GoKawiilIf not for the massive “Samsung” display hanging in the vast, minimalist lobby, it would have been hard to tell I was standing inside the headquarters of one of the world’s largest mobile brands.
Safety signs throughout the shimmering steel-and-glass building warned against using phones while walking or riding escalators. I had to reconcile the lack of glowing screens in people’s hands with the reality that I was at the heart of Samsung’s mobile research and development operations in Suwon, South Korea, roughly 20 miles from Seoul. Here, on a sweltering mid-June day, I’d be one of the first people outside the company to see its upcoming foldable phone lineup.
Standing outside Samsung’s research and development building at its global headquarters. Samsung
In a sleek wood-paneled room called the Mobile Studio, I got my hands on three unreleased devices, one of which stole the show. The Z Fold 8, which rumors leading up to its reveal dubbed the Fold 8 “Wide,” has a 4:3 aspect ratio and a palm-sized design. The emphasis on a wider rather than taller layout makes it feel fun and fresh, like a pocket-sized notebook a movie character might pull from their coat to jot down a clue.
The room at Samsung’s headquarters in Korea where we were the first people to learn about the Galaxy Z 8 series. Samsung
Meanwhile, the book-style Z Fold 8 Ultra is the modestly upgraded follow-up to the Z Fold 7 (with a noticeably less prominent crease). The clamshell Flip 8 similarly packs more subtle upgrades to last year’s phone.
But throughout the hour I spent holding and photographing the devices, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Z Fold 8’s bold, squarish redesign. It’s a first-ever move for Samsung, but one that may hint at the future of foldable phones.
You can turn the Z Fold 8 to optimize for the media you’re consuming. Turning it vertically is ideal for watching short-form video. Samsung
A fresh take on the Galaxy Z Fold
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