ChatGPT’s free tier is about to become considerably less restrictive for everyday conversations. OpenAI says Free and Go users will get unlimited text chats next week, removing the message cap that could previously interrupt a longer back-and-forth.

The change arrives alongside another model update: GPT-5.6 Luna will become the default ChatGPT model for Free and Go users this week.

Unlimited chats, with important limits still in place

“Unlimited” applies specifically to text conversations. Users will be able to keep asking questions and following up without running into the usual chat-message limit, although OpenAI says the feature remains subject to abuse guardrails.

That does not mean every ChatGPT feature becomes unlimited. File uploads, image creation, and other tools will still have separate usage limits, so heavy users may still encounter restrictions when working with documents or generating visuals.

A new default model for Free and Go

GPT-5.6 Luna will replace the current default model for ChatGPT Free and Go users. OpenAI has not positioned it as a paid-tier replacement, but pairing the new model with unlimited text chats should make the free experience feel much more useful for research, writing, planning, and everyday questions.

Free and Go users will also gain a Think button for tougher prompts. This should give people a simpler way to ask ChatGPT to spend more effort on a difficult question without needing to understand the differences between models.

What is not changing?

This update applies to ChatGPT itself. OpenAI says its Work and Codex experiences are not changing as part of this rollout.

OpenAI announced the changes in its ChatGPT release notes.

Google Assistant’s final chapter on Android now has a date. Google will begin removing its long-running voice assistant from supported Android phones and tablets on September 4, 2026, completing its move to Gemini.

The change is not limited to phones. Google Assistant will also begin disappearing from connected Wear OS watches, compatible headphones and earbuds, and Android Auto when it is projected from a phone. Google says the rollout may take several weeks to reach everyone.

Gemini replaces Assistant on Android

Google has been moving users from Assistant to Gemini for more than a year, but September 4 marks the beginning of the permanent transition for remaining Assistant users. Gemini keeps the familiar assistant role on Android, including voice access through “Hey Google,” while adding a more conversational AI experience.

For Google, the switch makes sense: maintaining two competing assistants on the same platform was never going to last. For users, however, it means Gemini is no longer simply an option. It will be the assistant experience on supported devices.

Which devices are affected?

The distinction matters for anyone who uses Assistant across multiple screens. Your phone may move to Gemini in September while Assistant remains available on some home and in-car devices for now.

What should Assistant users do now?

If you have kept Google Assistant as your default, this is a good time to try Gemini before the forced change reaches your device. Check the tasks you use most often: calling or messaging people, controlling smart-home devices, starting navigation, setting timers, and managing music.

Gemini can handle many of the same everyday requests, but it is a different product with a different interface and behavior. Testing it early gives you time to decide whether its voice settings, connected apps, and permissions are set up the way you want.

Google’s Assistant-to-Gemini transition will start September 4 and continue over the following weeks. For the latest official context on Google’s broader migration plan, see Google’s Gemini announcement.

An email from Sunbird made me pause.

Months earlier, when iMessage support was first announced, I tried the service’s free trial. I wanted to know whether Android users had finally found a way into Apple’s messaging world.

I never made it through setup. The iMessage connection kept getting stuck, and I eventually deleted the app and moved on.

But I could not honestly answer a question Android users have asked for years.

Is iMessage on Android actually worth paying for?

Why I Started This Journey

I carry both an iPhone and an Android phone every day. If somebody wants to reach me through iMessage, they already have my iPhone number.

So this is not a product I personally need.

But if somebody asked whether there was a legitimate, practical way to use iMessage on Android, I could not give them a useful answer. I had tried Sunbird once, failed before I got through the door, and left it there.

That bothered me.

So instead of unsubscribing from another marketing email, I subscribed to Sunbird.

What happened next became the story.

The First Setup

Day 1: Becoming a Sunbird customer

The first surprise came before I even subscribed

I was using a Pixel 10 Pro XL. Oddly enough, I could not complete the purchase while connected to Wi-Fi.

I tried a few times, then turned Wi-Fi off and switched to cellular data. The purchase completed immediately.

