[On the Scene] Galaxy Z8 Preorders Draw a Last-Day Rush to Samsung Stores

Customers visit a Samsung Store on the final day of advance purchases for the Galaxy Z8 series. (Photo=Naeoe Economy TV)

Naeoe Economy TV | Kim Min-ho — “It is lighter, the design looks good, and I like the performance, so I applied for an advance purchase today.”

Samsung Electronics’ advance-purchase promotion for the Galaxy Z8 series, which began on the 28th of last month, ends on the 3rd.

On the final day of advance sales for the Galaxy Z8 series, Samsung Electronics’ ambitious product lineup for 2026, customers continued to stream into Samsung Stores to try the new devices and ask questions about them.

The stores were not merely a little busier than usual. From the morning onward, crowds gathered at many Samsung Store locations to see the Z8 series in person, and lines formed as customers waited for their turn.

Samsung Electronics introduced three Z-series models through the advance-purchase event: the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8. Customers who purchase a Z8-series device during the promotional period receive advance-purchase benefits, including a “Double Storage” offer worth 250,000 won that upgrades a 256 GB device to 512 GB.

Notices announcing the end of the advance-purchase benefits are posted throughout a Samsung Store. (Photo=Naeoe Economy TV)

Customers visiting the stores stopped to read advance-sales notices displayed around the sales floors. Some also spoke with employees to ask for details about the available benefits and the conditions attached to a purchase.

During this advance-sales period, inquiries from customers in their teens through their 30s rose noticeably. Questions from teenagers and people in their 20s increased particularly sharply, helping the Galaxy lineup shake off its reputation for being somewhat less popular among younger consumers.

One customer in their 20s said, “I frequently watch YouTube and OTT streaming content on my phone, so I wanted to try a Fold-series device, but I hesitated to buy one because it was too heavy.”

The customer added, “After holding and using the Z Fold8 myself today, I found that it is lighter and better than the phone I currently use.”

Younger customers in their teens through 30s visit a Samsung Store and experience the Galaxy Z8 series firsthand. (Photo=Naeoe Economy TV)

The Galaxy series has traditionally been strong among consumers in their 40s and 50s. The newly unveiled series, however, has also attracted significant attention from younger customers with specifications presented as the most advanced in the lineup’s history.

The Z Fold8 weighs 201 grams, bringing it close to the weight of a conventional bar-type smartphone. The Z Fold8 Ultra also achieves a relatively light weight of 215 grams, along with an ultra-slim profile measuring about 4.1 millimeters when unfolded and 8.9 millimeters when folded.

Performance has also been substantially improved through the use of a fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which strengthens both on-device AI processing and graphics capabilities. The Ultra model is equipped with a 200-megapixel main camera, providing a shooting environment in a foldable phone comparable to that of the Ultra series.

The Z Flip8 further builds on the light weight that has been a defining advantage of the existing Flip series. It weighs 180 grams and has been produced with a thickness of approximately 6.1 millimeters.

Samsung Electronics also enlarged the cover display to 4.1 inches and added support for a 120 Hz refresh rate. These changes allow users to access key AI functions without opening the phone.

In particular, the device uses a next-generation, high-energy-density silicon-carbon battery with a capacity of 4,300 mAh. The new battery is intended to improve the battery issue that has long been cited as a persistent weakness of the Flip series.

Galaxy Z8-series products displayed inside a Samsung Store. (Photo=Naeoe Economy TV)

Another customer who visited a store on the final day of the event said, “It used to feel burdensome to carry because of the heavy weight, but now it is lighter than my phone.” The customer added, “I am extremely satisfied with the newly released Z8 series.”

Customer inquiries surged during the advance-purchase period, while favorable reactions continued from people who tried the devices before buying. Against that backdrop, some industry observers are already predicting that the Galaxy Z8 series will surpass the sales record set by the Z7 series, which sold 1.04 million units and became the best-selling foldable smartphone series to date.

A Samsung Electronics representative said, “Young consumers in their teens through 30s responded quickly from the beginning of this advance-purchase event, confirming their expectations for the strong sense of immersion and mobile experience offered by the new form factor.”

The representative added, “We also have a positive outlook on the possibility of surpassing the previous model’s record for the highest foldable-smartphone sales ever achieved.”