Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: minor hardware update, bigger changes to the cover screen
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Flip 8 foldable phone, whose main upgrade is full app support on the cover screen, while the hardware remains largely unchanged. The price has risen by $100 to $1,199.99.
Samsung has released its new foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, continuing the company's flagship lineup alongside the larger Galaxy Z Fold 8. The biggest difference from last year's model isn't in the hardware but in how the phone functions while closed.
Full apps on the cover screen
Previously, Samsung's flip phones used their small 4-inch cover screens mainly for notifications and simple widgets. With the Z Flip 8, the company has reworked this approach, allowing users to run nearly any app in its full version directly on the outer screen. A redesigned home screen offers quicker access to notifications and quick settings, along with an app drawer featuring Samsung-optimized apps and an easier route to installing MultiStar, a tool that unlocks running third-party apps on the cover display.
Some apps, such as the Withings health-tracking companion or Google Maps, don't scale well to the small square screen, while others, like HBO Max or WhatsApp, work smoothly, even if not always practically.
Modest hardware changes
The Z Flip 8 is 0.6mm thinner and 8g lighter than its predecessor, but otherwise the hardware has changed little. The phone lacks the newer, tougher titanium display stack found on the two new Z Fold 8 models, so the crease remains visible. Its dust and water resistance is rated IP48, meaning it remains somewhat vulnerable to dust.
Depending on region, the device uses either a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or a Samsung Exynos 2600 processor. Battery capacity remains unchanged at 4,300mAh, though newer, more energy-dense silicon-carbon cells were used, helping shrink the phone's overall size. Charging speeds are relatively modest, at 25W wired and 15W wireless.
The camera setup and storage capacity carry over from the previous model. The new phone is priced at $1,199.99, a $100 increase over its predecessor, raising questions about whether the upgrade is worthwhile for existing Z Flip 7 owners.
