The latest episode of the VergeCast, hosted by David Pierce, delves into the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 with the Verge's Dom Preston. Pierce introduces the Z Fold 8 as potentially the most interesting phone of 2026, a "bonkers name, fascinating phone," and questions if the industry has finally "figured out foldables."
Before diving into the main discussion, Pierce presents "90 Seconds on the Verge." First, new details emerge about OpenAI's hack of Hugging Face, revealing autonomous attacks on other web services using found login credentials. This event highlights high-stakes AI safety concerns within OpenAI itself, leading to calls for slowing down AI improvement, despite some speculation that it's mere hype. Second, the U.S. government announced an import ban on foreign-made humanoid robots weighing over 4.4 pounds with sensors capable of "locomotion, obstacle of witness, navigation, or movement on the ground," which potentially includes common devices like robot vacuums. Exceptions are expected, but the market for robots might see immediate shifts. Finally, DoorDash launched "DoorDash Air" after gaining FAA approval for drone delivery, joining other companies in exploring this logistically challenging but tantalizing new service.
The core of the episode revolves around the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which Dom Preston has been testing for his review. Pierce immediately establishes the Z Fold 8's greater intrigue compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra, a sentiment Dom fully endorses. The Z Fold 8's novel, "squatter," wider, passport-shaped design is a significant departure from Samsung's previous foldable iterations.
Dom recounts his initial skepticism about the design, having seen prototypes and Huawei's similar models, always thinking it looked "weird" and uncomfortable. However, upon holding it, his reaction quickly changed to, "oh, that kind of works." He notes that using it closed feels "a little odd" initially but becomes comfortable within minutes. This external screen, while occasionally presenting rendering issues in some apps (like the quick settings tray not fully fitting or Instagram displaying a white bar), offers improved two-thumb typing due to its width and easier one-handed reach to the top of the display due to its shorter height. Dom attributes part of its appeal to scratching the "everyone wants small phones" itch, as it feels more compact in certain dimensions.
When opened, the Z Fold 8 reveals a 4x3 aspect ratio screen, similar to an iPad, which feels immediately intuitive for media consumption. Dom highlights its strength as a "content consumption device," particularly for reading longer articles or e-books, where the tablet-like screen is very natural. He also finds it works well for watching videos, fitting the "Netflix on the train" use case perfectly. This natural transition from quick glances on the outer screen to immersive content on the inner screen creates a compelling flow that previous foldables sometimes lacked. Unlike flip phones where the outer screen quickly becomes inadequate, or the Z Fold Ultra where the large outer screen removes much of the incentive to open it, the Z Fold 8 strikes a balance.
Regarding cameras, Dom was "pleasantly surprised." While it lacks a telephoto lens (a major drawback for him, preferring it over ultra-wide), the main camera is "decent," on par with Samsung's standard S26 phones or core iPhones, marking a significant improvement over previous foldable cameras. Battery life is "really good," benefiting from Samsung's cautious adoption of silicon carbon cells, which allow for bigger batteries in smaller spaces. Dom consistently goes to bed with around 40% battery left, suggesting comfortable all-day use even as the battery degrades over time.
Ultimately, both Pierce and Preston agree that the Z Fold 8's form factor feels like a significant step forward, hitting a "sweet spot" that is "small and big in one package" without feeling useless at either. While the immense cost remains a barrier, making it an "impractical purchase," the Z Fold 8 represents a coalescing vision for what a foldable phone "is supposed to be," appealing to a wider demographic than the "productivity device" model. The ongoing challenge, they conclude, is for manufacturers to make such innovative technology affordable, hopefully leading to a "fun and fast-moving game" in the coming years.