Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Launches in Taiwan! Pre-orders Surge 30%, Kim Seon-ho Unveils New 'AI Phone' Experience

Samsung's next-generation foldable flagship has officially launched, with market demand heating up. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8 are now available in Taiwan, with pre-order sales growing over 30% compared to the previous generation—indicating sustained upgrade demand in the premium smartphone segment. Samsung held a 'Galaxy Star Friends' event today (14th), inviting brand ambassador and Korean star Kim Seon-ho to promote the new launch. Through AI, foldable screens, and a cross-device ecosystem, Samsung is further strengthening its high-end product strategy.

Liang Chun-yuan, General Manager of Samsung Taiwan, stated, 'Samsung continues to meet consumer needs through the 8th-generation Galaxy Z series and Galaxy Watch series. While advancing technological innovation, we also value consumers' interest in Korean pop culture and entertainment content. This year, we've invited Kim Seon-ho as our brand ambassador to integrate technology with entertainment, expanding the connection between Galaxy products and consumers' daily lives.'

Pre-order performance shows the Galaxy Z Fold8 series grew over 30% compared to the previous generation, highlighting that foldable phones have become a key product line for brands targeting the premium market. Samsung continues to enhance product value through hardware upgrades, AI features, and ecosystem services.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 features a new 4:3 screen ratio, balancing large-screen usability with portability when folded. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip8 targets fashion-conscious, portable, and personalized-experience-seeking consumers. These two product lines address different premium user needs.

Samsung also launched the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, raising the ceiling of its product lineup with a flagship positioning to capture consumers willing to pay for higher-end hardware and features.

Beyond foldable design, AI functionality has become another key battleground for Samsung's new flagship devices. The Galaxy Z Fold8 introduces generative photo editing and dedicated focus features, allowing AI to evolve from a simple assistant tool into an integral part of image creation and content production.

At the event, Kim Seon-ho personally experienced these features, using generative photo editing to change his hairstyle and makeup, and leveraging AI to automatically edit videos into personalized content. He also demonstrated AI-powered 'direct recording' editing, blending tech functionality with Korean pop entertainment.

For Samsung, AI is not only a key differentiator but also helps increase user engagement with flagship devices. As smartphone hardware specifications mature, creating new use cases through AI has become crucial for capturing high-end upgrade demand.

Additionally, Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, promoting integration between smartphones and wearables through Strava app trials and Samsung Members benefits.

Samsung also introduced a cross-system LINE data transfer service for iOS users and offers a six-month free trial of Google AI Pro, lowering the barrier for iPhone users to switch to the Galaxy ecosystem. Samsung's strategy now extends beyond single hardware competition, aiming to guide consumers into a complete Galaxy ecosystem encompassing phones, watches, and AI services.

On the first day of launch, Samsung leveraged Kim Seon-ho's star power to amplify market visibility. Kim appeared at the Galaxy Star Friends event, interacting with fans using features like the Galaxy Z Fold8's two-way recording and cover screen preview, directly transforming product functions into entertainment experiences.

Samsung stated it will continue combining technological innovation with pop culture to deliver more product experiences to Taiwanese consumers. With the 8th-generation Galaxy Z series now officially on sale, whether the over 30% pre-order growth compared to the previous generation can carry over into full sales will be a key indicator of Samsung's performance in Taiwan's premium smartphone market in the second half of the year.