In London on Wednesday, Samsung announced its most aggressive product lineup in years. For the first time, the company is offering two fundamentally different foldable form factors simultaneously, and is betting on Google's Gemini AI instead of its previous proprietary Galaxy AI system. The Galaxy Glasses, Samsung's first AI-enabled glasses, mark direct entry into a market currently dominated by Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. Apple, the largest competitor, has no comparable product in any of these categories.
Two form factors, one market: Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 breaks with the design of all previous Z Fold generations. Instead of the familiar portrait orientation resembling an open book, Samsung chose landscape format for the Z Fold 8. When unfolded, the inner display is approximately 19.3 centimeters (7.6 inches) large and wider than tall, similar to a small notebook. The outer folding display measures 14 centimeters (5.5 inches). Samsung calls this style the "Passport" format. Price: $1,899, available from August 7. Pre-orders began July 22.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, by contrast, retains the traditional portrait orientation and is the direct successor to the Z Fold 7. It targets users who want a one-handed, portrait-oriented foldable experience. Technically, the Ultra offers 12 gigabytes of RAM, storage options up to one terabyte, and 5,000 milliamp-hour battery capacity, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Price: $2,099.
Samsung justifies the parallel development with user data: some purchasers want maximum display area in landscape orientation for spreadsheets and video playback, while others prefer portrait format for one-handed use. The Z Flip 8, Samsung's clamshell flip phone with a 50-megapixel camera, launches at $1,199 and remains largely unchanged from its predecessor.
Galaxy Glasses: Samsung's AI-glasses gamble
The strategically most interesting product at the London event was not a phone. The Galaxy Glasses are Samsung's first AI-enabled eyeglasses with an environmental camera. The frames were developed in collaboration with design houses Gentle Monster and Warby Parker and will come in multiple styles: classic rectangular, round, and cat-eye variants.
Technically, Samsung's Galaxy glasses run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 chipset. Battery life is nine hours, with the charging case providing seven full recharges. Google's Gemini AI is directly integrated: users can ask questions via voice command or tapping the frame, dictate notes, request translations, and use the built-in camera to have Gemini comment on objects or text in their environment.
Privacy organizations have already raised concerns. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has announced a fundamental review of data handling practices for glasses with environmental cameras following Meta's entry into this segment with Ray-Ban glasses since 2023. Samsung has not yet published complete information on data storage on European servers. The Galaxy Glasses are scheduled for autumn 2026; no specific launch date for Germany has been announced.
Gemini instead of Galaxy AI: Google's reach expands
All new devices come pre-installed with Google's Gemini Notebook. Users can upload meeting recordings or documents and automatically generate summaries, presentation slides, or podcast episodes. The Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also feature Gemini: navigation, translations, and simple photo editing run via voice command or frame tapping.
Galaxy Watch 9 costs $379, $30 more than its predecessor. Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 costs $699, also $50 higher than the previous model. Both watches ship alongside the foldables starting August 7.
Deep Gemini integration represents a strategic shift. Samsung had marketed Galaxy AI as a standalone ecosystem over two years, relying on proprietary models and partnerships. Subordinating itself to Google's brand signals that Samsung is deliberately ceding control of the AI layer in exchange for access to Google's model investments and user base. Whether this is strength or dependency will be revealed by sales figures.
From August 7: Samsung occupies a market without Apple competition
Apple has no foldable phone in its lineup and has announced no AI glasses. Multiple analysts, including Counterpoint Research, expect global foldable market growth of 21 percent in 2026. Samsung holds an estimated market share of roughly 32 percent in this segment according to Counterpoint Research; Apple's share is zero.
For European buyers, US prices will be significantly higher after currency conversion and value-added tax. The Galaxy Glasses are also unlikely to reach Germany until after the announced data protection review by European authorities. Samsung's calculation remains clear nonetheless: anyone wanting to switch to a foldable phone or AI glasses in the coming months will find no comparable alternative from Apple in the foreseeable future.