Samsung Reveals Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Glasses in London

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Glasses at its London Unpacked event, confirming prices for its new foldable phone range and setting out an August release window for the two new Fold models.

The event took place on Wednesday 22 July, beginning at 2pm BST, and marked Samsung’s first major UK announcement in 14 years, following the launch of the Galaxy S3. TM Roh, President and CEO of Samsung’s Device Experience division, took to the stage and said Samsung’s AI would be present in more than 800 million devices by the end of 2026.

As previously reported, Samsung was expected to divide its book-style foldable family into a traditional high-end Ultra handset and a newly reshaped standard Fold. That change is now official: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra continues the tall-form Fold design, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopts a shorter, wider cover screen.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is Samsung’s new flagship Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the first Ultra-branded model in the Galaxy Z series and starts at £1,899 for the 256GB version in the UK. Samsung positions it as the productivity-focused option, pairing a large folding display with AI-powered multitasking.

It has a 6.5-inch cover display with a 2,520 x 1,080 resolution, plus an 8-inch internal folding screen at 2,504 x 2,256. Both are Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Power comes from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, while the top configuration offers 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM.

The camera system consists of a 200MP main camera with optical image stabilisation and an F1.7 aperture, a 50MP ultrawide camera with an F1.9 aperture, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and OIS. There are also two 10MP front-facing cameras. The 50MP ultrawide is a notable step up from the 12MP ultrawide used on last year’s Fold 7.

Samsung has fitted a 5,000mAh battery, rated for up to 27 hours of video playback. That is a substantial increase on the 4,400mAh battery in the Fold 7. The company also calls it its thinnest Galaxy Fold yet, using Flex Titanium in its construction; reports put its unfolded thickness at 4.1mm.

The Fold 8 Ultra runs Android 17 with One UI 9, has an IP48 dust and water-resistance rating, and is promised up to seven major operating-system upgrades.

A wider, lighter standard Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at £1,699 for 256GB, making it £100 cheaper than the Fold 7 was at launch. Its key change is its shape. Rather than following the tall, narrow outer-screen approach closely associated with earlier Galaxy Folds, it uses a 5.5-inch cover screen intended for quick scrolling and social media, alongside a 7.6-inch main display for longer reading and viewing sessions.

Both are Dynamic AMOLED 2X screens with refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Reports list a 2,448 x 1,848 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio for the main display, while the cover display is listed at 1,248 x 1,972.

Samsung says the phone weighs 201g, making it the lightest Galaxy Fold to date. It has a 4,800mAh battery, rated for 26 hours of video playback, and a dual 50MP wide and ultrawide camera system.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 was also announced, starting at £1,149. That is £100 more than the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s launch price. Samsung has not confirmed a full specification sheet for the Flip 8 in the available event information, although its camera hardware includes a 50MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide.

Galaxy Glasses enter the AI eyewear race

Samsung also used the London event to introduce Galaxy Glasses, developed with fashion eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Unlike a headset or display-equipped mixed-reality device, the Galaxy Glasses do not include a display. Instead, they use audio, a built-in camera and Google Gemini as their primary AI engine.

The glasses pair exclusively with Samsung Galaxy smartphones and use the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platform. Samsung says the core functions include real-time translation, live navigation, message summaries and the ability to capture visual information, such as a whiteboard or meeting, and send it into Samsung Notes. Interaction is through voice controls or touch controls on the temples.

Samsung promises up to nine hours of battery life, plus up to seven refills from the charging case. Reports indicate a 12MP Sony IMX681 camera, directional speakers and a weight of roughly 50g. Pricing has not been confirmed, and availability will be limited to select markets. Pre-announcement reports suggested wider availability would coincide with new Warby Parker and Gentle Monster collections in autumn 2026.

When UK buyers can get them

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra opened on 22 July. Samsung says both phones will be released on 7 August, while its UK product page lists delivery from 3 August.

For ordinary buyers, the most meaningful news is not simply another annual Fold refresh. Samsung is offering two visibly different takes on a large-screen foldable: the Ultra for buyers who want the biggest screen, higher-end camera system and larger battery, and the standard Fold for those who may prefer a more conventional, wider phone shape. With Apple expected to enter the foldable market in 2026, Samsung’s London launch is also a clear attempt to reinforce its lead before the category becomes more crowded.