iPhone Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Can Apple finally challenge Samsung’s dominance in foldable market?

Apple may finally enter the foldable smartphone market this September with the iPhone Ultra. While it is quite late in the race, it may set the stage for a potential showdown with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, which is set to launch in July 2026.

Foldable has remained a niche product and caters to power users. However, they come with their own set of challenges, which Samsung has overcome gradually over the years. But will Apple be able to shift its dominance? Let’s have a closer look at what the iPhone Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could offer.

Must read: Apple's foldable iPhone could be closer than you think, thanks to iOS 27 beta

iPhone Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Design and display

The iPhone Ultra is reported to have a wallet-style fold, instead of a book-style fold like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Therefore, it will look wider and shorter in size. The foldable iPhone could feature a flat frame, a glass back, and a carefully engineered hinge for the folding mechanism.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra may look largely similar to its predecessor with an aluminium build, triple camera setup on the rear panel, and a slimmer profile. The Fold 8 Ultra is expected to be 4.1mm slim, whereas the iPhone Ultra could measure 4.5mm.

For display, the iPhone Ultra could feature a 5.5-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED cover display with ProMotion technology for a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 7.8-inch inner display. Whereas the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra features a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and an 8-inch internal display. However, the real comparison would be for a crease-free display.

Must read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 series real-life images surface online ahead of July 2026 launch

iPhone Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to feature a triple camera setup that may include a 200MP primary camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. On the other hand, the iPhone Ultra could feature a dual-lens camera that may consist of a 48MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide camera.

iPhone Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Performance and battery

The iPhone Ultra is reported to be powered by an A20 Pro chip built with TSMC’s 2nm process and paired with 12GB RAM. Whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor paired with up to 16GB of RAM.

The iPhone Ultra could be backed by a 5,500 mAh dual-cell battery, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could be equipped with a 5000mAh battery.