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Apple's Foldable iPhone Ultra Faces a Surging Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

jlc1978 said:
hat's the key. The Z8 fold looks like it is about$800 more than the iPhone Pro, so it will be interesting to see where the iPhone foldable lands on the price spectrum.



Apple rarely is first to market, they are very good, however, at seeing things in the market and coming up with an innovated twist on that. The iPhone, iPad, and iPod for example were not new ideas, just much better implementations of existing products.
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They are treading on thin ice the last few years though sadly. The vision pro was a great example of this. Yes they made a very nice one but it still felt like they failed to give it that special twist it needed to make VR as a product category take off in a premium and meaningful way. I fear the fold is more Android user gimmick lust than anything else and it won't move the needle much for Apple. I'm still sold on smart glasses being the next thing Apple will actually come in and make a much more improved and novel version of them to compete with Meta. This is not me saying the ultra/fold will not be a good phone etc. I'm sure it will be the best foldable ever in fact.
 
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To get an idea of what's going on...

On Amazon, the Z Fold 8 (iPhone Ultra size) is $1550, with the gift card, delivery sept-oct.
The Ultra version is $1750, with gift card, with tomorrow delivery.
So unless Amazon offers a gift card for the iPhone Ultra, it might cost $500+ more.

note: An Amazon gift card is essentially cash for many people.

I looked at a Zfold 8 and Ultra at Best Buy. They are fine. No issues. I couldn't say that about the previous models. There were compromises. Point is, these things need to be transparent tools, without some glaring oddity that bugs you. Of course if you look for a crease, you're gonna find a crease (moral for today)
 
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spartan1967 said:
The amount of crease visible on the Apple iPhone foldable compared to the Samsung will show you how far Apple needs to go to catch up. Something to consider in that 14 day return period unless you are an Apple diehard ecosystem citizen.
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basing this off of what??.....
 
1rottenapple said:
I was in best buy to check the fold 8, as preview of the iphone ultra. I must say I do like the square ish design. and Drankly if the iphone air ever shrinks and copy's the external display of the iphone ultra, I would love it. I like two finder typing on the devise, and I love the shorter length. I can imagine it would be really nice in my pocket. I would welcome that come on apple. Iphone Air 3 (redux).
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I checked it out this weekend as well, just out of sheer curiosity. I’m going to be honest it did feel like a really nice size in person. I was vehemently opposed to it because I felt like a ~5.5” external screen would be unusable for those of us used to the ProMax phones….. But surprisingly the size felt really nice to use. Not enough for me to buy a foldable, but I can definitely understand those who choose to get it. It’s a really cool, comfortable, and functional form factor.
 
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For those mentioning a foldable iPhone is not for them, that’s fine you don’t have to purchase it. However without getting in the foldable phone market, Apple is leaving money on the table to retain or attract present and future buyers.

There will be temptation for those holding out and over a phase in/out period the candy bar style phone may be seen as the budget style. One can only do so much onscreen multitasking in a candy bar form factor phone. If you needs are simple then candy bar style is for you.
 
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spartan1967 said:
The amount of crease visible on the Apple iPhone foldable compared to the Samsung will show you how far Apple needs to go to catch up. Something to consider in that 14 day return period unless you are an Apple diehard ecosystem citizen.
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I would bet it will be the same or less visible. Samsung's not even using what Apple has supposedly cooked up to hide the crease.
 
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I honestly don't think the first iPhone Ultra will be better than the Fold 8. But it's definitely going to take foldables out of the niche market.
 
acblue94 said:
Samsung would go never released a bookstore fold if there weren’t any rumors of Apple doing it. Samsung is so pathetic.
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Yes but Samsung released theirs first regardless of what Apple intends to do. When the iPhone Ultra is released next month, the mainstream public optics will look at it that Apple copied Samsung.
 
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One of my friends got the Fold8 and was coming from a 16PM. He only last a day or so because he said the cameras weren’t up to par. Lol. I told him to research beforehand but he wanted the new new. He enjoyed the form factor, though.
 
