Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 8, a flip-style foldable phone that its maker claims is the thinnest and lightest on the market, while also giving the cover screen far greater functionality. Rather than a dramatic redesign, the update focuses on refinements that blur the line between the folded phone and a conventional smartphone, letting owners access notifications, quick settings and an app drawer without opening the device. This matters because it signals Samsung's shift towards making foldables feel like everyday phones rather than novelty devices, though it may also erode some of the appeal that came from a flip phone's built-in limitations.

The Z Flip 8 keeps the same 6.9-inch internal AMOLED display and 4.1-inch cover screen as its predecessor, along with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of base storage and a 4,300mAh battery. New swipe gestures now let users natively access notifications, settings and apps from the cover screen, a feature previously only possible via a workaround app. The phone measures 13.1mm thick when folded and 6.1mm unfolded, weighing 180g, thanks partly to new "Flex Titanium" display technology said to be 20 times more durable, and a switch to denser silicon carbon battery cells.