I do not know whether that was my network, Google Play, or Sunbird. I only know that it was the first thing that happened when I tried to become a paying customer.

It is a small detail, but first impressions are usually made of small details.

Round two with iMessage

While preparing to try again, I learned something that may explain why my first attempt months ago went nowhere.

Back then, I had created a brand-new Apple ID specifically for testing. This time, I used my existing Apple account instead.

I entered my Apple ID and password. Apple then asked on my iPhone whether it was me attempting to sign in. I confirmed that it was.

There was no verification code. Just that prompt, and then the waiting began.

The longest 99% I have ever watched

Sunbird immediately told me that iMessage server availability was limited. Fair enough.

I watched the progress indicator climb: 7%, 47%, 90%, then 99%.

Then nothing.

More than half an hour later, I received a notification saying the sync had completed. The progress bar was still showing 99%.

Thirty minutes after that, it was still there.

An hour after I started, I was still staring at 99%.

At that point I was not looking for a technical explanation. I was wondering the same thing any customer would wonder.

Should I keep waiting?

Google Messages vs iMessage

Google Messages told a different story

While iMessage was sitting at 99%, I tried connecting Google Messages instead.

The first attempt failed. The second attempt worked.

What caught my attention was the way it connected. It appeared to use the same kind of device pairing I have seen with Google Messages for Web.

That made me stop and ask a bigger question: what exactly is Sunbird supposed to be?

Is it becoming part of my Android messaging experience? Or is it a bridge between services that already exist?

Trying Google Messages also appeared to reset the iMessage setup. So I was back where I started with the connection I had spent an hour watching.

I am not ready to turn that into a verdict. It was simply the moment where this stopped feeling like a question about blue bubbles and started feeling like a question about what kind of bridge Sunbird is trying to build.

Day 2: The support path

I explored Sunbird’s support chatbot and support flow. One thing stood out: it automatically prepared an email containing my device, app version and diagnostic information.

When something goes wrong, the hardest part is often explaining what happened. Here, the app seemed ready to collect the details before I had to work out how to describe them.

I sent my support request at 9:13 AM.

Day 3: A reply, then another 99%

Sunbird’s response

Sunbird replied at 4:26 AM the following morning, around 19 hours after my request.

Support asked whether the Apple ID used with Sunbird was also active on an Apple device, and whether Advanced Data Protection was enabled. Sunbird said that Apple security feature is not supported by the service yet.

I checked my Apple account. Advanced Data Protection was already disabled, so that explanation did not account for my setup problem.

The reply was useful because it gave me a concrete compatibility issue to rule out. But it also left the original 99% stall unresolved.

The app does recognise incorrect credentials

As part of the test, I deliberately entered an incorrect Apple password. Sunbird did eventually reject it with a “Wrong credentials” message.

The important part is that the rejection was not instant. It took a short time for the app to identify the incorrect password, rather than immediately telling me the sign-in could not continue.

I also tested an Apple app-specific password. That was rejected too, more quickly. The result does not explain what happens during a normal connection attempt, but it does show that Sunbird can recognise credentials that are not accepted.

The second attempt

I started another sign-in attempt at around 12:12 PM.

This time, the early progress was quicker. It reached 76% at 12:21 PM, 94% at 12:34 PM and 99% at 12:45 PM.

That was encouraging for a moment. But by 1:18 PM, after more than an hour in total and over 30 minutes sitting at 99%, the attempt ended without connecting.

The second run may have moved through the early stages faster, but it reached the same practical result: another lengthy setup attempt without a working iMessage connection.

The story around Sunbird

While waiting on that second attempt, I spent some time reading Sunbird’s Bird Feed, a collection of press releases and outside coverage about the service.

The tone is mostly optimistic. Much of the linked coverage comes from Sunbird’s earlier launch period, when iMessage on Android was still a promise people were excited to see tested.

Sunbird’s latest announcement says the app is in open beta, that a connection can occasionally take a second try, and that the in-app setup assistant is there to help when it does. That is Sunbird’s own description of the experience.

