| Samsung Electronics Co. touted strong early demand for its latest lineup of folding smartphones, saying that the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8 are on pace to break the preorder records of all previous Z-series models. The passport-shaped Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra are currently outpacing last year's preorder numbers by 30%, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The squat, wide-format Fold 8 is making up nearly half of all preorders, according to Samsung, indicating that the new design style has already broken through with consumers even before it arrives in stores. "It's incredibly encouraging to see such strong early momentum for our new Galaxy Z series, driven by our new form factor," Drew Blackard, senior vice president of mobile product management at Samsung Electronics America, told Bloomberg News. "We're proud to see the category continue to grow." All of the latest Galaxy Z devices will be available starting Aug. 7. Samsung is hyping its preorder performance just weeks before the company will have to contend with formidable competition from Apple Inc., which will unveil its long-awaited folding iPhone in September. That device will have a similar shape to Samsung's Fold 8. Meanwhile, Alphabet Inc.'s Google plans to introduce its Pixel 11 Pro Fold on Aug. 12, though it will feature a taller, more narrow design in line with the Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung is marketing the newer style as better-suited for entertainment and reading e-books, among other advantages that come with the wider, shorter inner display.  Apple's entry into foldables could give the category a substantial sales boost: Folding phones still represent a tiny sliver of the smartphone market compared with traditional, less expensive handsets like the Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max. Until now, Samsung has dominated the US foldable segment, easily outperforming rivals like Google and Lenovo Group Ltd.'s Motorola. But Apple's marketing muscle and iPhone install base will make for a much tougher challenge. ALSO READ: 10 Phones Under Rs 30,000 You Shouldn't Miss During Flipkart Freedom Sale Samsung said that buzz around the Fold 8 seems to be drawing some customers away from its flip-style models: More than three times as many Flip owners have preordered a Fold 8 or Fold 8 Ultra compared with previous generations. |
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