Ever since I first heard of the possibility that Samsung will unveil not one but two book-style foldable devices alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8 this year, I’ve been wondering exactly how the company plans to distinguish these upcoming additions to the Z Fold line.
While one key distinction is likely to be made obvious right from the two’s marketing names, it always felt unlikely (to me, at least) that the “regular” Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Wide will only differ in that one clear way. As it turns out, my instincts are expected to prove right on the money by not one but two typically reliable sources of inside information regarding unreleased Samsung products.
Major camera downgrade tipped for Samsung’s direct iPhone Ultra rival
It doesn’t take a very well-connected industry pundit to anticipate that this year’s Z Fold 8 will borrow its primary 200MP rear-facing camera from last year’s Z Fold 7, as well as the likes of the non-foldable Galaxy S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra.
The Z Fold 8 Wide is expected to come with a much lower-res main camera than last year’s Z Fold 7. | Image by PhoneArena
That’s likely to be borrowed from the “vanilla” Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, settling for f/1.8 aperture instead of the superior f/1.7 figure supported by the S26 Ultra, Z Fold 7, and Z Fold 8‘s main snapper. Clearly, the Z Fold 8 Wide will stand at a significant disadvantage in the real-world photography department compared to the “normal” Z Fold 8, but if you’re familiar with the S26 and S26+, you already know those two devices can produce excellent pics in most day-to-day scenarios as well.
But the Z Fold 8 Wide will hold an important advantage over the Z Fold 7
Given their (rumored) names, the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Wide can’t be too different, so it’s not exactly surprising to hear that the next-gen book-style foldable powerhouses will reportedly share a 50MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens with f/1.9 aperture.
If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with precisely the same type of secondary imaging sensor on its back, but last year’s Z Fold 7 actually settled for a vastly inferior 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture.
As such, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide does still have a chance to deliver an overall ultra-high-end imaging experience and keep up with Apple’s first foldable handset on that front. The iPhone Ultra, remember, is currently expected to carry two 48MP cameras on its back, although we all know megapixel counts aren’t everything when it comes to a phone’s real-life photography and videography skills.
How affordable could the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide be?
Naturally, it’s wise not to get your hopes up too high for the time being, as it’s clearly super-unlikely that Samsung will price the Z Fold 8‘s extra-wide brother at $1,000 or $1,200.
But the Z Fold 8 Wide could well be considerably cheaper than the aforementioned iPhone Ultra it’s set to compete directly against by nature of its shape. Although it’s far too early to be certain of any numbers, I believe a price point as low as $1,600 might be in play, especially if that recent rumor about a (small) battery capacity gap between the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Wide also proves accurate.
The Z Fold 8 Wide will obviously look very different from the non-Wide Z Fold 8 at first glance. | Image by AndroidHeadlines
To hit $1,600, Samsung may need to cut one or two more corners, but right now, those are unclear, as both 2026 members of the Galaxy Z Fold family are expected to pack 10MP front-facing and cover cameras, 12 and 16GB RAM, as well as Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processing power.
Of course, the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Wide will not sport the exact same screens, but you’ll have to decide for yourselves if you prefer the former product’s probable 8 and 6.5-inch displays or the latter’s rumored 7.6 and 5.4-inch panels. Oh, and the Z Fold 8 Wide’s “hero” color option is also revealed today to be dark green, although it’s not yet clear if that will differ in any way from the non-wide Z Fold 8‘s main marketing shade.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
