Is a foldable phone finally worth it in 2026?

Posted 16h ago

For book-style foldables, yes, the two problems that killed the pitch are largely fixed. Flips are still a lifestyle choice.

The dealbreakers are gone

Fragility and weight used to end every foldable conversation. Not any more. The Z Fold8 is IP48-rated and around 201 grams; the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is IP68. They fold flat, the creases are faint, and the software finally uses the big screen properly.

What is left to weigh

You still pay a premium, and the cameras trail the best slab flagships. Flip phones remain more about style and pocketability than capability. But if you have wanted a phone that becomes a tablet, this is the first year the answer is a comfortable yes.

The verdict: Book-style foldables have crossed the line from compromise to legitimate choice. Flips are still for people who want one specifically.

Sources

GSMArena specifications

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The best foldable phone in 2026

The durability and weight problems are largely solved. Now it is about hardware versus software. Best book-style foldable, Galaxy Z Fold8 Wider, lighter and easier to carry than any Fold before it, with the best large-screen multitasking. The camera cut to a dual 50MP system is the only real knock. Best foldable software, Pixel 11 Pro Fold Cleaner software, better update commitments, and the Pixel camera pipeline. IP68. The pick if you live in Google’s apps. Best clamshell, Galaxy Z Flip8 If you want a compact flip rather than a mini-tablet, the Flip8’s big cover screen and improved 4300 mAh battery make it the one to get. The verdict: All three are IP-rated and genuinely liveable now. Fold8 for hardware, Pixel Fold for software, Flip8 for pocketability. Sources GSMArena specifications

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ComparisonsGoogle Pixel 11 Pro Fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Google Samsung

Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold8: two philosophies of folding

Samsung for the wider, lighter hardware and the app ecosystem; Google for the software and the camera consistency. The hardware Both are book-style foldables with roughly 8-inch inner displays, flagship chips and IP68 (Samsung is IP48). Samsung’s Z Fold8 is the lighter, wider, more refined object, and its large-screen multitasking, proper windowing, taskbar, DeX, is still ahead. The software and camera Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold counters with cleaner software, longer and more reliable update commitments, and the Pixel camera pipeline that makes every shot look right without thought. Samsung’s cameras have more raw hardware; Google’s produce more consistent results. How to choose If you live in Google’s apps and value the camera and updates, buy the Pixel. If you want the best foldable hardware and Samsung’s productivity features, buy the Fold8. The verdict: Two genuinely good foldables pulling in different directions. Pick the one whose priorities match yours, neither is a mistake. Sources GSMArena specifications

16h agoRead discussion

FeaturesGoogle Pixel 11 Samsung Galaxy S26 Google Samsung Apple+1

Why "seven years of updates" quietly changed how to buy a phone

When a mid-range phone is supported into the 2030s, the case for buying a flagship gets weaker every year. How we got here Google started it, Samsung matched it, and Apple has effectively done it for years: seven years of OS and security updates is now the flagship standard, and it is trickling down to mid-range phones. What it does to the maths A ~$500 Pixel 11-class phone patched into the 2030s is a better long-term buy than an $1,100 flagship you replace every three years out of habit. The upgrade treadmill only works if you keep stepping on it. If you are willing to keep a phone for five or six years, the sensible money is on a well-supported mid-ranger, not the top of the range. The verdict: Long software support turned the mid-range into the value sweet spot. Buy for longevity and the flagship premium gets hard to justify. Sources GSMArena specifications

16h ago

Buying guidesiPhone 17 Pro Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Apple Samsung Google+3

The best phone you can buy in 2026

Four excellent phones, four clear reasons to pick each. Best overall and best for video, iPhone 17 Pro The most predictable, best-supported, widest-ecosystem choice, and still the reference for phone video. The aluminium redesign fixed the thermals and the battery; the 100mm telephoto fixed the everyday camera. Best camera versatility, Galaxy S26 Ultra The longest zoom on any phone, the brightest and most readable outdoor screen, an S Pen in the box, and seven years of Android updates. Best point-and-shoot and value flagship, Pixel 11 Pro The camera that just works, the cleanest Android, seven years of support. Drop to the Pixel 11 to save $200 and lose very little. Best battery and charging for the money, OnePlus 13 A 6000 mAh battery, 100W wired charging and a returning alert slider for $899. The camera is the only real compromise. The verdict: There is no single best phone, there is the best phone for how you use one. Match the list above to your priorities. Sources GSMArena specifications

Buying guidesSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Xiaomi 15 Ultra Samsung Xiaomi Vivo+5

The best flagship camera phone in 2026

Different phones win for different kinds of photography. Here is who wins what. For outright zoom, Xiaomi 15 Ultra or Vivo X200 Pro Both carry 200MP periscopes that out-reach everything else. The Vivo is easier to buy in Europe; the Xiaomi has the bigger main sensor. For video, iPhone 17 Pro Log, ProRes, Dolby Vision, the best stabilisation. The industry reference, still. For zero-effort stills, Pixel 11 Pro You point, it is right. The most consistent camera on any phone. For the best all-rounder you can buy on any carrier, Galaxy S26 Ultra Not the best at any one thing, but excellent at all of them, and sold everywhere with seven years of updates. The verdict: Zoom: Xiaomi/Vivo. Video: iPhone. Simplicity: Pixel. Everywhere-available all-rounder: S26 Ultra. Sources GSMArena specifications

16h agoRead discussion

ReviewsSamsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Samsung

Galaxy Z Fold8 review: the wide foldable finally makes sense

Shorter, wider and lighter, the first Fold that is genuinely easy to carry and genuinely good to read on. Our score: 8.5 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Folded Normal-phone proportions, 5.5-inch cover screen Unfolded 7.6-inch 4:3 AMOLED, 120Hz Weight Around 201 g Cameras Dual 50MP (no telephoto) Battery 4800 mAh Rating IP48 The shape is the story Samsung rethought the proportions. The Z Fold8 is shorter and wider than every Fold before it, which sounds trivial and is not. Closed, it behaves like a normal phone, the 5.5-inch cover screen is finally a display you can actually type on. Open, the 4:3 inner panel is a much better tablet than the tall, narrow screens of older Folds: better for reading, better for documents, better for video. At around 201 grams it is lighter than some slab flagships. The crease is fainter than before, and the hinge folds flat. The camera is the compromise To hit that weight and hold the price at $1,799, Samsung dropped the telephoto. The dual 50MP setup takes good photos but cannot reach. If the camera is non-negotiable, the Fold8 Ultra adds a 200MP main and a 3x telephoto for $300 more and 14 extra grams. The good and the bad What works The 4:3 inner screen is far better for reading and video A cover screen you can genuinely use closed 201 g, lighter than some regular phones IP48 rating What doesn’t No telephoto lens 4800 mAh battery is merely okay Still $1,799 Inner-screen crease is still visible Who it’s for Buy it if you have wanted a book-style foldable but found previous models too tall, heavy or awkward. Skip it if you need the best possible camera in your foldable, or you want two-day battery life. Alternatives worth a look Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, the full camera system, a bigger screen and battery, for $300 more. Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, cleaner software and better point-and-shoot photos. Galaxy Z Flip8, if you want a compact clamshell instead of a mini-tablet. The verdict: The Fold to buy if previous Folds felt like too much phone. The camera cut is the price of finally getting the ergonomics right. Sources Samsung Newsroom GSMArena specifications

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Is a foldable phone finally worth it in 2026?

The dealbreakers are gone

What is left to weigh

Sources

0 comments

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