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Samsung is at the same time doing too much and too little to fend off Apple's upcoming iPhone Fold

Instead of exploring all kinds of new experiments, Samsung should focus on making the Galaxy Z Fold 8 as good as it can be.

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Dec 16, 2025, 6:50 AM

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This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

Will Apple take over the global foldable market shortly after joining it? Multiple research firms and industry pundits seem to think so, but I'm not convinced (yet), and I know Samsung will do everything in its power to stop the belated first iPhone Fold from eclipsing the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip families.

The problem is Samsung's product diversification efforts are not always the most inspired, with ill-advised handsets like the Galaxy S25 Edge ending up doing more harm than good for the company's standing in the mobile industry and something like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE making pretty much zero sense in the way its release and availability were handled.

Then there's the Galaxy Z TriFold, which is certainly an interesting experiment, but is also very obviously not going anywhere in terms of mass appeal and mainstream popularity for (at least) two simple reasons. Intriguingly, Samsung is expected to continue experimenting with different foldable designs, including one that seems to be generating quite a bit of early interest and enthusiasm.

Killing two birds with one stone... or at least trying to

Before getting too excited, the respondents in the below survey who've opted for a "wide Fold 8" over a conventional "Fold 7 successor" may want to remember the former is far from a confirmed product.

Which 2026 foldable would you consider buying?

Fold 7 successor. Wide Fold 8. iPhone Fold. Other.

But it is entirely possible that Samsung is planning to release (or at least thinking about releasing) two different book-style foldable devices in 2026, one of which would largely retain the appearance of this year's hugely popular Galaxy Z Fold 7, with the other taking after Google's original Pixel Fold and looking kind of similar to an iPad mini at first glance.

If that happens, the world's number one smartphone maker and number two tablet vendor could solve two problems in one fell swoop, keeping the first-ever foldable iPhone at bay while also chipping away at the popularity of one of the top-selling tablet families out there.

Seeing as how the Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a modern 10-inch tablet replacement of sorts, it clearly makes sense for Samsung to attempt to rival the more compact 8.3-inch iPad mini as well with a future (and futuristic) foldable product.

The Z TriFold is an eye-catching product with a lot of potential, but it also seems to distract Samsung from more important things. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

At the same time, however, I can't help but feel that this might not be the best moment for further experimentation. It's not that I'm not encouraging Samsung to be bold and think outside the box (because I definitely am), but if the iPhone Fold is indeed coming next year, the current global foldable market leader needs to show maturity and confidence above everything else.

As such, I believe it's far more important for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 to be the absolute best they can be at, well, everything than see a decidedly intriguing but perhaps not fully polished "Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide" (that's obviously not an official name) released in limited numbers and select regions at a hard-to-swallow price.

Could the iPad mini-style Z Fold open up the product portfolio to the masses?

Unfortunately, I don't think so, which is why I'd like to take a few seconds to plead (for the umpteenth time) for the launch of a Galaxy Z Fold Fan Edition. It's the right call, Samsung, that makes the most sense in today's foldable landscape, so why can't you sacrifice your profit margins a little to make sure that Apple doesn't overtake you as the world's top foldable vendor?

It's still early days, but this is how a next-gen Samsung foldable might look.

Of course, no one can guarantee that a Z Fold FE (or Z Fold 8 FE) will instantly become a huge box-office hit, but if it's priced competitively enough (say, at $1,200 or so), with good enough specs and... whatever design Samsung prefers, I strongly believe the sky would be the limit for its mainstream popularity.

I know I literally just bashed the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a couple of minutes ago, but that's only because Samsung... didn't know what to do with its first Fan Edition foldable, pricing it too darn high, making it too similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 6 (which wouldn't have been a big problem if the price was lower), and then effectively discontinuing the device just a few months after its commercial debut (that's right, look it up, the Z Flip 7 FE is out of stock in the US for quite some time now).

Would you buy a Galaxy Z Fold 8 FE or Z Flip 8 FE?

Yes, a Z Fold 8 FE sounds great I'd definitely consider a Z Flip 8 FE at the right price No, I think Samsung should focus more on the Z TriFold No, I think Samsung should focus more on a wide Fold

Despite this fiasco, I think both a Galaxy Z Flip 8 FE and Galaxy Z Fold 8 FE should happen next year alongside "regular" Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8 models, and if Samsung needs to slam the brakes on the development of the Galaxy Z TriFold and that mysterious wide-fold product to better focus on these four devices, I'm perfectly fine with that.

In fact, I believe that would be preferable to a release strategy with a bunch of experimental gadgets stealing the limelight away from the devices the masses actually want and can afford today.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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