Copyright Digital Trends
What’s happened? Samsung’s next Z Fold is shaping up as a refinement year with upgrades you notice right away. Early reporting and Samsung’s own claims point to a cleaner screen, longer run time, and pen-friendly hardware. According to Dealsite, Samsung is targeting a larger battery pack that clears 5,000mAh, up from 4,400 mAh in the Z Fold 7, for heavier multitasking and travel days. The report also points to a laser-drilled metal plate in the hinge and backplate, to tame the crease and keep the screen looking more uniform when open. S Pen support is expected to return, bringing back quick notes, markups, and sketching without workarounds. Back in August Samsung introduced its MONT FLEX branding and highlighted slimmer, lighter foldable OLEDs tested to 500,000 folds. Whether those exact panels will power the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is unconfirmed, but the timing is suspect. This is important because: This generation is about year-seven polish and everyday reliability. The pieces add up to a device that behaves like a regular phone or tablet when you need it to, with extra room on demand. Samsung says foldable OLEDs are in their seventh year of mass production, with firsts like UTG and a shock-resistant structure, and panels tested to 500,000 folds. That foundation sets a high quality bar. A 5,000 mAh-plus battery shifts the question from can it last to how hard can I push it. A flatter, more uniform screen should make reading, gaming, and pen work feel natural, so the larger canvas becomes a bonus, not a compromise. Recommended Videos Why should I care? Rivals are only just entering the foldable race while Samsung is deep into refinement. If you want a daily driver, the value is in polish you feel day to day. Dealsite reports Apple’s iPhone Fold is pegged for 2026 at the earliest, possibly 2027, compared to Samsung’s 2019 start. Samsung’s foldable share is at 9% in Q2 behind Huawei and Motorola, with a rebound expected in Q3. The best foldables out now are the result of a competitive market. The result? A larger battery pack, a cleaner panel, and expected S Pen support ride on years of iteration. Okay, so what’s next? The path to mainstream is simple to say, harder to execute.
