Samsung Galaxy W27: a $2,800 China-only Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Samsung has one more foldable for 2026. The Galaxy W27 is now official in China, continuing the company's tradition of a China-exclusive, luxury-styled version of its book-style flagship foldable, as 9to5Google reports, citing SamMobile for some details.

Same phone, different finish

This year's model is based on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and keeps its core hardware:

• 8-inch inner foldable display;
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip;
• 200MP main camera, plus the rest of the Fold 8 Ultra's specs.

The differences are mostly about fit and finish. The W27 has gold accents and two colours, a dark red and a dark blue. 16GB of RAM is standard on both storage options, and the phone is optimised for China's Tiantong satellite communication network. If you're curious how phone satellite features work elsewhere, our satellite texting explainer covers the basics.

The W-series has been around for years: earlier models such as the W23 and W24 were likewise dressed-up versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Fold 5. Each year's W phone typically adds the year number of the following year to its name, which is why a phone launched in late 2026 is called W27.

Price and what's in the box

The Galaxy W27 starts at CNY 18,999 (about $2,800) with 512GB of storage; the 1TB version costs CNY 21,999 (about $3,300). Those are direct currency conversions. For comparison, 9to5Google notes that even the maxed-out 1TB Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sells for $2,699 in the US. Samsung does add a case and a charger in the W27's box, which most of its phones no longer include.

Should anyone outside China care?

Not as a purchase: the W-series is a China-only line. But it shows where Samsung's foldable pricing ceiling sits, and the company has already teased a broader foldable lineup for 2027. Shoppers elsewhere get the same internals in the regular Fold 8 Ultra for less. For a general view on phone batteries, our explainer on silicon-carbon batteries covers the tech rivals are using to fit more capacity into thin foldables.