None of that makes the positive coverage wrong. It simply puts me in a different place: not reading about the promise of iMessage on Android, but living through the small uncertainties involved in trying to make it work.

A clearer answer from support

Later that day, Sunbird gave me a more definite answer. After reviewing my account again, support said its message engine could not connect with my existing Apple ID because it falls into a “rare connection edge case” the service does not yet support.

The recommended workaround was to clear Sunbird’s cache and data, restart my phone, then try again with a different Apple ID—either another existing account or a new one.

That closes Week 1 with a clearer result than another stalled progress bar: Sunbird cannot currently connect the Apple identity I actually use.

It also changes the next question. A different Apple ID may be enough to test whether Sunbird’s iMessage connection can work at all. But it cannot preserve the identity my friends and family already know. For an existing iPhone user moving to Android, that is not a small troubleshooting step. It is a different experience entirely.

More Than $2.99

When I subscribed, I thought I was paying $2.99 a month for iMessage on Android.

Three days later, it feels as though I am paying for something else too.

Patience, certainly. Time, definitely. Trust, perhaps.

There have been encouraging details: Google Messages connected on a second try, the support flow collected useful diagnostic context, and Sunbird did respond with a possible compatibility issue to investigate.

But there have also been two long iMessage attempts that reached 99% without giving me a usable connection, plus a support reply that arrived the following day without solving the underlying problem.

I am also starting to think the original question was too small.

Sunbird’s own documentation says that you do not need to own an Apple device. That makes sense for the Android user who simply wants blue bubbles. Creating a separate Apple ID may feel straightforward in that situation.

But what about somebody who already owns an iPhone and wants to try Android without walking away from the Apple identity their friends and family already know?

Should they use their existing Apple ID, as I did? Should they create another one? And if the answer is to create another Apple ID, does that weaken one of Sunbird’s biggest promises?

Can a service like this really become a bridge between Apple and Android without asking people to split their digital identity in two?

I do not know yet. And perhaps that is what this month is actually about.

Week 2 – Living With Sunbird

Coming soon.

This chapter will pick up where Week 1 leaves off: with the service in daily life, the questions that remain, and support if it becomes part of the real experience again.

Week 3 – Has Anything Changed?

Coming soon.

If something changes, this chapter will say so. If it does not, that matters too.

Conclusion

Coming soon.

At the end of August, I will look back at the whole journey: whether Sunbird was worth paying for, who it seems built for, whether it earned trust, and whether it truly lowered the barrier between Apple and Android.

For now, I would rather leave you with the question I am still sitting with.

If you were trying Android without wanting to lose your place in Apple’s world, would you trust a service like Sunbird with that bridge?

The Design and Modules

The SP-01 is a small phone by modern standards. It is 5.5 inches tall, weighs less than 5 ounces, and fits comfortably alongside keys and a wallet. The top half houses a 2.8-inch IPS touchscreen running at 480x640, which is genuinely small in 2026, though that is partly the point. Below it sits a USB-C port, SIM tray, volume and power buttons, and a rear loudspeaker. The plastic body feels functional rather than premium, and the camera is notably low quality for real-world use.

The bottom plate is where it gets interesting. Keypads attach using magnets and micro-latches, snap in without tools, and can be swapped without powering the phone off. The Classic T9 keyboard ships in the box and uses predictive text to get through messages. The Sundial module is the one that catches the eye though — nine reprogrammable buttons designed around music playback, built to feel a bit like an old iPod click wheel with its own personality. A QWERTY module is also in the works. The swappable system works well physically and gives the SP-01 a genuine point of difference in the dumbphone space.

Setup and Software

This is where reality sets in. The SP-01 does not run Google's version of Android, and there is no Play Store. Sidephone ships with a curated set of essentials including WhatsApp, Maps, and Uber, and you access additional apps through the App Library using App Packs accessed by scanning a QR code. If you want something outside that list, you are sideloading it manually.

The modules also require their own setup steps. Each one needs a QR scan, a companion app download, and integration before it functions properly. None of it is impossible, but for a device marketed at people who want less friction in their phone life, there is a fair amount of friction in getting started. Once it is all configured the experience smooths out considerably, but that first hour or two is a barrier that will put some people off entirely.

