The Galaxy Flip 8 Could Be the Last of Samsung's Clamshell Foldables

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 8 may be the last clamshell foldable in the series, according to a tipster who claims there's no Flip 9 on the brand's roadmap. According to a Weibo post published over the weekend, there are no signs of a Flip 8 successor on the horizon, and vertically folding smartphones are appealing to manufacturers and buyers less than horizontally folding ones.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8—which Samsung is expected to unveil this summer—is said to have a thinner, lighter body, a less visible screen crease, an improved OLED panel, and a next‑generation chipset. So far, it sounds more like a refinement of the current design than a major redesign. Rumor has it Samsung plans to price the Flip 8 similarly to the current Galaxy Z Flip 7, which keeps it in light premium territory, especially compared to the Fold series.

That could be because Samsung plans to sunset the Galaxy Z Flip line. The Weibo tipster claims that because product planning begins at least a year before a product's release, they should have heard about the Galaxy Z Flip 9 by now—except they haven't. They suspect rising manufacturing costs and limited room for generational improvement are to blame.

This is only speculation, of course, and Samsung has not confirmed whether it will make a Flip 9 or end the clamshell line entirely. If Samsung does cancel the line, an already scarce clamshell foldable sector will get even scarcer, leaving only the Motorola Razr line to fill the gap.