HONOR Middle East smartphone growth: Only Smartphone Brand Growing in the Middle East in H1 2026
HONOR Middle East smartphone growth: 35% in the Middle East in H1 2026, per Omdia, becoming the region's No. 2 smartphone brand.
Samsung has begun rolling out its new Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch Ultra2, and Galaxy Watch9 worldwide, with sales starting August 7 across 106 markets.

The standard Galaxy Z Fold8 is Samsung’s lightest Fold yet at 201g, built around a new Flex Titanium hinge structure designed for a slimmer profile and reduced crease visibility over time. Its display ratios are meant to move with users through the day: a wider cover screen for quick tasks like messaging and short-form video, and a 4:3 main display for more immersive reading, viewing, and gaming. Gemini Notebook lets users pull notes, images, recordings, and documents together into one workspace.
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra brings Samsung’s Ultra tier to foldables for the first time, with an 8-inch main display for multitasking and a new Now Nudge feature that suggests relevant next steps across supported apps based on context. Its camera system is built around a 200MP main sensor that now supports HDR shooting in full 200MP mode, paired with a new 50MP ultra-wide camera for wider scenes and macro shots. At 4.1mm unfolded and 215g, Samsung calls it its slimmest Z Fold to date, backed by a 5,000mAh battery and 45W wired charging.
Galaxy Z Flip8, described by Samsung as its sleekest Flip yet, redesigns the FlexWindow cover screen to surface apps, notifications, and quick actions without opening the phone. A new Now Brief feature surfaces personalized information based on a user’s schedule and habits, and Gemini can be triggered directly from the cover screen through the side key or voice commands. The Flip8’s 50MP main camera is paired with Samsung’s ProVisual Engine and FlexCam modes for shooting at angles with the phone partially folded. All three phones share Dual Recording, which captures the main shot and the user’s reaction at the same time, and My FanCam, which automatically tracks and reframes a chosen subject in video.
Alongside the phones, Samsung is launching two new wearables. Galaxy Watch Ultra2 targets outdoor and endurance use, with an 800mAh battery, up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness, a shock-resistant titanium case, dedicated Trail Run tracking, and IP69K and 10 ATM water resistance certified to EN13319. Galaxy Watch9 is positioned as more of a daily wellness companion, available in 40mm and 44mm aluminum cases with up to 3,000 nits of brightness and health features including Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and sleep-based Vitals tracking. Both watches run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform.
Starting August 7, all five devices are available through carriers, retailers, Samsung.com, and Samsung Experience Stores in 106 markets worldwide. Buyers of a new Galaxy Z series phone get a six-month trial of Google AI Pro, including 5TB of cloud storage. Samsung has also refreshed Smart Switch for this launch: iOS users can migrate by scanning a QR code without installing a separate app, and the update now carries over passwords, passkeys, call history, and eSIM information, while new Quick Share and AirDrop compatibility lets files move between iOS and Galaxy devices in both directions. Samsung has not published device pricing in this rollout announcement, and UAE-specific availability and pricing have not been separately confirmed.
Samsung noted that pre-orders for the new Galaxy Z lineup rose more than 30% compared with the previous generation. Graphite was the most popular finish overall for both Fold8 Ultra and Fold8, while Pink led pre-orders for the Flip8. Among Samsung.com shoppers aged 15 to 34 specifically, the exclusive colors Green Shadow, Pistachio, and Mint were the top picks for the Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8 respectively.
Source: Samsung Global Newsroom
HONOR Middle East smartphone growth: 35% in the Middle East in H1 2026, per Omdia, becoming the region's No. 2 smartphone brand.
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At HONOR, innovation is not a buzzword or a marketing exercise; it is our foundational operating principle. Rather than pursuing tech for its own sake, we design hardware and software around human utility.