GoKawiil
Tech News
Samsung reports that combined US purchases of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra are running 30% ahead of last year's Z Fold 7, which itself was the most pre-ordered Fold model ever. The two Fold devices now make up about 80% of total Galaxy Z8 series purchases, with the Z Flip 8 accounting for the rest. Samsung also says roughly 30% of Flip 8 buyers switched from rival brands, most of them first-time foldable owners.
An Android Authority reviewer who tested every major US book-style foldable this year says Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, despite leading on specs like its Snapdragon chip and camera system, isn't the phone they'd actually choose to carry. Instead they'd pick Motorola's Razr Fold, with its 6,000mAh battery and large bright display, or Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold, even though both trail Samsung on raw performance.
IDC's August 2026 forecast predicts worldwide smartphone shipments will drop 16.7% this year, a steeper decline than the 13.9% estimate from May. The cause is a severe shortage of NAND and DRAM chips, with component costs up over 300% year-over-year as manufacturers redirect capacity to AI data centers. As a result, average smartphone selling prices have jumped 27.6% to $581, effectively pushing sub-$100 Android phones out of the market.