Early pre-orders for Samsung’s Galaxy Z8 foldables in South Korea, the US, and Europe indicate a significant rebound in the market, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 leading consumer interest despite supply constraints.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z8 foldables are shaping up to be its strongest launch yet, with early demand in South Korea, the US and Europe pointing to a wider rebound in the category. According to Counterpoint Research, Korean pre-orders are up 39% from the previous generation, while US orders for the Fold line are 30% higher and European demand for the Z8 range is more than 20% up.
The most notable shift is in the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, which appears to be attracting the biggest share of buyers across major markets. Counterpoint said interest in the new, wider form factor is strongest in South Korea, the US, Europe, Japan, China and south-east Asia, while India is leaning more towards the Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung’s own launch momentum appears to back that view: Tom’s Guide reported 1.44 million pre-orders in the first week of availability, up 30% year on year, with almost half for the wider Fold model.
The demand pattern is also showing up in stock pressure. Android Central reported that the Fold 8 has been outselling the Ultra variant in overseas markets, with some online inventory selling out and shipping delays appearing on certain models. SamMobile reported that Samsung had already raised production of the base Fold 8 by 40%, yet supply still seems tighter than expected.
Samsung has tried to support the launch with aggressive trade-in offers and regional discounts, including sizeable savings in the US and Canada, but the main story is product preference rather than price alone. Review sites have noted that the Fold 8’s more compact, content-friendly shape may be proving more practical than the Ultra’s larger and pricier design.
Counterpoint expects first-year shipments of the Galaxy Z8 line to rise by double digits versus the Z7 series and by more than 70% compared with the Z6 generation. That would be a meaningful step for a market that is still niche, but the outlook may yet be shaped by Apple’s expected entry into foldables, which could broaden consumer awareness even as it raises competition.
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