Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 wins young users, ex‑iPhone fans in South Korea

According to a report from South Korea, the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 with its “passport” design is winning over new fans.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 in Graphite, Cream, and Lavender

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 gains momentum

To recall, just a year ago, KOREA NOW reported that young Koreans preferred iPhones over Samsung devices. But with this latest release, the thinner and lighter Fold8 is said to be drawing younger women and longtime Apple loyalists, backed by record pre‑order numbers.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8's outer and inner folding screens

The report noted that domestic pre‑orders reached 1.44 million units for the Z Fold8—the highest ever for a Galaxy device—while global sales have already surpassed 5 million units.

The Galaxy Z8 Series also achieved record pre‑orders across Southeast Asia and Oceania, including the Philippines. Samsung said half of pre‑order customers were in their teens, 20s, or 30s, while purchases by women more than doubled compared to the previous model.

South Korean publication Korea JoongAng Daily cited an industry source: "Considering that 67 percent of Korean women in their 20s use iPhones, the increase in purchases among women in their teens through 30s is significant."

To add color, the outlet even compiled social media posts from new Fold8 users, including comments like "The iPhone feels like a dad phone now" and "I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it in person because it was so pretty."

Still, only time will tell if Samsung's renewed momentum will last. Apple's entry into foldables looms large, with the company expected to unveil a 4:3 "iPhone Ultra" this September.

The move sets up a direct clash with Samsung's passport‑style Galaxy Z Fold 8, intensifying competition over design and usability in the premium foldable market.

To recap, the Galaxy Z Fold8 features a thinner, lighter passport‑style 4:3 form factor, super-slim profile, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, improved crease durability, dual 50MP rear camera setup, and 10MP selfie cameras, positioning it as Samsung’s most compelling foldable yet.

Source: Korea JoongAng Daily