[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Samsung Electronics has overhauled its premium smartphone strategy by pushing the 'Ultra' brand to the forefront for both foldables and bar-style smartphones. It is moving away from a top-specifications race and instead splitting consumer choices based on user experience.

On July 22 (local time), IT outlet Engadget reported that Samsung Electronics has reorganised this year’s foldable lineup. It has repositioned the successor to the Galaxy Z Fold7 as the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and placed a newly arranged passport-style Galaxy Z Fold8 below it.

With the change, Samsung’s top-tier smartphones are now split between the foldable Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the bar-style flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra. The two devices have nearly identical core specifications, including the same processor and the same memory and storage configurations, as well as the same battery capacity. This has led to analysis that the focus of competition in premium smartphones is shifting from performance figures to device form and user experience.

The Fold8 Ultra is significant as Samsung’s first model to apply the 'Ultra' brand to its foldable lineup. The standard Fold8, meanwhile, has established itself as a mid-tier model that lowers some specifications compared with the Ultra while offering higher performance and features than the Flip8. That has made the roles in the foldable lineup clearer, separating Ultra, standard Fold and Flip models.

The biggest difference between the two products is the display and form factor. The Galaxy S26 Ultra keeps a standard smartphone design and includes a 'privacy display' feature, while the Fold8 Ultra emphasises a foldable large screen to offer a usage experience that combines a smartphone and a tablet.

Engadget said the two products have very similar internal components but a sharply different real-world experience. It said consumer choice will depend less on performance and more on whether they need a foldable large screen or prefer the convenience of a traditional bar-style smartphone.

Structural limitations unique to foldables remain. While overall basics such as water and dust resistance have steadily improved, trade-offs are still needed in weight, thickness and durability in the process of implementing a folding structure. Engadget described the Galaxy S26 Ultra as "a more balanced device for most users" and the Fold8 Ultra as "a specialised product that offers the experience of putting a tablet screen in your pocket".

The lineup also reflects a change in Samsung’s premium strategy. While bar-style smartphones once symbolised the top specifications, foldables have now been elevated into the top tier through the 'Ultra' brand. Analysis suggests that rather than converging on a single definition of the premium smartphone, competition is emerging over what form and user experience devices can offer on the same level of performance.