Samsung is preparing to unveil its next generation of foldable smartphones at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, where the company is widely expected to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. But this year’s launch carries more weight than usual as competition in the foldable smartphone market continues to intensify.
Having pioneered the category with the original Galaxy Fold in 2019, Samsung remains one of the biggest names in foldable devices. However, rivals are rapidly closing the gap, making this launch an important moment for the company’s foldable strategy.
Foldable Competition Is Stronger Than Ever
While Samsung continues to lead the foldable segment, the market has become significantly more competitive over the past year.
According to industry estimates, foldable smartphone shipments in North America grew substantially in 2025. At the same time, Samsung’s market share declined as competitors introduced more affordable and diverse alternatives.
Motorola has emerged as one of Samsung’s strongest challengers, thanks to its Razr lineup, which offers flip-style foldables at lower prices. The company has also expanded into book-style foldables, giving buyers more choices across different price ranges.
Google continues to strengthen its position with the Pixel Fold, while brands such as Honor and Huawei remain key players in international markets.
Apple’s Foldable iPhone Could Change the Market
Another challenge may arrive sooner than expected.
Rumors continue to suggest Apple is preparing its first foldable iPhone, with many reports pointing toward a book-style design that could debut later this year.
Although foldable phones still represent a relatively small segment of the smartphone market, Apple’s entry could significantly accelerate mainstream adoption. Industry analysts believe the company’s arrival may reshape consumer expectations and increase competition for existing manufacturers.
For Samsung, that means maintaining its technological advantage before Apple’s first foldable reaches consumers.
Samsung Needs More Than Minor Upgrades
After several generations of foldable phones, expectations have shifted.
Consumers are no longer looking solely for improvements in durability or hinge design. Buyers increasingly expect meaningful advances in display quality, software optimization, multitasking, battery life, cameras, and overall usability.
Reports also suggest Samsung could introduce a wider display on the next Galaxy Z Fold, potentially making the device more practical for everyday use while improving multitasking and media consumption.
A refined form factor, combined with software designed specifically for larger foldable screens, could help Samsung further differentiate its flagship device.
AI Could Be a Key Advantage
Samsung has invested heavily in Galaxy AI across its smartphone lineup, and those capabilities are expected to play an even larger role in its upcoming foldables.
Features powered by AI, along with Samsung’s partnership with Google and Gemini, could help the company deliver a more integrated experience that takes advantage of the larger, flexible display.
Rather than relying solely on hardware improvements, software and AI optimization may become one of Samsung’s biggest competitive strengths.
Supply Challenges Remain
Samsung also faces external pressures beyond competition.
Ongoing memory supply constraints have affected production costs across the smartphone industry, forcing manufacturers to adjust pricing in some markets. Those higher component costs could influence the pricing of Samsung’s upcoming foldable devices as well.
Balancing premium hardware with competitive pricing will likely be another challenge for the company this year.
A Defining Launch for Samsung
The upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event represents more than just another product refresh.
With increasing competition from Motorola, Google, Chinese smartphone brands, and the expected arrival of Apple’s first foldable iPhone, Samsung has an opportunity to reinforce its leadership in a category it helped establish.
Whether through improved hardware, refined software, or expanded AI features, the next Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip will play a major role in determining how Samsung competes in the rapidly evolving foldable smartphone market.
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