Battery, Camera, and the Basics

Battery life is one of the genuine highlights. Verizon rated it at up to eight days with calls and messages as the primary use, though real-world use with apps running will cut that closer to four. Either way, it comfortably outlasts any flagship Android or iPhone, which is exactly what you want from a phone built around doing less.

The 13MP Samsung ISOCELL 3L6 camera with autofocus sounds reasonable on paper, but reviewers have been consistently clear that real-world output is well below what the spec suggests. It is usable in good light for quick snaps, but if photography matters to you at all, this is not the phone for it. There is no front camera either, so video calls are out entirely. No NFC means no contactless payments, which will be a dealbreaker for some. And with no headphone jack and no wireless charging, you are also relying on USB-C for everything audio and power related.

Who Is This Actually For

The Sidephone SP-01 is not a phone for everyone, and it does not pretend to be. The founder's stated goal is reducing distraction through hardware choices rather than willpower alone, and the device makes a reasonable case for that approach. Physical keys naturally slow you down. The small screen discourages endless scrolling. The absence of social media apps removes the temptation at the source rather than relying on app timers and focus modes that are easy to dismiss.

Where it works best is for someone who already knows what they want: a secondary device to carry when they want to disconnect, or a primary phone for someone technically comfortable enough to enjoy the tinkering that comes with it. If you are expecting a polished out-of-the-box experience similar to a Light Phone or even a budget Nokia, you may find the SP-01 frustrating. If you enjoy configuring hardware and the idea of a phone that grows with new modules genuinely appeals to you, it is a compelling first-generation device with clear room to mature.

The real question isn't "Is X Money good?"

The better question is:

Should you actually use it?

Most people already have a payment solution.

• Apple Cash
• Google Wallet
• Samsung Wallet
• PayPal
• Venmo
• Cash App
• Zelle
• Their own banking app

X Money isn't entering an empty market. It's trying to convince people to abandon services they already trust.

Who is X Money actually for?

How does it compare?

Service	Best For
Apple Cash	iPhone users
Google Wallet	Android users
Samsung Wallet	Galaxy owners
PayPal	Online purchases
Venmo	Friends and family
Cash App	Quick personal transfers
Zelle	Bank-to-bank payments
X Money	X ecosystem integration

Does Premium change the equation?

This is where X Money becomes interesting.

Most payment platforms are free. They don't require a subscription before you can unlock their best features.

X Money appears to reward users who already subscribe to X Premium, making it less of a standalone wallet and more of an ecosystem feature.

That raises a different question entirely:

Does X Money make X Premium worth paying for?

For existing subscribers, it could increase the value of a subscription they're already paying for.

For everyone else, it's another monthly cost that has to compete against payment apps that are already free.

Should you switch?

Ask yourself one simple question.

What problem does X Money solve that your current payment app doesn't?

If the answer is "nothing," there's little reason to switch.

If you're deeply invested in X and expect to use its growing ecosystem of financial services, messaging, creators, and commerce, then X Money starts to become much more compelling.

Final Verdict

X Money has the potential to become one of the most interesting digital payment platforms in years—not because it's another wallet, but because it's part of Elon Musk's vision of transforming X into an all-in-one platform.

Whether that's enough depends entirely on who you are.

If you're already an X Premium subscriber, X Money looks like a valuable addition to an ecosystem you're already using.

If you're happy with Apple Cash, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, PayPal, Cash App, or your bank's own app, X Money still has to prove why you should move your money—and your trust—to X.

Something interesting happened at Galaxy Unpacked London on July 22 and most people walked right past it. Samsung announced two book-style foldables simultaneously for the first time, which was the headline. But look a little closer at which device got which name and a very deliberate story starts to emerge.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the tall, narrow foldable. The one that looks exactly like every Galaxy Z Fold that came before it. The design Samsung has shipped since 2019. That is the Ultra.

