Samsung’s eighth-generation foldables stop being a pre-order and start being a purchase. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 begin general sale on 7 August across the UAE, alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9. Pre-orders, which opened at 5pm on 22 July, close today — so if you want the storage upgrade and the AED 200 pre-order voucher, this is the last day to have them.
Samsung says pre-orders for the new lineup are up more than 30% globally on the previous generation, with the rollout covering 106 markets. Graphite led orders on both Folds; Pink led on the Flip8. Among Samsung.com buyers aged 15 to 34, the online-exclusive colours — Green Shadow, Pistachio and Mint — were the most popular picks.
Galaxy Z Fold8 series UAE prices
| Model | Storage | UAE price |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 256GB | AED 7,999 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 512GB | AED 8,799 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | 1TB | AED 10,399 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 256GB | AED 7,199 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 512GB | AED 7,999 |
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 1TB | AED 9,599 |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 | 256GB | AED 4,699 |
| Galaxy Z Flip8 | 512GB | AED 5,499 |
| Galaxy Watch Ultra2 | 47mm LTE | AED 2,669 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 40mm BT | AED 1,449 |
| Galaxy Watch9 | 44mm LTE | AED 1,759 |
Prices are Samsung Gulf’s official UAE RRPs, unchanged from the prices announced at Unpacked. Note the overlap that makes the middle of this range awkward: AED 7,999 buys you either a 256GB Fold8 Ultra or a 512GB standard Fold8. That single line is the whole buying decision for most people — more screen and a better camera, or more storage for the same money. Live prices for every model, including retailer offers, sit in our Galaxy Z Fold8 series UAE hub.
Three shapes instead of one
The Fold line has split. The Fold8 Ultra is the familiar tall, narrow Fold, now at 4.1mm unfolded and 215g, with an 8-inch main display, a 200MP main camera that supports HDR at full resolution, a new 50MP ultrawide, a 10MP 3x telephoto, a 5,000mAh battery and 45W wired charging. It runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy.
The standard Fold8 is the more interesting redesign. It is shorter and wider — a 5.5-inch cover screen in a 10:16 ratio, and a 7.6-inch 4:3 main display — which cuts the letterboxing that made video on previous Folds a compromise. At 201g it is the lightest Galaxy Z Fold yet, with dual 50MP cameras, a 4,800mAh battery and the same Snapdragon platform. Samsung credits its new Flex Titanium display structure for the slimmer build and a crease that is now genuinely hard to spot.
The Flip8 finally has a spec sheet to go with the marketing: 6.1mm unfolded, 180g, a 6.9-inch main screen, a 4,300mAh battery charging at 25W, Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chip rather than the Snapdragon the Folds use, and a 4.1-inch FlexWindow cover screen that now runs apps rather than just widgets — Gallery, messaging and Now Brief cards for weather, calendar and notifications without opening the phone. Camcorder Grip, Super Steady with horizontal lock and dual recording are the camera additions aimed at creators.
One caveat that applies to both Folds: dust protection is still IP48, not IP68. In a country with as much fine sand as this one, that is worth knowing before you take a foldable to the desert.
Launch offers, and whether they’re worth rushing for
Samsung’s pre-order incentives run until today and are applied automatically in the cart:
- 256GB to 512GB storage upgrade for AED 400 on the Flip8, Fold8 or Fold8 Ultra
- 512GB to 1TB for AED 800 on either Fold
- Up to AED 3,737 in Samsung Trade-In credit on Galaxy Z devices (up to AED 1,915 on the Flip8)
- AED 200 as an eVoucher or extra trade-in value on 256GB models
- Bundled subscriptions including TOD Sports, OSN+, Samsung Entertainer and six months of Google AI Pro
Samsung is also advertising up to AED 1,000 off first purchases with select bank cards or Samsung Wallet. The storage upgrade is the offer with real value — AED 400 for 256GB extra is well under what Samsung charges for the same jump at retail. Trade-in ceilings, as always, assume a recent flagship in good condition; the figure you actually see depends on the device and its grade.
Which one should you buy?
If you multitask for a living — two full apps side by side, spreadsheets, long documents — the Fold8 Ultra’s extra screen height still justifies the premium. If you mostly read, watch and game, the standard Fold8 is the better device and the better value, and its 4:3 panel is a real improvement rather than a spec-sheet one. PCMag’s review, which tested the Fold8 for a week and measured nearly 17 hours of battery life, called it the foldable to beat and gave it an Editors’ Choice award at 4.0.
The Flip8 is a harder sell at AED 4,699, mostly because of what it competes with: the standard Fold8 is AED 2,500 more, but it is a fundamentally more capable device. Buy the Flip8 because you want something pocketable and expressive, not because you want a cheap foldable.
Availability from 7 August covers Samsung.com, Samsung Experience Stores and authorised retailers across the UAE, plus carrier plans from the local operators.
FAQ
When do the Galaxy Z Fold8 phones go on sale in the UAE?
General availability starts on 7 August 2026. Pre-orders ran from 22 July to 6 August.
How much is the Galaxy Z Fold8 in the UAE?
AED 7,199 for 256GB, AED 7,999 for 512GB and AED 9,599 for 1TB. The Fold8 Ultra starts at AED 7,999 and the Flip8 at AED 4,699.
Is the Galaxy Z Fold8 waterproof?
It is IP48 rated — protected against water immersion, but only partially against dust and sand. That is a step behind the IP68 rating on several rival foldables.
Does the Galaxy Z Fold8 have a telephoto camera?
No. The standard Fold8 uses two 50MP cameras. Only the Fold8 Ultra has a dedicated 10MP 3x telephoto.
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