Giving up on the Galaxy Z Flip line would be Samsung's dumbest move... since the Galaxy Note's death
Although history suggests it's not entirely out of the question, I don't think Samsung's rumored retirement of the Galaxy Z Flip family makes sense.
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The Galaxy Z Flip family MUST live on. | Image by PhoneArena
It was only a couple of weeks ago that I tried to raise your excitement for the Galaxy Z Flip 8 to a similar level as mine, arguing that Samsung's next clamshell-type foldable might prove a lot more successful than anyone currently expects, and out of nowhere, a bombshell fell on my lap in a new report this week.
Apparently, the world's number two smartphone vendor has so little faith in the Z Flip 8 that its sequel's "product planning" has yet to start, which could signal no such sequel is actually in the pipeline and the Galaxy Z Flip family as we know it is on its last legs.
Wait, what?!
I know, I'm as shocked as you are (probably more so, because I consider flip phones far more practical and attractive than book-style foldable devices), but at the same time, I'm skeptical this wild (and premature) rumor will actually come true (at any point over the next few years).
The Z Flip 8 is definitely happening, but there are apparently no guarantees beyond that. | Image by MyMobiles
Obviously, no one can know how the smartphone market will look in 2029 or 2031 (or even if we'll still have a conventional smartphone market anymore), but right now, I just can't imagine the Z Flip series and Z Flip-like products going away anytime soon.
Granted, I was also not expecting the Galaxy Note family to be killed off half a decade ago (oh, how time flies!), but while the Note 20 never received a follow-up precisely to give Samsung more room to manufacture and advertise the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip lineups, I don't think the Galaxy Wide Fold can instantly become such a huge hit that the Z Flip 9 will then need to be removed from its way.
Why can't we all just get along?
Even if we assume Apple's iPhone Ultra will completely transform the foldable segment the second it goes on sale (which I continue to be doubtful of), and everyone in the world will want to buy a wide book-style device all of a sudden, I don't see why Samsung couldn't extend its foldable portfolio to a yearly three-model release strategy and keep it that way for the foreseeable future.
No, I don't think the beginning of a Galaxy Z Fold Wide family has to automatically mean the end of the Z Flip line. | Image by AndroidHeadlines
Surely, we're talking about a company with enough manufacturing and financial strength to pull that off... as evidenced by the classic three-model Galaxy S upgrade cycle. Of course, you have to imagine it would be a lot trickier to produce, for instance, a Galaxy Z Fold 9, Z Flip 9, and Z Fold Wide 2 in millions of units each next year than the Galaxy S27, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra, but to me, that sounds like a worthwhile effort.
After all, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 may not have been quite as successful as the Z Fold 7, but it was also most definitely not a flop, helping keep Samsung at the top of the global foldable vendor chart at the end of 2025 and (narrowly) edge out Motorola in the US.
The arguments against the Galaxy Z Flip line are far too weak... for the time being
Look, I'm not saying that the Z Flip family will live forever, but to predict its 2027 death due to "increased costs" seems... illogical. Yes, production costs are going up... for all phones, including the far more expensive Galaxy Z Fold. If Samsung can keep the retail price of the Z Fold 8 at a reasonable level (all things considered), I don't understand why the same couldn't be true for the Z Flip 8... and Z Flip 9, and Z Flip 10.
This is the rumor that started it all (machine-translated from Chinese). | Image by Instant Digital on Weibo
The minimal "room for improvement in product design" is another correct argument on the surface... that also applies to so many other devices besides the Galaxy Z Flip 8 or Z Flip 9. Do you think the Galaxy S series has received many "design improvements" in recent years? I think not, and yet the S26 Ultra is massively popular around the world, catering to its core fanbase with a mix of greatest hits from the family's history and subtle refinements over the S25 Ultra in key departments like charging speeds and build quality.
Another reason why Samsung might be planning to retire the Z Flip soon is the lack of competition in the "flagship small folding phone" space, but if anything, I believe that's a very strong argument not to give up on high-end Android-powered clamshells.
Should Samsung retire the Galaxy Z Flip family?
Less competition means more sales for Samsung, and besides, something tells me Apple will reconsider its rumored decision to hold off on an "iPhone Flip" in the coming years if Galaxy Z Flips (and clamshell-style Motorola Razrs) continue to be (relatively) popular. And no, they don't (necessarily) need to be as popular as the iPhone Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold family to justify their existence.
The Galaxy Z Flip 9 could be epic... if Samsung wants it to be
Before I wrap up my plea to Samsung against the premature retirement of the Z Flip line, I'd like to circle back to one of the points above. Is there really "no room for improvement" over the Galaxy Z Flip 7?
Yes, I believe a Z Flip 9 could improve on the Z Flip 8 in a number of key areas, including the secondary screen and cameras. | Image by MyMobiles
I'm not sure I agree with that assessment, as I can see my ideal Z Flip 9 being bigger than its forerunners, with a more functional cover screen, larger battery, and significantly more advanced cameras. Are you honestly telling me you wouldn't buy that?
Or here's another idea: why not follow Motorola's example and make the Galaxy Z Flip 9 a sort of budget-friendly sequel to the Z Flip 7 FE (minus the FE branding)? Technically, that wouldn't constitute a "design improvement", but it could sell like hotcakes and prevent Samsung from making the kind of irreversible mistake that saw the Galaxy Note family discontinued well ahead of its time.
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