers a choice of their priorities, without price being factored in.

What do you think?

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