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The Galaxy Unpacked event begins in just a few hours, and the tech world has its eyes firmly fixed on Samsung. Soon, we’ll find out what makes the next generation of foldable phones worth the upgrade.
But it seems we don’t have to wait for the big reveal to uncover one of the most disappointing changes for early adopters.
Reserve the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Z Flip 8 at Samsung Samsung has just opened its reservation campaign, allowing you to reserve your next Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Z Flip 8 device. The official store is giving you a $30 reservation credit, plus a chance to win one of 10 $500 gift cards. Reserve at Samsung
Samsung bids farewell to its best pre-order perk
The Galaxy Unpacked event kicks off at 9AM EDT (6AM PDT) on July 22, and anyone who has already reserved Samsung's upcoming foldables may be hoping to secure one of the company's most generous launch perks: a free storage upgrade.
However, we've been hearing conflicting reports over the past week, with some insiders claiming Samsung will now cover only half of the storage upgrade cost, leaving customers to pay the remaining difference.
Now, newly leaked pre-order discounts from Samsung Austria suggest this may be exactly the policy the South Korean tech giant follows this year. As the above image shows, Samsung Austria is giving users up to €200 off larger storage configurations, carefully omitting any mentions of free storage upgrades.
While this leaked offer is currently limited to the Austrian market, it may not be an isolated change. Some of the earlier reports on the subject come from South Korea, suggesting that Samsung may adopt the same approach for other regions this year.
A broader look reveals why
For years, Samsung has offered early buyers several ways to save on flagships, and the free storage upgrade was one of the most popular perks. It allowed users to get a higher-storage model at no additional cost. For instance, users could get the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 7 at the price of the 256GB model, which effectively saved them $120.
Now, with this change, shoppers will no longer enjoy this benefit.
This decision may seem like a move that could inadvertently push users away, but there’s more to it. In 2026, the industry is in turmoil, with memory and component costs rising significantly.
As key components are becoming more expensive than ever, Samsung is likely looking for ways to keep profit margins high while keeping the incentive for users to adopt its latest devices during the launch period.
What the final price could look like
As the latest rumors suggest, the entire lineup could launch at around $100 higher prices this year. If those reports are accurate and Samsung Austria’s pre-order strategy is adopted in other regions, buying a Galaxy Z Fold 8 during the pre-order window could end up costing more than in previous years.
Meanwhile, Samsung US promises savings of up to $1,230 (including a $30 reservation gift), showing that the launch offers may still provide significant value for early adopters. Still, it remains to be seen how Samsung will structure these savings.
Well, it's over.
This is what the book-like foldables might look like. | Image by Android Headlines
After years of free storage upgrade perks, it may be time to look ahead. Everything points toward the end of an era in Samsung’s launch offers (at least in some markets). But is everything as bad as it seems? I wouldn't say that.
From what we’ve learned over the past few months, the upcoming foldable phones will likely bring several meaningful improvements. And while losing the free storage upgrade does seem disappointing, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 could still have plenty to offer for early adopters.
And in case you want to learn more about Galaxy Unpacked:
・Check out where to watch the event
・Main differences between the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 8
・Nearly everything about the Galaxy Z Flip 8 has leaked before launch
