Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a "smash hit", which is great news for Apple and the iPhone Ultra

Samsung didn’t just announce two folding phones last month like it normally does each year – it released three. The third model introduced a gorgeous new shape and format.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 arrived alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but while the Ultra features the same design as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopts a wider, squarer design, much like what the first folding iPhone is rumoured to be offering.

Why the Galaxy Z 8 Fold is so popular

Good thing too, really, as according to ETNews (via 9to5Google), Samsung will produce an extra one million units of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 to meet the higher-than-anticipated demand.

The 9to5Google report calls the device a “smash hit” after Samsung confirmed much higher pre-order figures than expected. A couple of the models even went out of stock during the pre-order window.

The extra one million run is on top of the initial higher production numbers for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 too, so clearly the wider format is a bit of a winner.

I can see why. I was never quite sold on previous folding phones, despite thinking the Galaxy Z Flip was very cute, but I love the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It reminds me of my BlackBerry from back in the day, with the wider format much nicer to use than the slimmer and taller Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Apple is one of the few main smartphone manufacturers that doesn’t offer a folding phone at the moment, but that is rumoured to be changing come September.

We’ve been hearing about a folding iPhone – the iPhone Ultra – for years, but speculation has really picked up over the last couple of months, with the squarer format widely reported.

It’s looking more and more likely Apple will follow in Samsung’s footsteps come September and with the Z Fold 8's success, it's an obvious step.