Samsung updates foldables and debuts new format in Brazil, and prices go up to R$19,000

Now, the most advanced model in the category has been renamed the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, while the Galaxy Z Fold8 becomes a more compact format, with a new screen ratio and a proposal aimed at content consumption.

The new devices arrive in the country costing between R$9,199, in the case of the Flip8 (which folds vertically), and R$19,399, in the case of the more complete version of the Fold8 Ultra. Fold8 prices start at R$12,599 for the version with 256 GB of storage.

In the previous generation, prices ranged from R$6,699 to almost R$15,000.

The launch takes place amid soaring prices for chips and memories, which are putting pressure on the margins of electronics manufacturers around the world due to the boom in investments in artificial intelligence.

It also comes months away from Apple's expected entry into the foldables market, which according to analysts should boost the segment.

The main change of this generation from Samsung is the greater segmentation of the foldable family. The device that until the last generation occupied the Fold category alone now gives rise to two models.

The Fold8 Ultra takes the top-of-the-line position, following the same path as the standard Galaxy line, while the new Fold8 arrives with a format that Samsung compares to that of a passport or a small notebook. Flip8 continues to focus on content creation and portability.

The Fold8 Ultra arrives in Brazil equipped with a 6.5-inch external screen and 8-inch internal screen, 200 megapixel main camera, a new 50 MP ultrawide lens, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, from Qualcomm. The 5,000 mAh battery promises 27 hours of video playback.

At 4.1 millimeters thick when opened, it is the thinnest foldable ever launched by the Korean company, with a reduction of 0.1 millimeter compared to the Fold7. The device starts at R$14,599 in the 256 GB version and reaches R$19,399 in the 1 TB configuration.

The new Fold8 has a 5.5-inch external screen and the main 7.6-inch screen now uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, bringing the experience closer to that of a tablet. According to Samsung, the format improves the reading and video viewing experience.

The smartphone is 4.5 millimeters thick when opened and has a 4,800 mAh battery, which promises 26 hours of video. The rear camera set is 50 MP and the processor is the same as the Ultra version. Prices reach R$14,199 for the version with 512 GB of storage.

The Flip8, a model that folds vertically, is 0.4 millimeters thinner, with a thickness of 6.1 mm when opened, and has a redesigned external screen to expand the use of applications and artificial intelligence features without the need to open the device.

The global smartphone market shrank again at the beginning of this year. According to consultancy IDC, sales fell 2.9% in the first quarter of 2026, to 293.8 million devices, interrupting a sequence of ten consecutive quarters of growth.

The company attributes the slowdown to restrictions in the supply of memory components and rising device prices. Foldables, however, go in the opposite direction.

IDC projects 20% growth for this category in 2026 for the second consecutive year, driven by new models from manufacturers already operating in the segment and Apple's entry into the market this semester.

Although they still represent a small share of smartphone sales, foldables are seen by the consultancy as the only segment in which manufacturers are able, at the same time, to sustain premium prices and increase sales volume.

Samsung also launched two new smart watches in the country this Thursday. The Galaxy Watch9 costs R$2,999, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 costs R$4,999.