The Galaxy Z Fold8, the standard model, the cheaper one, is the brand new wider 4:3 design that Samsung spent years developing. The one that reviewers are calling the most approachable and natural foldable Samsung has ever made. The one that production data suggests Samsung is manufacturing in higher volumes than either of its siblings. That is the regular.

Read that again. The new design is the standard. The old design is the Ultra. In what world does that make sense from a product perspective? In exactly one world: the one where Apple is about to call their first foldable the iPhone Ultra.

The Setup

Apple's foldable iPhone has been one of the worst kept secrets in the industry for the better part of two years. The dimensions have been circulating in supply chain reports since early 2025: a 5.5-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal display when unfolded. A wider, more tablet-like form factor. Sound familiar? It should. It is almost identical to the Galaxy Z Fold8's wider 4:3 design that Samsung just positioned as their entry-level foldable.

Apple is widely expected to call it the iPhone Ultra, a name that until this year carried serious weight in Samsung's own lineup. Galaxy S Ultra devices are Samsung's most powerful, most expensive, most capable flagships. The Ultra badge means something. Or it did, until Samsung quietly reassigned it to a seven-year-old form factor and put their genuinely new design on the cheaper tier.

What Samsung Is Actually Saying

Here is the subtext of Samsung's naming decision, read generously: the Fold8 Ultra is for power users who want maximum screen real estate and a 200MP camera system. The standard Fold8 is for everyone else. The Ultra is premium. The standard is accessible. That is a legitimate product strategy.

Here is the subtext read less generously: Samsung has taken the design that Apple is about to stake their foldable reputation on, shipped it first, priced it lower than their own flagship tier, and positioned it as the mainstream option. When Apple announces the iPhone Ultra in September with a wider tablet-like inner display and a price north of $2,000, Samsung will already have a device with the same form factor available for $1,899 that they are calling the regular one. Not even the best one. Just the Fold8.

That is a very specific kind of burn. The slow, deliberate, corporate kind.

The Production Numbers Tell the Real Story

If you needed any more evidence that Samsung knows exactly what they are doing with the Fold8's positioning, look at the manufacturing volumes. Supply chain reports from just before Unpacked confirmed that Samsung is producing more Galaxy Z Fold8 wide units than either the Fold8 Ultra or the Flip8. You do not ramp production on your entry-level device unless you expect it to be your volume seller. And you do not expect a $1,899 foldable to be your volume seller unless you are anticipating a very specific kind of demand: people who were going to buy an iPhone Ultra but decided to get there first.

Is It a Shot at Apple?

Almost certainly yes. But it is more nuanced than a simple jab. Samsung is not just trolling Apple's name choice. They are making a structural argument about the foldable category that will play out over the next six months. The argument goes like this: the wider form factor is not a premium innovation, it is the natural evolution of what a foldable phone should be. We know this because we are selling it as our standard model. When Apple charges $2,300 for the same basic shape and calls it Ultra, that context will already exist in the market.

Samsung has done this before. The company shipped large-screen phones for years before Apple introduced the iPhone 6 Plus, and when Apple finally arrived at the party Samsung had already normalised the category. The Galaxy Z Fold8 feels like a page from the same playbook, executed with a little more edge this time.

The Irony Samsung Is Counting On

There is one more layer to this worth sitting with. If the iPhone Ultra launches in September with the wider foldable form factor and gets the kind of reception Apple products typically receive, it will drive enormous awareness of that design. People who cannot get an iPhone Ultra at launch, because analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has already warned supply will be severely limited, will start looking at alternatives. The most obvious alternative will be a device with essentially the same wider form factor, available right now, for $200 less, made by the company that invented the modern foldable phone.

Samsung did not accidentally name their products this way. Every word on a Samsung stage is deliberate. The Fold8 Ultra exists to own the name before Apple can define it. The standard Fold8 exists to own the form factor before Apple can premium-price it. And the six week head start in London exists so that none of this feels reactive when September arrives.

Whether it works is a different question entirely. But as a piece of competitive strategy, it is genuinely impressive to watch.

