Samsung’s next foldable is shaping up to be a refinement-focused upgrade, and one of the most noticeable changes may be right on the front: a much smaller punch-hole camera cutout on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
According to recent leaks, the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s front camera hole is expected to shrink from 3.7mm on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to just 2.5mm. That’s roughly a 32% reduction in diameter, giving the display a cleaner, more immersive look—exactly the kind of visual improvement foldable buyers tend to notice immediately.
So how is Samsung reportedly pulling this off? The reductions are said to come from two main improvements to its display and camera optics approach.
One upgrade involves a more advanced version of Hole-in-Active-Area (HIAA) technology. In simple terms, this helps Samsung reduce the “buffer” space between the punch-hole and the active pixels around it. The report suggests Samsung has improved this area using better vacuum sealing techniques and more precise laser etching, allowing the cutout to take up less visual real estate while keeping the surrounding pixels functional and stable.
The second reported change tackles a common challenge with smaller camera openings: less light. With a smaller aperture, fewer light rays naturally reach the sensor, which can hurt image quality. To counter that, Samsung is rumored to be using High-Refractive Index (HRI) lenses. These lenses bend light more efficiently, helping the camera gather more light even through a smaller opening—potentially preserving selfie quality while still delivering that sleeker display aesthetic.
There’s also talk that Samsung could push the design further by moving certain supporting sensors under the display. Items like proximity sensors and ambient light sensors may no longer need to sit near the camera cutout, which would further streamline the front of the phone and move Samsung closer to a future with a true under-display camera experience.
Beyond the punch-hole changes, more leaked details paint a clearer picture of what the Galaxy Z Fold 8 might offer. The device is said to measure 158.4 x 72.8 x 9mm when folded, and 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.5mm when unfolded. That makes it slightly thicker than the previous generation, which could be good news for anyone hoping for the return of broader stylus support—since adding an S Pen digitizer can require extra internal space. The overall design is expected to stay familiar, with flat sides, sharp corners, and a similar form factor.
Display sizes are also expected to remain the same, with an 8-inch inner screen and a 6.5-inch outer screen. Another detail floating around is a camera bump thickness of about 5.5mm, suggesting the rear camera module will continue to protrude noticeably.
One of the biggest practical upgrades could be battery life. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rumored to jump to a 5,000mAh battery, which would mark the first meaningful battery capacity increase in several generations. Charging is also said to reach 45W wired, giving the foldable faster top-ups to match its larger battery.
Finally, the Fold 8 is expected to lean further into improved foldable display engineering with a near-crease-free inner screen—another iterative change that, if it delivers in real-world use, could significantly improve the premium “tablet-like” experience people buy a Fold for in the first place.
Taken together, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 sounds like a device built on polish: a cleaner front display with a smaller camera hole, smarter optical engineering to maintain camera performance, possible under-display sensor moves, a bigger battery, faster charging, and a less visible crease. It may not be a complete redesign, but it could be the kind of evolution that makes Samsung’s foldable feel noticeably more refined the moment you open it.
