Why the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide may be the first foldable I buy

Earlier this week, we got our first look at the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 — a phone that looks extremely similar to its predecessor, the Z Fold 7. However, that’s not the only Fold Samsung is launching in 2026. In addition to the regular Fold 8, Samsung is also working on its new “Wide” variant.

It’s called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, and on March 25, leaked CAD renders gave us our best look yet at its design. As you might expect, given the name, it looks like a wider version of the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

That may not sound like a big deal on paper, but the more I look at the Z Fold 8 Wide, the more I think it might be the first foldable phone I actually buy.

A big reason for that was the Fold 7’s design. The Fold 7 was the first book-style foldable to launch in the US with an ultra-thin design, similar to what we had seen from other brands like HONOR and OPPO. To get a big-screen foldable that felt like a normal slab phone when closed was incredibly tempting, and as it turns out, that’s exactly what Samsung delivered.

The Fold 7 launched with a design just as thin and lightweight as the rumors claimed. The phone was incredibly well received, owing not only to its design but also to its improved internal display, good cameras, and solid battery life.

So, did I buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7 like I thought I would? No, no, I did not. The temptation was certainly there, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it probably wouldn’t be money well-spent.

As impressed as I was by the phone’s thin and lightweight body, I still wasn’t the biggest fan of its square aspect ratio for the main inner display. It’s great for web browsing, yes, but not exactly ideal for watching videos — something I do a lot of on my phone. A square aspect ratio also isn’t always the best fit for tablet-optimized apps, as I’ve noticed repeatedly testing foldables with a square display.

There was also the matter of price. As impressive as the Z Fold 7 may be, $2,000 is still way more money than I’m willing to spend on a new smartphone — folding or not. It’s not that I don’t think the Fold 7 is worth the high price, but for my budget and what I’m comfortable paying, $2,000 crosses that line.

Because of that, despite how tempted I was (and still am) by the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I remain foldable-less.

But now we have the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, and the cycle is repeating itself once more. I may ultimately keep holding off on the foldable owner dream, but what we’ve seen of the Fold 8 Wide so far makes me think this time could be different.

There are two big reasons for that, one of which is pretty obvious: the wide design.

Just one look at the Fold 8 Wide makes it clear this is a drastically different approach from what we’ve seen from most other book-style foldables. Gone is the tall 6.5-inch cover screen rumored for the Fold 8, and in its place is a shorter and stouter 5.4-inch display on the Wide.

The internal display is also a bit smaller, going from 8 inches to 7.6 inches, with the really important element being its significantly wider aspect ratio. These CAD renders aren’t fully indicative of the final design, but they should be close, and already the difference between the Wide and previous Z Folds is significant.

That wider inner display should instantly address my above complaints about video watching and app optimization on square foldables. This display looks tailor-made for YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and for maximizing the full benefits of apps with dual-panel designs on larger screens (such as Gmail and Google Calendar). And as someone who likes being able to use a phone one-handed and reaching the top and bottom with ease, the shorter cover screen is exciting, too.

But there’s another element at play here, and that’s the price. We don’t currently know how much Samsung will charge for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, but I have a theory that it could be a lot more competitive than we’re expecting.

For one thing, as you can see in the gallery above, the Z Fold 8 Wide has just two rear cameras compared to the three-camera setup we’ve had on all other Z Fold models since the original Galaxy Fold. That alone doesn’t guarantee a lower price compared to the Fold 8 (which we expect will remain at $2,000), but it’s also hard to imagine Samsung selling the Wide for the same price as the regular Fold 8 when it’s missing that third camera.

There’s also the fact that Samsung will almost certainly market the Fold 8 Wide as an alternative to the iPhone Fold, which is expected to finally release this year. And, wouldn’t you know it, Apple’s foldable is also likely to have a wider display.

A $2,000 Fold 8 Wide competing against the iPhone Fold probably won’t tempt many Apple fans away. But what about an $1,800 Z Fold 8 Wide? Or even a $1,600 one? It’s hard to say how competitive Samsung is willing to get (especially given the current “emergency mode” the company is operating under), but a lower price than the regular Fold 8 seems likely. And depending on the final price, I may not be able to say no this year.

Of course, it’s also possible that I won’t buy the Fold 8 Wide, just as I didn’t get the Fold 7 last year. But if Samsung nails the design and the price, as I hope it will, I think it’s a lot more likely I’ll actually end up being a foldable owner in 2026.