We're talking specifically about the company's first-of-a-kind wide book-style foldable powerhouse, which is no longer expected to be called Z Fold 8 Wide, Z Wide Fold, or anything like that, instead taking on Apple's hugely anticipated iPhone Ultra with a simpler (yet somehow more confusing) name and an... interesting new shape.
Said shape is unsurprisingly the focus of Samsung's Instagram campaign, but despite its undeniable cleverness, this doesn't seem to be doing a particularly good job of raising buzz anywhere near the levels of the still-distant first foldable iPhone. And it's not just these ads that are failing...
Has Samsung cut down on its marketing expenses?
I obviously don't and can't know the answer to that question, as a tech giant of Samsung's stature never goes into such public detail (especially broken down by each new product and product family), but I'm sure you wouldn't blame the company if a reduction of ad expenditure was indeed decided as a way of weathering the industry-wide memory cost storm.
That would explain why we haven't seen many memorable Galaxy S26 series commercials or publicity stunts these last few months (apart from an admittedly high-profile "Devil Wears Prada 2" tie-in), and although I don't personally mind the simplicity of the first Galaxy Z Fold 8 buzz-building effort, it could justify (at least in part) the rather modest engagement numbers so far generated by the six short clips posted on Samsung's Instagram over the last 48 hours.
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I think my biggest gripe is not with this campaign itself, but rather the lack of any other attempt from the world's number two smartphone vendor to boost your excitement for the Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8. I know, I know, their announcement is likely still a few weeks away, but you know what Samsung was doing more than a month ahead of last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 launch? Misleading us into expecting a surprise Z Fold 7 Ultra model.
Are you excited for any of Samsung's impending foldables?
That was, of course, not cool, but it also earned the "normal" eventual Z Fold 7a lot of (cheap) attention the Z Fold 8 Ultra (which is almost definitely happening this year) desperately needs as well.
Where are all the exciting leaks?
I know this is a controversial opinion, but I think product leaks are generally more beneficial for a company like Samsung than they are detrimental to the appeal of an unreleased device. And no, I'm not just saying that because the hard and often thankless work of titans like Evan Blass (aka @evleaks), Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @onleaks), and Roland Quandt (aka... Roland Quandt) has indirectly helped pay many bills, football tickets, and date nights for yours truly over the years.
But with Blass (more or less) permanently retired from this "business", Steve H. suggesting a similar fate ("maybe") for his prolific Back to the Future-inspired account, and someone like Jon Prosser having more important things to worry about than Galaxy Z Fold 8 or iPhone Ultra leaks (at least in theory), the rumblings of the rumor mill have been unusually subdued regarding Samsung's next-gen foldables these last couple of months or so.
This is still our best look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (formerly known as the Z Fold 8 Wide). | Image by AndroidHeadlines
Technically, we do know how the Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 are supposed to look, but the (unofficially) official product images and videos haven't come out... yet. Obviously, there's still plenty of time for the three devices to go through the usual motions before being formally unveiled later this month, but is there still enough time for Samsung to build a similar level of hype around these products as what last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 generated ahead of their launch? I really don't think so, although I'd love to be proven wrong.
By the way, it's definitely worth pointing out that Samsung waged an open and pretty violent war against leakers over the last few years, so if you agree with me that leaks can be good for building buzz around an unreleased product, we can probably also agree that the company brought this Galaxy Z Fold 8 silence on itself.
The foldable landscape is headed for a radical change
...and it's unclear if Samsung is adequately equipped to handle this imminent change. I'm obviously talking (for the third time already in this single post) about the iPhone Ultra, which is widely expected to propel Apple to the top spot in global foldable sales almost instantly.
Samsung's preemptive strike is, of course, the new shape of the "regular" Galaxy Z Fold 8, but by omitting (at least for the time being) the higher-end Z Fold 8 Ultra from its marketing efforts and by reportedly holding little to no confidence in the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the company sounds like it could repeat its massive Galaxy S25 Edge strategic mistake from last year.
The iPhone Ultra is the main reason why Samsung is fumbling the Galaxy Z Fold 8 marketing campaign (at least for the time being). | Image by fpt on YouTube
I'm not saying the Z Fold 8 will be a Galaxy S25 Edge-level flop, but I strongly believe Samsung should continue to do its thing first of all and try its best to turn the Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8 into global hits instead of assuming everyone will suddenly want a wide book-style foldable this fall.
Even if that was true, Samsung's best bet to keep the iPhone Ultra at bay is probably to be different and unique (and advertise the heck out of its uniqueness and originality) rather than (preemptively) copying what everyone expects to be the cool new kid on the foldable block. After all, the iPhone Air flopped pretty miserably as well...
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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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