BTS’ J-Hope unveils the wider Galaxy Z Fold 8
▼ Summary
– BTS member J-Hope was filmed using Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide at a Paris tour stop, providing an early unofficial look before the July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event.
– The device in the footage matches leaked renders of the wide version, showing a purple finish, but it was not shown unfolded.
– Samsung’s marketing partnership with BTS likely supplied the phone to J-Hope, not as an intentional early reveal.
– Reported specs for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide include a 5.5-inch external display, 7.6-inch internal display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 12GB RAM, 4,800mAh battery, and a 50MP wide/50MP ultrawide camera setup.
– Samsung will formally unveil the Z Fold 8 Wide alongside the Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and new smartwatches at the July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event in London.
BTS member J-Hope has inadvertently given the world its first real-world glimpse of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, weeks before the official July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event. The singer was captured on video using the foldable during soundcheck footage from a BTS World Tour stop in Paris, with the clips now circulating widely on X.
The footage, highlighted by 9to5Google’s Ben Schoon, shows J-Hope holding and filming with the device from multiple angles. The phone in the clips matches leaked renders of the larger, wide iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is expected to compete directly with Apple’s rumored iPhone Ultra Fold later this year. While the device appears in a purple finish, it is never shown fully unfolded, leaving its inner display still a mystery.
Samsung has an ongoing marketing partnership with BTS, and 9to5Google noted the phone was likely provided to J-Hope through that relationship. It does not appear to have been an intentional early reveal, though the timing certainly builds buzz.
The device is expected to launch under the Galaxy Z Fold 8 name, but the branding could cause some confusion. This model reportedly isn’t the direct successor to last year’s Z Fold 7. That role falls to a separate Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which will also debut at Unpacked.
According to our roundup of Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide leaks, the rumored specs include a 5.5-inch external display, a 7.6-inch internal display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and a 4,800mAh battery. The camera system is expected to feature a 50MP wide lens, a 50MP ultrawide, and dual 10MP selfie cameras. That marks a notable downgrade from the Z Fold 7’s 200MP main sensor.
Samsung will officially unveil the new foldable lineup, alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and new smartwatches, at its July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event in London. Mashable will be on the ground covering the event live, so stay tuned for our blog and full coverage starting Wednesday.
(Source: Mashable)
