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So when I came across the latest rumor, I won’t lie — it completely took the wind out of my sails. The idea that Samsung could end the Flip series after the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is genuinely disappointing, and I really hope it’s wide of the mark.
Sure, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard whispers about Samsung pulling the plug on its clamshell foldables. These claims surface every now and then, and most of them go nowhere. But if there’s even a bit of truth to this one, it could be a far bigger loss than most people realize. The foldable market would lose one of the very few devices that still make smartphones feel fun.
Joe Maring / Android AuthorityWhenever I think about foldables, I always come back to the same conclusion: if someone’s buying one for the very first time, there’s a good chance it’ll be a Flip instead of a Fold — and honestly, there are plenty of reasons why.
The biggest one is that a Flip never makes you feel like you’ve signed up for a completely different kind of smartphone. Open it up, and it still feels like the phone you’ve been using for years. You don’t have to relearn how to text, scroll through Instagram, watch YouTube, or reply to emails. It gives you all the fun of owning a foldable without making everyday tasks feel unfamiliar. That’s what makes it such an easy recommendation.
That familiarity doesn’t stop when you’re using it, either. It starts the moment you slip it into your pocket. If you’ve ever worn (or even seen) women’s jeans, you’ll know the struggle. The pockets are so tiny that most phones either won’t fit or spend half the day sticking out, making you wonder whether they’re about to fall out. The Flip is one of the very few phones that simply disappear into my pocket or slide into a mini bag without taking up all the space.
And because it’s always so easy to carry around, I find myself reaching for it more often — but not always opening it. That’s where the cover screen becomes one of my favorite things about the Z Flip. A quick reply to a message, checking notifications, skipping a song, taking a selfie, or doing any of those tasks that normally make you unlock your phone, I can do all of that without unfolding it.
Hadlee Simons / Android AuthorityWhat’s more, I still get a weird amount of satisfaction from ending a call by snapping the phone shut. Is it necessary? Not even remotely. Do I still do it every chance I get? Absolutely. It brings back a little bit of that old flip-phone magic, and every single time it makes me smile. There aren’t many devices left that can make you smile with something as simple as opening or closing it. The Flip still can.
Of course, there’s another reason so many people start with a Flip, and this one has nothing to do with nostalgia or cute designs. It’s simply the more affordable way to experience foldables. If you’ve been curious about the category but weren’t ready to spend Fold money, the Flip has always been the easiest place to start. It feels like a much smaller commitment, which naturally makes the whole idea of owning a foldable feel less intimidating.
That also changes how people think about durability. Foldables still make plenty of people nervous, whether it’s the display, the hinge, or the price tag. Those concerns don’t magically disappear with a Flip, but they’re definitely easier to live with when you’re buying a smaller, less expensive device instead of Samsung’s most premium foldable. For many people, it’s the phone that removes the fear of trying something new. And that’s exactly why the Flip matters so much.
Hadlee Simons / Android AuthorityWhich brings me to the question I couldn’t stop asking: if the Galaxy Z Flip is such an approachable and well-loved foldable, why would Samsung even think about walking away from it? Ironically, the answer probably has very little to do with the phone itself.
If you’ve been following the smartphone industry lately, you’ve probably noticed that everything is getting more expensive. Components cost more, manufacturing costs more, and brands have been steadily pushing prices higher just to keep up. The Flip hasn’t escaped that reality either. While the Galaxy Z Flip 8 still sits at a price that many people can maybe justify, there’s a good chance its successor wouldn’t have that luxury.
If building another Flip means launching it at a price that defeats its biggest advantage — being the affordable gateway into foldables — then I can understand why Samsung might decide it’s simply not worth it. After all, what good is an entry-level foldable if its price puts it out of reach for the very people it’s supposed to attract?
At the same time, Samsung’s priorities also seem to be shifting. With Apple’s long-rumored book-style foldable expected to enter the market soon, the battle is increasingly moving towards larger, premium foldables. It wouldn’t be surprising if Samsung decided that’s where it wants to focus most of its attention, especially if it believes the biggest competition over the next few years will happen in that category.
Hadlee Simons / Android AuthorityThough I don’t think that tells the whole story. Motorola has proved there’s still plenty of life left in flip phones. Earlier this year, the company became the biggest foldable smartphone brand in the US, capturing around half of the market, and that was before its latest Razr even arrived. A big reason for that success is easy to see. Motorola’s Razr phones have consistently undercut Samsung on price while offering one of the best cover screen experiences in the business. Clearly, people still want compact clamshell foldables when they’re priced sensibly.
Of course, Motorola isn’t immune to the same pressures. Rising memory and component costs are already affecting its latest Razr lineup, and Samsung is facing the same challenges. In fact, Samsung wouldn’t even be the first company to step back from this category. Brands like Xiaomi and OPPO have stopped releasing new Flip-style foldables over the last couple of years, leaving Samsung and Motorola to carry the clamshell segment almost by themselves.
And that’s exactly why this rumor feels so worrying. If Samsung eventually walks away, too, we’ll lose one of the last companies still willing to build one.
Hadlee Simons / Android AuthorityDon’t get me wrong — none of this means the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is definitely the last Flip Samsung will ever make. Right now, it’s still just a rumor, and I genuinely hope that’s all it remains.
Because if it does turn out to be true, I’ll be more disappointed than I expected. The Galaxy Z Flip isn’t just another phone in Samsung’s lineup to me. It’s one of the few smartphones that still has a personality. It’s cute, it’s practical, it’s fun, and every year it reminds me that phones don’t have to be boring slabs with bigger and bigger cameras.
So, Samsung, here’s one request from someone who’s genuinely fallen in love with your clamshell foldable: please don’t give up on the Flip. The smartphone world already feels a little too serious. We could really use a phone that’s still willing to have some fun.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8Most Pocketable Flip ever • Flagship processor • More Apps for Cover ScreenMSRP: $1,199.99Samsung’s sleekest flip phone gets smarterThe Galaxy Z Flip 8 refines Samsung’s iconic flip phone with a thinner, lighter design, a larger 4,300mAh battery, and a smarter FlexWindow that supports more apps, and Gemini AI. It’s also the most pocket-friendly way to experience Samsung’s foldable vision.See price at AmazonFeaturesSamsungSamsung GalaxySamsung Galaxy Z FlipSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 8FollowThank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