Samsung took over London on July 22 for Galaxy Unpacked 2026, and it delivered one of its most packed hardware events in years. Three foldables announced simultaneously, a first in the company's history. Two new Galaxy Watch models. And the debut of Galaxy Glasses, Samsung's first smart eyewear built with Google. The choice of London over the usual New York or San Jose was deliberate, putting Samsung's newest hardware on European shelves a full six weeks before Apple is expected to announce its own foldable iPhone in September. Here is everything that was announced.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra: The New Flagship

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is Samsung's most ambitious foldable yet and the first time the Ultra designation has appeared on a Galaxy Z device. At just 4.1mm thin when unfolded it is the thinnest Galaxy Z Fold ever made, and the 8-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display uses Samsung's new Flex Titanium technology to meaningfully reduce the visible crease that has dogged the Fold lineup since the beginning.

The camera system is where Samsung is making its boldest statement. A 200MP ProVisual main sensor sits at the top of a triple camera setup capable of 8K video recording via the APV codec with Cine LUT support. The 50MP ultrawide doubles as a macro camera, and a 10MP 3x optical telephoto rounds out the system. Under the hood is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, backed by a 5000mAh dual battery with 45W wired charging reaching 67% in 30 minutes.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra starts at $2,099 in the US. Full specs are on DJs Mobiles.

Galaxy Z Fold8: A Completely Rethought Form Factor

The Galaxy Z Fold8 is arguably the more interesting story. Samsung has abandoned the tall narrow inner display that defined previous Fold generations and replaced it with a wider 4:3 aspect ratio on a 7.6-inch main screen. The result feels closer to a small tablet in the hand, genuinely natural for watching video, gaming, and reading in a way that earlier Folds never quite managed. At 201g it is also the lightest Galaxy Z Fold ever made, with a shorter squarer footprint that is significantly easier to pocket than its predecessors.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powers the device across all regions, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The camera steps down to a dual system, a 50MP main and 50MP ultrawide, which covers most shooting scenarios comfortably. Battery sits at 4800mAh with 45W wired charging rated for over 26 hours of video playback. The Fold8 starts at $1,899 in the US. Full specs are on DJs Mobiles.

Galaxy Z Flip8: Thinner, Pricier, Familiar

The Galaxy Z Flip8 rounds out the foldable lineup and is the most incremental of the three announcements. The design is virtually unchanged from the Flip 7, though Samsung has managed to slim it down to 6.1mm folded and 180g, making it noticeably more pocketable than its predecessor. The 6.9-inch inner display and 4.1-inch cover screen carry over unchanged, and the cover screen gains deeper AI integration through Now Brief notifications and voice-controlled actions across more than 40 supported apps.

The chipset split returns: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the US, Canada, Australia, and most of Asia, with the Exynos 2600 handling Europe and South Korea. Both configurations ship with 12GB of RAM in 256GB or 512GB storage options. The Flip8 starts at $1,199 in the US, a $100 increase over the Flip 7, with the 512GB model at $1,399. Colours include Graphite, Cream, and Pink, with Mint available exclusively through Samsung.com. Full specs are on DJs Mobiles.

Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2

Both new smartwatches were confirmed alongside the foldables, and both move to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset for more capable on-device AI processing without leaning on a paired phone. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 addresses the most persistent complaint about the original with a 784mAh battery, a 33% increase over the first Watch Ultra's 590mAh cell. The Galaxy Watch 9 simplifies the lineup by dropping the Classic variant this year, leaving a single design across size options.

Galaxy Glasses: Samsung Enters the Smart Eyewear Market

Galaxy Glasses made their official debut at Unpacked, built in collaboration with Google and powered by Gemini. They integrate with Google Maps, Android apps, and Samsung's broader ecosystem, and unlike most smart glasses on the market, they work with both Android and iOS. The audio-focused model is priced between $379 and $499, sitting directly above Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses at $299. A full camera-equipped version is planned for later in 2026. Samsung is also bundling a six-month Google AI Pro trial with select devices, which includes 5TB of cloud storage.

