Samsung’s latest launches, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8 foldable smartphones, generated discussions shortly after their announcement, made on July 23, 2026. Media outlets that have already received the devices for analysis noted that the line prevents the installation of benchmark applications. This restriction affects both downloads from the Play Store and manual installations (sideload), but the company has already presented an explanation for what happened, minimizing initial concerns.
The inability to use these applications on all three models caught the attention of some testers and content creators, such as MKBHD. Performance tests are a common practice in the industry to evaluate and compare the processing power of new cell phones in the first few days of use, making blocking an immediate point of interest for the technology community.
One possible reason for the blockage, as indicated by well-known leaker Ice Universe, is that the review units in reviewers’ possession are running engineering firmware, and not the final commercial version of the system. The impediment to installing benchmark software would therefore be a remnant of development code. Manufacturers often impose limitations on certain programs during the creation phase to prevent leakage of inaccurate results from versions that are still incomplete.
Learn more: Galaxy Z Fold 8 innovates and brings back the convenience of smaller screens for everyday use
The South Korean manufacturer itself went public to clarify that the situation is temporary. The company said it is aware of the issue and is already working on a software update that will be released soon to correct this behavior.
This fix must be implemented before the flaw affects consumers. Although the models are already on pre-sale in other countries, Samsung will have enough time to apply the necessary changes before the final units are delivered to buyers, ensuring that the devices arrive with full functionality.
On the same topic: Galaxy Z Fold 8: record 5.2 million in pre-sales creates logistical challenge
Samsung’s new foldable models start at US$1,199 (approximately R$6,125) for the Galaxy Z Flip 8, US$1,899 (approximately R$9,700) for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and US$2,099 (around R$10,700) for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. All devices are confirmed to arrive in Brazil, but official values on the national market have not yet been released and should be announced soon.
Key specs of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
- 8-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X internal display with QXGA+ resolution
- Display with hole and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- 6.5-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X external display with FHD+ resolution
- Display with hole and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Processor for Galaxy
- 12GB or 16GB RAM
- 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of internal storage
- Two front cameras: internal lens with 10 MP sensor (f/2.2) and external lens with 10 MP sensor (f/2.2)
- Three rear cameras: 200 MP main lens (OIS, f/1.7), 50 MP ultrawide lens (f/1.9), and 10 MP telephoto lens (OIS, 3x zoom)
- 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC
- Stereo sound and IP48 certification
- 5,000 mAh battery with 45 W charging
- Android 17 system with One UI 9.0 interface
- Dimensions (closed): 72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9mm
- Dimensions (open): 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.1mm
- Weight: 215g
Technical details of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
- 7.6-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X internal display with QXGA+ resolution
- Display with hole and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- 5.5-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X external display with WUXGA+ resolution
- Display with hole and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Processor for Galaxy
- 12GB or 16GB RAM
- 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of internal storage
- Two front cameras: internal lens with 10 MP sensor (f/2.2) and external lens with 10 MP sensor (f/2.2)
- Two rear cameras: 50 MP main lens (OIS, f/1.7) and 50 MP ultrawide lens
- 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC
- Stereo sound and IP48 certification
- 4,800 mAh battery with 45 W charging
- Android 17 system with One UI 9.0 interface
- Dimensions (closed): 81.9 x 123.9 x 9.7 mm
- Dimensions (open): 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5mm
- Weight: 201g
Galaxy Z Flip 8 Features
- 6.9-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X internal display with FHD+ resolution
- Display with hole, 21:9 aspect ratio and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz
- 4.1-inch Super AMOLED external screen with a rate of up to 120 Hz
- Samsung Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB or 512GB of internal storage
- 10 MP front camera (f/2.2)
- Two rear cameras: 50 MP main lens (OIS, F/1.8) and 12 MP ultrawide lens (123º, F/2.2)
- 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC
- IP48 certification
- 4,300 mAh battery with 25 W charging
- Android 17 system running under One UI 9.0
- Dimensions (closed): 75.4 x 85.7 x 13.1mm
- Dimensions (open): 75.4 x 166.9 x 6.1mm
- Weight: 180g