Samsung could be planning a major, Apple-inspired redesign for the Galaxy Z Flip 8

Samsung dominates the folding phone segment but is reported to be looking at changes to the Galaxy Z Flip 8 to make it more competitive. The device it's preparing to compete against is the Apple folding phone.

The report comes from Korean new outlet The Bell, with sources saying that Samsung is targeting a 10% increase in folding phone sales in 2026. According to the details, Samsung will be targeting 6.7 million folding phones in 2026 – while the regular Galaxy S26 sits at 36 million.

It's the Galaxy Z Flip 8 that appears to be the company's biggest target for growth, and it already out-performs the Galaxy Z Fold model in sales thanks to increased desirability with customers. It's also the target of more increased marketing activity.

To increase desirability, it's said that Samsung is going to again reduce the thickness and weight of folding devices, with a target figure of another 10% for the Galaxy Z Flip 8, where most of the focus will lie.

For the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung dramatically reduced the thickness of the phone, shaving off over 20%, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 saw less than a 10% change in the thickness. That, it seems, is the target this time, which could result in the Galaxy Z Flip 8 being significantly slimmer and lighter than the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

The changes appear to be to fend off Apple's entry into the folding phone segment, which is rumoured for 2026. The iPhone Fold has long been rumoured, but according to the report, Samsung has concerns that Apple's new folding phone could cannibalise Galaxy Z phone sales.

Do we really need a thinner Galaxy Z Flip phone?

Folding phones have long been known for their bulk. Over successive years, we've seen Samsung reducing the size of devices by reengineering the hinges and the frame, making these phones stronger, lighter and more seamless, so they look at feel more like the premium products they are priced to be.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 now feels like the phone it's meant to be, with the reduction in bulk an important factor in pocketability. It doesn't feel like the compromise it did before. For the Galaxy Z Flip 7, there's a real elegance to the engineering, with the frame neatly closing into a thinner package.

Open it up, and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is 6.5mm thick, not too different to just about every other phone on the market. Is sacrificing battery life or the camera worth it to go thinner? Because that's what we've seen from phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air and I'm pretty sure that's not what customers want. Thin for the sake is thin isn't worth it.

Customers still rank battery life as one of their most important considerations, so targeting thickness and weight might not be the best strategy. According to The Bell, which reported on the details, praise for the reduction in thickness and weight in favourable reviews might have influenced the strategy.