Samsung just cleared a big US hurdle for its summer hardware. Fresh FCC (Federal Communications Commission) filings signed off the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, four Galaxy Watch 9 variants and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, some of the year's most-tracked foldables. The catch is what got left out, and with a foldable iPhone circling, that gap is the real story.
The FCC just waved through most of Samsung's summer lineup
Dummy units of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the wide Fold 8 and the Flip 8, closed and opened up. | Images by Sonny Dickson
The filings cover the Galaxy Z Flip 8 (SM-F776U) and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (SM-F976U), the foldable replacing last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7. That is Samsung's entire premium foldable plan for the season.
Four Galaxy Watch 9 entries also turned up, the 40 mm SM-L340 and SM-L345 and the 44 mm SM-L350 and SM-L355, split across Wi-Fi and cellular. A cellular Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (SM-L715) closes the list.
The "U" on every model number points at the US, and the entries are public on the FCC's database. Hardware tends to reach the FCC only once it is locked for production, so the rumored July Unpacked in London looks on track.
Where do you stand on the wider foldable trend?
Keep the tall Fold, the wide one ruins one-handed use
34.48%
The wide screen is the upgrade, more room to work
27.59%
A normal slab screen already does everything I need
34.48%
Waiting to see what Apple's foldable does first
3.45%
29 Votes
Why the two no-shows matter more than the clearances
Here is what got skipped: there is still no filing for the SM-F971U, the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8, or for the SM-L510 and SM-L515 Galaxy Watch 9 Classic. Those could still appear in the coming days, but their absence raises a real question about US timing for both.
Foldable fans are not mourning the wide model either. When a candid image of the wider body hit r/Android, the top reply was a blunt "wake me up when we get 16:9 again."
A real-world glimpse of the wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 body, and the r/Android crowd is not impressed. | Image by Federal-Block-3275 via Reddit
Over on r/GalaxyFold, one user called the wide Fold 8 an illusion. By their math its full-screen video area (154.4 by 86.9 mm) barely beats the Fold 7's (150.9 by 84.9 mm), while the rumored iPhone Fold would stretch to 158.5 by 89.2 mm.
One r/GalaxyFold breakdown arguing the wide Fold 8 screen gains are mostly an illusion. | Image by bishaarcc via Reddit
If you are waiting on a foldable iPhone or already carry a Pixel Fold, none of this shifts your plans today. The only thing in play is whether Samsung's boldest shape reaches US buyers on day one.
What this changes if you are set on a wide Fold
The people most affected are US buyers eyeing the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 or a Watch 9 Classic. For everyone else, the Fold 8 Ultra, Flip 8, Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 already have their US paperwork sorted.
We got an early look at dummy units of these foldables in spring, and the wide model was clearly finished hardware. The only open question is timing, and if it slips, expect it to trail the headliners rather than disappear.
I have watched this US rollout play out before
I carry a Pixel 10 Pro Fold daily, so I am not shopping for a Samsung foldable, but I track how Samsung handles its US launches closely. The company likes to certify its mainline foldables early and let the experimental ones catch up, and this batch fits that habit almost too well.
My read is the wide Fold 8 still reaches the US, just behind the Fold 8 Ultra. For a phone meant to answer the foldable iPhone, sitting out the first FCC wave is a strange opening move.
And if pre-launch detail is your thing, follow me at @jojothetechie on X and Threads for hot takes and behind-the-scenes coverage.
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Johanna Romero is a Senior News Writer at PhoneArena, covering mobile technology news across Android, iOS, wearables, and the Google ecosystem she knows best. Drawing on 15 years in IT and tech support from 2007 to 2022, she brings a user-friendly eye for the practical features and lesser-known tricks readers care about. Google named her an official #TeamPixel member in 2022, and she also reviews the latest devices on her YouTube channel, JoJo the Techie.
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