Apple managed to scare the living daylights out of Samsung: the foldable dirty war has started!

A phone's most important feature is neither hardware nor software these days: it's the price. It's not that we've suddenly become all materialistic and cash-obsessed; simply put, it's difficult to ignore the jaw-dropping price hikes for components (and everything else).

The iPhone 18 Pro might cost $1,399 (and I'm not even mad) upon its arrival in September, the Galaxy S26 already landed with a $100 higher price tag, the Pixel 11 might or might not keep its price (but don't hold your breath).

Foldables are also getting pricier, but one particular model of Samsung's caught my attention for being… well, not "cheap" by any stretch of the imagination, but more like "affordable".

Might Apple be the reason for that?!

Prices and price hikes

Per the latest report, these will be the prices of Samsung's flagship foldables for 2026:

• Galaxy Z Flip 8 – $1,200
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra – $2,100 (Samsung's priciest mainstream phone yet)
• Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide – $1,800

Quick clarification for those who are not keeping up with Samsung's moniker shenanigans: the Z Fold 8 Ultra will be the "traditional", square-like foldable, the direct successor to the excellent Galaxy Z Fold 7. The "Ultra" is most likely inspired by Apple and its first-ever foldable iPhone, a.k.a. the iPhone Ultra, which we're all waiting for in September.

So, the Z Flip 8 is rumored to arrive with a $100 higher price tag, as the Z Fold 8 Ultra, since their predecessors' prices were $1,099 and $1,999, respectively.

The Z Fold 8 Wide is the newcomer to the family. Wider than taller (as the name suggests), this one is created with the sole purpose of going toe to toe with Apple's iPhone Ultra, which will also be adopting the wider-than-taller aspect ratio.

Fun fact of the day: if you're wondering whether Apple or Samsung came up first with the idea of a wider foldable, check out Huawei's Pura X Max.

Is Samsung underbidding?

It looks like it. The alleged iPhone Ultra will be "well over" $2,000 once it materializes, current rumors say. I don't need a crystal ball to tell you this much as well: if the iPhone 18 Pro is getting up in cost (and Tim Cook has said so), it's only logical that Apple's novel (and first-ever) foldable won't be priced close to the slab 18 Pro models.

If the iPhone Ultra costs $2,200 – and the Samsung-related rumor holds true – this would mean that Samsung will offer the same wider-than-taller experience for $400 less. Now, I know that inflation is crazy and $400 is not what it used to be, but, still, that's a nice sum of money to save.

Why is Samsung doing this?

If these rumored prices turn out to be accurate, Samsung might be making a surprisingly smart move. An $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide is hardly cheap, but in a world where Apple's first foldable could reportedly cost well above $2,000, a $400 difference suddenly becomes meaningful.

Samsung could be deliberately pricing the Z Fold 8 Wide aggressively to tempt people who are curious about Apple's foldable but not eager to spend over two grand. Breaking out of Apple's ecosystem is no longer the impossible task it once seemed and a lower price could be enough to sway some buyers.

Another possibility is that Samsung is being cautious with a completely new form factor and doesn't want to risk overpricing a device that has yet to prove itself.

But Samsung shouldn't be afraid. The company has been making foldables for years and has already gone through multiple generations of experimentation, learning what works and what doesn't. Unlike Apple, which is entering the category for the first time, Samsung has real-world experience and a mature ecosystem built around foldable devices.

The Galaxy S25 Edge reportedly struggled to find an audience, but foldables are a different story. Samsung has already established itself as the biggest name in the segment. If the Z Fold 8 Wide delivers a polished experience at $1,800, Samsung will rejoice.

What will these two foldables be like?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide leaks point to a 7.6-inch main inner display featuring a 4:3 passport-like aspect ratio, paired with a wider 5.4-inch cover screen that makes the outer interface much more practical for daily typing.

Under the hood, the device is expected to pack Qualcomm’s powerful, custom-tuned Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, supported by either 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM and storage configurations up to 1 TB. To balance its incredibly slim 4.3 mm unfolded profile, the phone will reportedly feature a dual-camera system (50 MP main sensor and a 50 MP ultrawide) intentionally omitting a telephoto lens to prioritize a lightweight design of around 200 grams.

Additionally, rumors indicate a substantial 4,800mAh battery that supports 45W fast wired charging.

The Apple iPhone Ultra is expected to introduce a premium, book-style form factor that acts as a hybrid between an iPhone and an iPad mini. Leaks from the supply chain suggest the premium device will unfold to reveal a ~7.8-inch inner display with a tablet-like 4:3 aspect ratio, paired with a ~5.4-inch external cover display.

Apple is allegedly utilizing an advanced, over-engineered titanium alloy hinge and a specialized optical adhesive to achieve a nearly creaseless flexible OLED screen that measures a razor-thin 4.5 mm when opened.

Performance will likely be driven by Apple's next-generation A20 Pro chip, 12 GB of RAM and a proprietary C2 modem, making it fully optimized for heavy AI workloads and desktop-class multitasking. Interestingly, to maintain its ultra-slim chassis, Apple will reportedly replace its TrueDepth Face ID system with a Touch ID sensor embedded into the side power button.

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