Samsung is reportedly laying out its 2026 business plans, placing a massive strategic bet on its foldable phone lineup. Sources suggest that the brand wants to cement itself as the number one foldable manufacturer by further improving the design of its 2026 foldable lineup. This could include a heavy redesign of its Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8.
Samsung Aims for a 10% Foldable Sales Increase in 2026
According to a report from Korean website The Bell, the mobile division of Samsung has set a sales target of approximately 67 million units for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8, slated to release in 2026.
This ambitious target represents a 10% increase over the target sales of the current Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 models. In contrast, Samsung has set a sales target of 36 million units for its upcoming flagship Galaxy S26 series, similar to the previous year. This signals that Samsung is considering making foldables the primary face of the brand's future growth.
The key driver behind Samsung's ambitious goals could be due to a significant overhaul of the Galaxy Z Flip 8. While the current generation Galaxy Z Flip 7 did bring some improvements, particularly in its cover display, the rest of the phone was considered a minor upgrade.
This was a stark contrast to the dramatic redesign of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which was not only 10% lighter but also one of the thinnest foldable smartphones of 2025. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is also expected to be thinner and lighter.
For 2026, Samsung is reportedly aiming for a big improvement for the Z Flip 8, and that could come by reducing the thickness and body weight of the clamshell foldable.
While we can only speculate on the other improvements it could pack, the next generation of Samsung foldables is rumoured to arrive with Exynos 2600. Reports also suggest that while the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ could be using the Exynos 2600 as well, the Galaxy S26 Ultra processor could ultimately be the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Samsung dialling up its aggressiveness may be related to Apple launching its first foldable next year. Apple's entry could serve as a double-edged sword. While it could help make foldables more mainstream, it could also largely jeopardise Samsung's sales, unless the brand decides to take things up a notch.
The launch of Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 could happen sometime in August 2026, which is still a long way ahead. More information about the next Samsung foldables should start dropping sometime in March 2026, so stay tuned.
