Samsung unveils biggest foldable phone lineup as Apple's rival device looms

Samsung showed its most complete lineup of foldable phones and smartwatches at a global launch event on Wednesday. The event took place at the same time in Brooklyn, New York, and London. Technology analyst Mark Vena covered the launch for TechNewsWorld and attended in person in Brooklyn.

The new lineup has three foldable phones. These are the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8. Samsung also released two new smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9.

The launch came just weeks before Apple's expected release of its first foldable iPhone. Vena wrote the event was a chance for Samsung to reinforce its leadership in foldable devices ahead of that Apple launch.

Three different foldable phones for different users

Samsung's foldable lineup no longer feels like an experimental category. It is now a full family of premium phones, according to the analysis. The company has split the lineup into three models built for different types of buyers.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra targets professionals and creators who want the largest screen and most advanced camera. The regular Galaxy Z Fold8 is for buyers who want a book-style foldable without going for the Ultra model. The Galaxy Z Flip8 is built for buyers who care more about portability, style, and social media content than heavy work tasks.

The report said Samsung's devices are thinner, lighter, more durable, and brighter than earlier models, with better multitasking support.

Qualcomm chips power the new devices

Most of Samsung's new flagship devices run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips. The Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and some Flip8 models use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. The new smartwatches use a chip called Snapdragon Wear Elite. A separate Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1, will power Samsung's upcoming smart glasses project with Google.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said the company is helping build "more natural, context-aware AI" across Samsung's devices, according to a statement quoted in the report.

Artificial intelligence across the product line

Samsung showed how its Galaxy AI software is shifting from separate features into an assistant that works throughout the day. Features shown included Now Brief, Now Nudge, and Gemini Intelligence, all designed to reduce the number of steps needed to complete tasks.

Samsung device chief TM Roh said mobile devices are becoming "the most personal gateway" to AI-based experiences, according to a quote in the report.

Higher prices raise questions

The Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at 1,899 U.S. dollars. Samsung gave its best camera system to the pricier Fold8 Ultra, while the standard Fold8 has a dual 50-megapixel camera setup instead.

The analysis raised concern that this price and camera gap could frustrate buyers. Camera quality is one of the biggest reasons people buy smartphones, and many foldable buyers spending more than 2,000 dollars will expect a flagship-level camera regardless of which model they choose, the report said.

The pricing strategy is also seen as a test for Apple, which may unveil its own foldable iPhone in September. How Apple prices and equips its foldable device could shape buyer expectations for the whole product category, according to the analysis.

Smartwatches move toward preventive health

Samsung's two new smartwatches continue a shift from basic fitness tracking toward health monitoring powered by AI. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 has a larger battery, a brighter display, and new diving features built with partner Mares. The Galaxy Watch9 is aimed at a broader, more mainstream audience with a bigger battery and updated health software.

What comes next

The report frames Samsung's event as a milestone for foldable phones as a category, but says the bigger unanswered question is whether shoppers will see enough value to justify the high prices. The technology itself is no longer the main barrier, the analysis concluded. The remaining question is whether consumers will pay premium prices for it.

Apple has not confirmed a foldable iPhone launch date. Any announcement would likely come from Apple directly closer to a possible September event.