Now that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is official, it’s time to pit it against the iPhone Ultra — Apple’s first-ever foldable iPhone.
Or more accurately, against the pile of rumors that currently make up the iPhone Ultra. Apple’s debut foldable is still two months from being official, with an unveiling expected in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro.
Still, we already have a fairly solid picture of what that unreleased iPhone Ultra might look like.
Apples and oranges?
First things first — despite both the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the rumored iPhone Ultra sharing the “Ultra” name, they look drastically different on the outside.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra is, in fact, the true successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. That means a square-ish inner display when unfolded, while folded up, it resembles a tall, narrow candy bar phone.
The iPhone Ultra, by contrast, is expected to be wider than it is tall when unfolded, with a folded aspect ratio said to resemble a passport. Samsung does have a wider-than-tall foldable this time too — it’s just called the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with no “Ultra” attached.
So it really comes down to personal preference. Want the biggest inner screen and you’re already comfortable with a tall, narrow cover display? Go with the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Watch a lot of video content? The iPhone Ultra’s wider screen might suit you better.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra comes in a bit lighter at 215 grams, while the iPhone Ultra is rumored to weigh around 255 grams. Apple’s foldable is said to feature a premium titanium frame and aim for an almost invisible crease — though that’s still unconfirmed. The Z Fold 8 Ultra has also nearly eliminated its crease, so the pressure’s on Apple to match it.
In reality, creases aren’t much of an issue these days. They’re shallow enough that most people stop noticing them after just a few hours of use.
Camera Showdown: One Foldable Might Skip the Telephoto Lens
Samsung appears to hold the edge on camera hardware.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra packs a 200MP main camera, a new 50MP ultra-wide, and a dedicated telephoto lens. It’s also equipped with features like improved Nightography, 8K video recording, and Cine LUT for easier color grading.
Apple’s foldable, meanwhile, is rumored to stick with a simpler dual-camera setup — 48MP main and ultra-wide, with no dedicated telephoto lens. Here’s hoping that changes before launch, though realistically, it probably won’t. Apple will likely lean harder on computational photography to make up the difference.
Performance should be stellar on both devices
Performance should be excellent on both devices, with Samsung running the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy and Apple expected to debut its new 2nm A20 chip.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Apple can claim the efficiency edge thanks to its newer manufacturing process, while Samsung counters with an expanded cooling system built to sustain performance during heavier workloads.
Storage tops out at 1TB on both phones, though Samsung goes further with a 16GB RAM option versus a rumored 12GB ceiling on Apple’s foldable. Battery capacity looks similar too, at around 5,000mAh — but Samsung already offers 45W wired charging, while Apple’s charging speeds remain a mystery for now.
All told, there’s no real “wrong” choice here when it comes to raw performance.
Software tricks are crucial
Both phones are expected to make the most of their large foldable displays, though each takes a different approach. Samsung pairs One UI 9 with Galaxy AI features like Now Brief, Now Nudge, and deep Gemini integration, alongside split-screen tools and tighter interaction with Galaxy watches and other devices.
Apple’s foldable is expected to run iOS 27, featuring a redesigned interface built for the larger screen, iPad-style multitasking, and Apple Intelligence powered by a new version of Siri. On security, Samsung brings a broader toolkit through Knox, Knox Vault, and several privacy features, while Apple is expected to lean on its Secure Enclave, Touch ID, and its well-established security ecosystem.
