Samsung expands cover-screen functionality on Galaxy Z Flip 8
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 adds a redesigned cover-screen interface that lets users run most Android apps without opening the device, while hardware changes are minimal and the price rises to $1,199.
Samsung has updated the Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a more capable cover-screen interface, allowing users to access full versions of many Android apps while the phone remains closed. Swiping down from the top left opens notifications, while a swipe from the top right reveals a cover-screen-optimized Quick Settings panel. An upward swipe from the bottom brings up an app drawer that includes Samsung’s own apps, a "Labs" section with third-party options such as Netflix and WhatsApp, and a prompt to install MultiStar, a module that enables any app to run on the outer display.
The cover screen supports three display modes—full-screen with camera cut-outs, a square view that avoids the cameras, and a narrow portrait mode—switchable via a small on-screen button. While some apps, like health-tracking tools, are difficult to use on the small screen, others such as Todoist, WhatsApp and MyFitnessPal function adequately for quick tasks. The reviewer notes that the limited usability of certain apps may help prevent extended distraction.
Hardware revisions are modest: the device is 0.6 mm thinner and 8 g lighter than its predecessor, retains the same 4.3 inches outer and inner displays, and uses the same camera suite (50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP inner). The US model houses a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, while the UK version uses Samsung’s Exynos 2600. Battery capacity remains at 4,300 mAh with silicon-carbon cells, delivering a full day of use, though charging speeds are limited to 25 W wired and 15 W wireless.
The Z Flip 8 maintains an IP48 rating, offering water resistance but limited dust protection, and retains the visible crease on its flexible display. Priced at $1,199, it is $100 more expensive than the Z Flip 7, prompting the reviewer to suggest that existing owners may not need to upgrade and that potential buyers could consider the previous model, which is expected to receive the same software updates.
Overall, the enhancements focus on software flexibility for the cover screen rather than major hardware upgrades, marking a shift in Samsung’s approach to the Flip form factor.