Samsung ends benchmark controversy for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series
Samsung gives a legitimate explanation why it won't allow benchmark apps to be installed on its new foldable phones.
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Samsung explains Galaxy Z Fold, Flip 8 series benchmark apps controversy | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung has resolved an issue with its three new foldable phones that prevented preview units received by the media and influencers from installing benchmark apps. The three devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8, would not allow benchmark apps to be installed via the Google Play Store, nor sideloaded from third-party app stores.
Samsung was accused of pumping up benchmark app scores 13 years ago
Apps such as AnTuTu, Geekbench, and 3D Mark deliver objective scores that can be used to compare the performance of different smartphones. For example, AnTuTu will calculate an overall score for each handset, while Geekbench focuses on how a device's processor stands up to the chip used on a different phone. 3D Mark will measure the gaming performance of different smartphone models.
Over the years, we have seen some phone manufacturers game the system by hiking a phone's performance when a benchmark app was running on a particular device. For example, in 2013, Samsung was forced to deny that it cheated on Geekbench tests measuring the performance of the CPU and GPU on the Galaxy Note 3.
On the other hand, the company's statement at the time said, "The Galaxy Note 3 maximizes its CPU/GPU frequencies when running features that demand substantial performance. This was not an attempt to exaggerate particular benchmarking results." In other words, Samsung was saying that since these tests demand the highest possible performance from the processors, Samsung hiked their clock speeds accordingly whenever the device detected the use of a benchmark app like Geekbench.
The manufacturer has a legitimate reason for preventing benchmark apps from installing on its new foldable phones
Leaker Ice Universe might have come up with the most valid reason why review units of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8 foldables will not install benchmark apps. These units are currently running June engineering firmware and are not loaded with the final build that retail purchasers will have loaded on their devices when they arrive at buyers' homes.
If you pre-ordered one of the 2026 Galaxy Z models, you will be able to install these apps as soon as they arrive
This theory was later confirmed by a Samsung spokesman who said that the company knows about the issue and is going to address it. He said that the units not allowing apps like Geekbench and 3D Mark to load are indeed review units and are not running final software.
Screenshot of the Geekbench for Android app on a Pixel 6 Pro. | Image by PhoneArena
Not many of you install benchmark apps on a new phone as soon as it arrives. But if you're worried about not being able to download Geekbench on your new Galaxy foldable, don't fret. By the time you do receive your new Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Flip 8 model, you should have the final software installed, allowing you to go to the Play Store and downloading whichever benchmarking apps you want on your 2026 Galaxy foldable.
When you do receive the aforementioned Galaxy Z devices, you can add the benchmarkng apps by tapping the appropriate link. I've added iOS links for those iPhone users who would love to install these on their phones:
Back about 10-13 years ago, we used to hear more about benchmark tests, and my opinion is that they do have a place in the industry. Manufacturers can get an objective look at what might happen to a phone if they change the processor or take away some RAM. For consumers, benchmark tests allow them to have the same fun arguments that you used to have as a kid.
Remember when you used to argue that Reggie Jackson was the most clutch hitter in baseball and someone else would counter with Steve Garvey? Those arguments used statistics to make them legitimate. With Geekbench, you can argue with your friends who are also phone nerds, about which phone has the better processor between the iPhone 17 Pro Max (powered by the Apple A19 Pro) or the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy under the hood).
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