Samsung's next-generation foldables are here | The Vergecast Livestream

July 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Samsung's new foldables finally have an argument

The most striking moment of Samsung's Unpacked event wasn't a spec or a feature—it was the company actually trying to explain why you'd want any of these devices. After years of shipping foldables and letting customers figure out the use case, Samsung spent real time building a case for each form factor. The Z Fold 8 (the "wide" foldable) is for content consumption: you start on Instagram Reels on the cover screen, then open it up to watch video on one side while reading comments on the other. The Z Fold Ultra (the "tall" foldable) is for productivity: two apps side by side, work-focused multitasking. The Z Flip is for putting your phone away entirely—a device designed around its cover screen and AI summaries, meant to get you in and out quickly. For the first time, Samsung drew a clear line between three different shapes and three different jobs.

The wide foldable might finally be the right shape

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What you'll learn

1 (01:21) **Hosts Introduce the Unpacked Event** - David Pierce and Nilay Patel set the stage for Samsung's 2026 foldable phone announcements.
2 (03:14) **Samsung Finally Makes a Case for Foldables** - The hosts argue Samsung did what they've waited years for: explain why you would want a folding device.
3 (03:30) **Ranking the Three Foldable Form Factors** - David and Nilay rank the new phone shapes: Wide (Z Fold 8), Flip (Z Flip 8), and Tall (Z Fold 8 Ultra).
4 (05:37) **The Case for the Wide Foldable (Z Fold 8)** - Samsung positions the Z Fold 8 as a content consumption device.
5 (09:14) **Wide vs. Tall: The Core Distinction** - Samsung differentiates the two large foldables by use case.
6 (10:35) **The AI Argument for the Wide Form Factor** - Nilay suggests the squat, comfortable size of the Z Fold 8 might be the ideal AI device.
7 (12:10) **Samsung's Agentic AI Pitch Falls Flat** - The hosts critique the "agentic AI" demos, which focused on buying things (tickets, reservations).

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Samsung just kicked off phone season with the new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8, along with two new watches and a look at its smart glasses. David and Nilay talk through all the new devices, Samsung's overall case for foldable phones, and what it'll take for Samsung — or anyone — to convince people to spend $2,000 on a phone.