The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the fastest selling foldable Samsung has ever made, and the numbers are not subtle about it: 1.44 million preorders in Korea alone, roughly three times the Fold 7’s demand, and shipping delays that pushed deliveries into October.
The timing matters more than the record itself. Samsung’s best ever foldable launch is landing right before Apple’s first foldable, expected this September, and the two events are now officially on a collision course.
Here are the verified sales numbers, the analyst projections, and why the iPhone Ultra’s arrival changes what the Fold 8’s success really means.
The record, straight from Samsung
Korea JoongAng Daily reports Samsung’s official numbers: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold 8, and Z Flip 8 racked up 1.44 million preorders in Korea during the seven day window from July 28 to August 3.
That is a new record for Galaxy smartphone preorders, beating the Galaxy Note 10’s 1.38 million from 2019, the Galaxy S26 series’ 1.35 million from earlier this year, and last year’s Fold 7 and Flip 7 combined at 1.04 million.
Samsung says an average of about 140 devices were sold every minute during the preorder period. That is not a niche product, that is a mass market event.
The Fold 8 is the star of the lineup
Here is the detail that matters most for anyone tracking the foldable market: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 accounted for about 70 percent of the lineup’s total preorders.
The passport sized Fold 8, the wider variant, is the model everyone actually wants. The Flip 8 and the Ultra split the remaining 30 percent.
Samsung explicitly attributed the demand to the new passport sized form factor, which suggests the wider design is the product bet paying off.
The demand is crushing Samsung’s own expectations
The strongest confirmation of the Fold 8’s success is not the record number, it is the scramble. 9to5Google reports preorder demand roughly three times higher than the Fold 7, based on Korean media reports.
Samsung.com began warning customers of “delays in delivery on popular combinations” for both the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra due to high demand.
While the Ultra’s delays ran a few days to about three weeks, the base Fold 8’s shipping dates slipped all the way back into October. Production is reportedly at record volumes around 1.5 million units.
A company does not delay its own flagship by two months unless demand genuinely surprised it.
What the analysts project for 2026
The Fold 8’s launch numbers land inside a broader market surge. Counterpoint Research projects global foldable shipments to grow 21 percent year over year in 2026.
Counterpoint expects Samsung to remain the leader with a 32 percent share, down from 40 percent in 2025 as competition tightens. Huawei is projected at 24 percent, Motorola at 8 percent, and HONOR at 3 percent.
IDC’s forecast is even more aggressive, projecting 30 percent growth in 2026, boosted by the first Apple foldable.
Both research firms agree on the direction: the foldable market is about to get much bigger, and much more crowded.
The iPhone Ultra is the elephant in the room
Here is why the Fold 8’s record actually matters more than it looks. Apple’s first foldable, expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, is expected to launch in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series, at a starting price around USD 1,999.
Counterpoint’s own projection gives Apple a stunning 25 percent share in its first year in the foldable market, immediately becoming the number two player behind Samsung.
That is the context for the Fold 8’s urgency. Samsung is not just launching a successful phone, it is building momentum and loyalty before the biggest competitor in the industry enters its category.
Every Fold 8 sold now is a customer Apple will have to win away in September.
The battle ahead
Counterpoint’s analyst Liz Lee frames 2026 as a new phase for foldables, with Apple’s entry expected to lift overall consumer awareness and raise the benchmark for premium devices.
Samsung’s advantages remain real: product maturity, channel reach, and years of foldable experience. But the share projection tells the story, Samsung going from 40 percent to 32 percent while Apple takes 25 percent in year one.
The Fold 8’s record preorders are the strongest possible answer Samsung could give, but they are also the last uncontested win it will get.
What it means for Philippine buyers
In the Philippines, the Fold 8 launched alongside the Ultra at PHP 109,990 for the base Fold 8, with the Ultra priced higher.
The global demand crunch means Philippine allocation could be tight, and the October shipping delays seen in the US are a warning that local stock may follow.
If you are planning to buy, preorder early, and if you are deciding between the Fold 8 now or waiting for Apple’s foldable in September, the answer depends on your ecosystem. Samsung fans get the mature product today, Apple fans should wait.
The bottom line
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a genuine smash hit: 1.44 million Korean preorders, 70 percent of its own lineup, three times the Fold 7’s demand, and record production volumes.
But the real story is what comes next. Apple’s iPhone Ultra lands in September with a projected 25 percent share in its first year, and Samsung’s share is forecast to shrink from 40 to 32 percent.
The Fold 8’s record is Samsung’s best move yet in the foldable war. It is also the last move Samsung gets to make alone.
