Samsung has officially introduced the Galaxy Z Flip 8, giving its clamshell foldable a thinner and lighter body, better cover screen controls, and a higher starting price.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 starts at $1,200 for the 256GB model, up $100 from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 7. Preorders are now open, with general availability set for Aug. 7.
The biggest change may not be the hardware. It is the way Samsung now lets users do more from the cover screen without opening the phone.
Samsung Makes The Cover Screen Easier To Use
Samsung is making the Galaxy Z Flip 8’s 4.1-inch cover screen more practical for everyday use.
Users can now add apps to the cover screen by opening the app drawer, scrolling up, and tapping “Add apps.” That is a much simpler process than digging through settings menus, which was one of the pain points on older Galaxy Z Flip models.
The update also brings a “Recent apps” shortcut to the cover screen for the first time. That sounds small, but it matters on a flip phone.
If someone is using Google Maps, replying to a message, and controlling music from the outer display, faster app switching makes the phone feel less like a folded device with limits and more like a small usable screen.
That also brings Samsung closer to Motorola’s Razr approach, where users have been able to run more apps from the cover display.
A Thinner And Lighter Flip Phone
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 weighs 180 grams, and Samsung says it is the lightest flip-style foldable phone available at launch.
When unfolded, the phone measures 6.1mm thick. That makes it thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which measured 6.8mm, and Motorola’s Razr Ultra, which measured 7.2mm.
The slimmer design should make the Flip 8 easier to pocket and hold, especially for buyers who liked the compact idea of a flip phone but still found earlier models a bit thick when folded.
Same Main Displays And Cameras
Samsung did not overhaul the display or camera hardware this year.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 keeps a 6.9-inch internal display and a 4.1-inch cover screen. It also carries over the same camera setup: a 50-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10-megapixel selfie camera.
Battery capacity also stays at 4,300 mAh, with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
That means the biggest real-world test will be efficiency.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, the same custom chip found in Samsung’s latest flagship and foldable lineup. If the processor is more efficient, it could still help battery life even without a larger battery.
Galaxy AI Adds New Camera Tricks
Samsung is also bringing over several features from the Galaxy S26 line.
One of them is Super Steady video with horizontal lock, which is designed to smooth movement while filming.
Another new feature is My Fan Cam, a Galaxy AI camera tool that can identify a subject in a video and create a crop that follows that person throughout the recording. The effect makes the video look like the camera is focused on one subject, even when the original clip includes more of the scene.
That feature could appeal to concertgoers, sports fans, vloggers, and anyone who records group videos but wants a cleaner subject-focused edit afterward.
Galaxy Z Flip 8 Colors And Availability
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 comes in pink, graphite, and cream. Samsung is also offering mint as an online-exclusive color.
The phone is available for preorder now and goes on sale Aug. 7.
At $1,200, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is not a cheap upgrade. But Samsung appears to be betting that a lighter build, a more useful cover screen, and new AI tools will make the price increase easier to accept.
For users who spend a lot of time checking notifications, replying to messages, navigating, or controlling music without opening their phone, the improved cover screen may be the real reason to pay attention this year.
via: Android Central | The Verge