Spinarelo said:
I checked it out this weekend as well, just out of sheer curiosity. I’m going to be honest it did feel like a really nice size in person. I was vehemently opposed to it because I felt like a ~5.5” external screen would be unusable for those of us used to the ProMax phones….. But surprisingly the size felt really nice to use. Not enough for me to buy a foldable, but I can definitely understand those who choose to get it. It’s a really cool, comfortable, and functional form factor.
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yes I wouldn't buy a foldable but the 5.5 external screen is nice! I love it.
 
mattopotamus said:
basing this off of what??.....
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What an informed consumer should consider with the crease being the main focus since these foldables have come out. Also an informed consumer should also take into account the higher price Apple will probably charge for their foldable and include that in their consideration with that 14 day return period. Thank you for letting me clarify.
 
snipr125 said:
Yes but Samsung released theirs first regardless of what Apple intends to do. When the iPhone Ultra is released next month, the mainstream public optics will look at it that Apple copied Samsung.
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The truth is that samsung knew what apple was planning because samsung is reportedly supplying the screens for the upcoming iphone ultra. So they likely had detailed knowledge of apples plans and they basically timed their copycat release so that it looks like apple was second.
 
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Apples device is DOA if rumours are true in terms of sales, rumours stating it’ll ‘start’ from 2400… I think that’s about 600 plus more then the Galaxy device is priced at.
 
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StuBeck said:
In 2026, I think the amount of people who move between Android and iOS is fairly minimal. If you wanted a folding phone, I would have thougth you would go to Android a few years ago already. Is this really a big competition for Apple?
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I’m very curious if that is still adequate. Given the latest rumors the 18 pro/max new EU prices will scratch Android foldable territory. The 18 pro Max will cost almost as much as the fold 8. Based on past experience, the iPhone Ultra will easily exceed 2,000 euros.
 
snipr125 said:
Yes but Samsung released theirs first regardless of what Apple intends to do. When the iPhone Ultra is released next month, the mainstream public optics will look at it that Apple copied Samsung.
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The mainstream public doesn't care. That's the domain of tech forum pundits who need to take a swing at Apple every day (a relatively tiny percentage of the potential market).
 
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spartan1967 said:
What an informed consumer should consider with the crease being the main focus since these foldables have come out. Also an informed consumer should also take into account the higher price Apple will probably charge for their foldable and include that in their consideration with that 14 day return period. Thank you for letting me clarify.
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Based on my experience, Apple typically waits before entering a market. I actually expect it to be the most refined foldable on the market, even for a 1st gen product. They either invent the market or enter once they have it perfected.

For all of the visions shortcomings, hardware and quality was not one of them. Software should be the bigger concern for early adopters. The hardware I expect to be on par or better than what we have seen thus far from other Samsungs latest offerings.
 
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i have been waiting for an apple foldable for years and this Fold 8 has me so tempted to switch, i really dont like the non-symmetrical form factor in the leaks so far but i will have to wait until i see it in person i think. i wont be making the decision to switch unless something delays it again in september.
 
Looking at Samsungs Z fold 8 pricing I wonder if Apple will offer 512GB, 1 TB and 2TB so they can justify selling their base at $2199, then 1TB at either $2399 or 2499 then 2TB at $2999 or 3099 as they always double the memory bumps. Plus they will want to skip 256GB given their costs to develop
 
cloudyo said:
The truth is that samsung knew what apple was planning because samsung is reportedly supplying the screens for the upcoming iphone ultra. So they likely had detailed knowledge of apples plans and they basically timed their copycat release so that it looks like apple was second.
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That's true. Samsung did the same thing when rumors of the air came about and boom, they came out with their ultra thin model that flopped, same as the air. Samsung is not coming out with their air 2 model, unlike apple.

The passport style really is a nice design. Microsoft came out with a dual screen device for those who remember. But the two screens were not one piece when spread out.
 
Apple is going to make a killing if the iPhone Ultra size and form are similar to the Fold 8. I was almost sold on it when I tried it out in the store (but would be too difficult to move over to Android).
 
bartszyszka said:
That's not a Galaxy Z Fold 8 in the photo of the story?

EDIT: I see it's a photo of the Ultra version. But the new iPhone will have the form factor of the regular "Z Fold 8." Which one is Samsung producing more of?
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That looks like a Z Fold 8 to me and I have one. The Z Fold 8 Ultra has same footprint as last year’s Z Fold 7. (i.e. taller and narrower(.
 
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