According to industry insiders, on July 14, Samsung Electronics will cancel its existing free double storage promotion for the pre-order campaigns of the Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Fold8 starting with the Galaxy Unpacked event held in London, England, on July 22, amid a surge in memory chip prices that is driving up smartphone production costs.
Samsung’s first adjustment to the free double storage promotion since the Galaxy S23 in 2023
According to reports, Samsung Electronics’ “free double storage” promotion was first launched in 2023 alongside the Galaxy S23 series. The rules were that buying the 256GB version would come with a free upgrade to 512GB; since then, it has been applied to each new Galaxy S and Z series model, earning positive consumer feedback.
This time, for the pre-order campaigns for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra, and Z Flip8, the promotion is being adjusted for the first time since it was introduced three years ago. Customers will need to pay 50% of the price difference to get a higher storage capacity. Using the price gap between the Galaxy S23 series 256GB and 512GB of 253,000 won as the baseline, the subsidy amount will be 126,500 won.
MX division expected first quarterly loss of 1.5 trillion won
Based on Samsung Electronics’ preliminary earnings report (released on July 7) and Counterpoint Research data, the relevant financial background is as follows: Samsung Electronics’ Q2 total revenue reached 171 trillion won (up 129.3% year over year), while overall operating profit was 89.4 trillion won (up 1,810.3% year over year). However, the mobile experience (MX) division responsible for the smartphone business is expected to see a quarterly operating loss for the first time, with the loss amount reaching 1.5 trillion won.
Counterpoint Research noted that memory prices rose 40-50% in the fourth quarter of last year, continued climbing in the first quarter of this year, and are expected to increase by about 20% in the second quarter. The surge in memory prices is the key reason Samsung Electronics is cutting its storage promotion.
Galaxy Z Fold8/Flip8 pre-order and launch timeline
According to reports, the major milestones for the Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra, and Z Flip8 are as follows:
Galaxy Unpacked event: July 22, 2026 (local time), London, England
Domestic pre-order period: July 28 to August 3
Early shipment for pre-order users: starting August 4
Official launch date: August 7
FAQ
How has the double storage promotion for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8/Flip8 changed?
According to industry insiders, Samsung Electronics will cancel the free double storage promotion and instead subsidize 50% of the price difference between 256GB and 512GB. Using the Galaxy S23 series price difference of 253,000 won as the baseline, customers will need to pay about 126,500 won to get the higher-capacity version.
Why is Samsung cutting the double storage pre-order promotion?
According to reports, the main reason is that the surge in memory chip prices is raising smartphone production costs. Counterpoint Research data shows that Q2 memory prices are expected to rise by about 20% again, and the MX division is also expected to post its first quarterly operating loss (about 1.5 trillion won).
When will the Galaxy Z Fold8 series officially launch?
According to reports, the Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra, and Z Flip8 are expected to officially launch on August 7, 2026. The domestic pre-order period runs from July 28 to August 3, and pre-order customers will be able to receive the products starting August 4.
