The Stability of a 4:3 Aspect Ratio, Comfortable Like Reading a Book... Hands-on with the New Form Factor 'Galaxy Z Fold8'

Thinner and Lighter Than Expected
Enhanced Content Immersion and Agent-Type AI Experience

"Wait, is this foldable really this thin and light?!"

On the 22nd (local time), at the exhibition hall inside Old Billingsgate in London, UK, where Samsung Electronics held its 'Galaxy Unpacked 2026' event, my first impression upon holding the Galaxy Z Fold8 for the first time was, "It's really thin." The weight was also lighter than I expected.

With the width increased, the device felt less grippable with one hand when folded, but the new form factor wasn't unfamiliar. In fact, the 4:3 aspect ratio gave a sense of stability, similar to reading a book.

Samsung Electronics foldable phone new form factor 'Galaxy Z Fold8' in operation. Photo by Kyungjo Noh

First, turning on the cover display and running applications felt no different from using a traditional bar-type smartphone. Since the product focuses on immersive content experiences, I tried watching a YouTube video. Shorts played with margins on both sides, and action buttons such as "Like," located on the right side of the screen, did not overlap with the video, making them easy to use.

The main display when unfolded was more suitable for watching movies or TV content than for Shorts. The black space at the top and bottom was just enough to pull down notifications, open other apps, or hit the back button. Also, perhaps due to the newly applied 'Flex Titanium,' the crease in the folding part of the display was barely noticeable.

Having a large screen allowed the simultaneous use of video playback and editing tools, making video editing much more convenient. Previously, one had to switch screens to edit, but separating video previews from editing tools improved workflow efficiency. With AI editing features like 'My Fan Cam,' the software could automatically track the subject I selected and recompose the video so the person stayed at the center of the screen.

Samsung Electronics unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold8 smartphone at the Unpacked event in London, UK, on the 22nd (local time), showing the device when unfolded. Photo by Yonhap News

Based on Galaxy AI and Gemini Intelligence, users could experience an agent-type AI that goes beyond simple Q&A. For example, displaying a photo of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, in full screen and then holding the power button and saying, "Book a two-person stay at a four-star hotel near this location for two nights from this Friday on Expedia," made the AI recognize the location in the image and execute the task. Although the processing speed wasn't very fast, there were no errors. After waiting a few minutes while multitasking, Gemini provided the results and led to the payment stage. This feature is available not only in the Fold8 but also across the new Galaxy Z series.

Samsung Electronics announced plans to deliver even more personalized AI experiences by linking its three new foldable phones with the Galaxy Watch series and intelligent eyewear. A Samsung Electronics representative said, "In addition to Gemini Intelligence, AI features like Now Nudge, Now Brief, and Gemini Notebook will understand the user's state and surrounding context to provide the right information at the right time."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.