Galaxy Fold8 breaks Samsung preorder records — and the company just ordered 1 million more
The Samsung Galaxy Fold8 has set the highest preorder numbers ever recorded for a Samsung phone — and demand is running hot enough that the company has scrambled to ramp up manufacturing before supply runs short.
The numbers
Between July 28 and August 4, buyers placed over 1.44 million preorders for the new foldable lineup, per ETNews. That's 38.5% above the Z Fold7's 1.08 million, and it also beats the Galaxy S26 spring flagship range (1.36 million). Around 70% of all preorders — roughly 1 million units — went to the base Fold8 model specifically, not the Ultra.
Samsung had originally planned to build 2.8 million Fold8 units this year. It has since placed additional component orders to push total production to around 4 million. The Fold8 alone is expected to account for more than 60% of the entire Galaxy Z series' annual sales, which typically land between 5.5 and 6 million units in a launch year. This is the second consecutive year Samsung has raised its foldable production mid-cycle, suggesting the category has found a genuine growth floor.
The look
The Fold8's new 4:3 aspect ratio — think a passport-sized book rather than a tall, narrow panel — is the clearest departure from previous generations. The cover screen measures 5.5 inches, the inner display 7.6 inches. Analysts point to this wider format, alongside a Double Storage promotion that offered 512 GB storage at the 256 GB price, as the twin drivers of the opening surge. That promotion is particularly timely: memory prices are climbing industry-wide due to ongoing supply constraints.
In the US, the Fold8 starts at $1,899.99. UK preorders closed August 6 with a £100 PayPal discount and trade-in values up to £752; the phone launched at major retailers on August 7, per the Samsung UK press release. Some colors are already sold out, and delivery delays have been reported for certain configurations, notes Forbes.
What's next
Timing matters here. Apple's rumored iPhone Ultra is widely expected to arrive around September 2026 with a similar book-fold design and the same 4:3 aspect ratio — giving Samsung a one-to-two month window to consolidate its lead in the widened-foldable segment before a direct competitor lands. Whether the extra million units reach shelves in time will determine how much of that window Samsung can actually use.