Availability and Pricing

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra	From $2,099 — pre-order open now, available August 7
Galaxy Z Fold8	From $1,899 — pre-order open now, available August 7
Galaxy Z Flip8	From $1,199 — pre-order open now, available August 7
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2	Pre-order open now, available August 7
Galaxy Watch 9	Pre-order open now, available August 7
Galaxy Glasses	From $379 — availability to be confirmed

All three foldables are available to pre-order now through Samsung.com, major retailers including Amazon and Best Buy, and carriers including T-Mobile and Verizon. Full specs for each device are available on DJs Mobiles: Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 is Samsung's sleekest and lightest flip foldable yet, weighing just 180g and measuring 6.1mm when unfolded. Built around quick interaction and self-expression, it introduces a redesigned AI-native FlexWindow with Now Brief, a 50MP ProVisual main camera with OIS, and new Camcorder Grip and Dual Recording modes — all powered by the Exynos 2600 chip and a 4300mAh dual battery.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Displays
Main Screen	6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1080 x 2520 px (FHD+), 400 ppi, 1–120Hz Adaptive, Vision Booster
Cover Screen	4.1" Super AMOLED, 948 x 1048 px, 342 ppi, 60/120Hz, Vision Booster — AI-native FlexWindow
Display Tech	Flex Titanium — new high-strength hinge material, stronger frame
Protection	IP48 (1.5m freshwater up to 30 min)
Platform & Hardware
OS	Android 17, One UI 9 (Galaxy AI)
Chipset	Samsung Exynos 2600
RAM / Storage	12GB + 256GB / 12GB + 512GB
Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
Dual Camera System
Main (Wide)	50MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 1.0µm, 85° FOV, 2x optical-quality zoom — ProVisual Engine
Ultrawide	12MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 123° FOV
Front Camera	10MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 85° FOV
Flip Features	Camcorder Grip with Zoom Rocker, Super Steady with Horizontal Lock, Dual Recording, FlipShot, Flex Mode hands-free, Mirror View
FlexWindow & Galaxy AI
FlexWindow	Full app access without unfolding — Gallery, messaging, tasks, personalized widgets
Now Brief	Weather, schedule, notifications, exchange rates, stock updates — personalized daily cards
Gemini Intelligence	FlexWindow access via side-key or voice — automation across 40+ apps and services
Privacy	Samsung Knox, Knox Vault, KEEP encrypted storage, Personal Data Engine, AI Assistant Activity dashboard
Power
Battery	4300 mAh Dual Battery (Si/C)
Wired Charging	25W Fast Charging — up to 55% in 30 min
Wireless	15W Fast Wireless Charging (WPC Qi)
Reverse	Wireless PowerShare
Design & Build
Folded	75.4 x 85.7 x 13.1 mm
Unfolded	75.4 x 166.9 x 6.1 mm — slimmest & lightest Galaxy Z Flip ever
Weight	180 g
Colors	Graphite, Cream, Pink — Samsung.com exclusive: Mint
Pricing
Starting Price	From $1,199 (US)
Availability	Pre-order open now — general sale imminent

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is a reimagined foldable built around content and discovery rather than productivity. A new wider 4:3 aspect ratio on the 7.6-inch main display makes it feel natural for movies, gaming, and reading, while a shorter, squarer form factor makes it the most approachable Galaxy Z Fold yet. At just 201g it is also the lightest Galaxy Z Fold ever made, backed by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and a 4800mAh battery rated for over 26 hours of video playback.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Displays
Main Screen	7.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1848 x 2448 px (QXGA+), 403 ppi, 1–120Hz Adaptive, Vision Booster
Aspect Ratios	4:3 (landscape) for gaming & film / 3:4 (portrait) for reading / Cover: 10:16 for short-form content
Cover Screen	5.5" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1248 x 1972 px (WUXGA+), 428 ppi, 1–120Hz Adaptive, Vision Booster
Display Tech	Flex Titanium (titanium-alloy film + enhanced titanium plate — reduces crease, improves durability)
Brightness	Up to 3000 nits — low-reflection display finish
Protection	IP48 (1.5m freshwater up to 30 min)
Platform & Hardware
OS	Android 17, One UI 9 (Galaxy AI)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM / Storage	12GB + 256GB / 12GB + 512GB / 16GB + 1TB
Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC
Dual Camera System
Main (Wide)	50MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 1.0µm, 85° FOV, 2x optical-quality zoom
Ultrawide	50MP, f/1.9, Quad Pixel AF, 0.7µm, 120° FOV
Cover Camera	10MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 85° FOV
Under-Display Camera	10MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 100° FOV
Features	Dual Recording, My FanCam (AI subject tracking & reframe), Nightography
Galaxy AI
Features	Now Brief, Now Nudge, Gemini Intelligence, Gemini Notebook, Agentic AI multitasking
Privacy	Samsung Knox, Knox Vault, KEEP encrypted storage, Personal Data Engine, AI Assistant Activity dashboard
Power
Battery	4800 mAh Dual Battery (Si/C) — up to 26+ hours video playback
Wired Charging	45W Fast Charging — up to 63% in 30 min
Wireless	20W Fast Wireless Charging (WPC Qi)
Reverse	Wireless PowerShare
Design & Build
Folded	81.9 x 123.9 x 9.7 mm
Unfolded	161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5 mm
Weight	201 g — lightest Galaxy Z Fold ever
Colors	Graphite, Cream, Lavender — Samsung.com exclusive: Pistachio
Pricing
Starting Price	From $1,899 (US)
Availability	Pre-order open now — general sale imminent

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the first-ever Ultra foldable in the Galaxy Z lineup, and the thinnest Galaxy Z Fold yet at just 4.1mm when unfolded. Weighing only 215g, it pairs an expansive 8-inch QXGA+ main display with a 200MP ProVisual camera system, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and a 5000mAh dual battery — all wrapped in Flex Titanium display technology designed to reduce crease and improve durability.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Displays
Main Screen	8.0" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2504 x 2256 px (QXGA+), 422 ppi, 1–120Hz Adaptive, Vision Booster
Cover Screen	6.5" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1080 x 2520 px (FHD+), 422 ppi, 1–120Hz Adaptive, Vision Booster
Display Tech	Flex Titanium (Titanium-alloy film + enhanced titanium plate — reduces crease, improves durability)
Protection	IP48 (1.5m freshwater up to 30 min)
Platform & Hardware
OS	Android 17, One UI 9 (Galaxy AI)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM / Storage	12GB + 256GB / 12GB + 512GB / 16GB + 1TB
Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC
Triple ProVisual Camera System
Main (Wide)	200MP, f/1.7, Quad Pixel AF, OIS, 0.6µm, 85° FOV, 2x optical-quality zoom — HDR in 200MP mode
Ultrawide	50MP, f/1.9, Quad Pixel AF, 0.7µm, 120° FOV — Macro capable
Telephoto	10MP, f/2.4, PDAF, OIS, 1.0µm, 36° FOV, 3x Optical Zoom
Cover Camera	10MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 85° FOV
Under-Display Camera	10MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 100° FOV
Video	8K via APV codec, Cine LUT, Nightography, Dual Recording
AI Features
Galaxy AI	Now Brief, Now Nudge (Multi Window), Gemini Intelligence, Gemini Notebook
Productivity	AI-powered multitasking via expanded Multi Window, Split View drag-and-drop
Privacy	Samsung Knox, Knox Vault, KEEP encrypted storage, Personal Data Engine, AI Assistant Activity dashboard
Power
Battery	5000 mAh Dual Battery (Si/C)
Wired Charging	45W Fast Charging — up to 67% in 30 min (dual-path charging architecture)
Wireless	20W Fast Wireless Charging (WPC Qi)
Reverse	Wireless PowerShare
Design & Build
Folded	72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9 mm
Unfolded	143.2 x 158.4 x 4.1 mm — thinnest Galaxy Z Fold ever
Weight	215 g
Colors	Graphite, Cream, Violet Shadow — Samsung.com exclusive: Green Shadow
Pricing
Starting Price	From $2,099 (US)
Availability	Pre-order open now — general sale imminent