Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 vs Apple iPhone Air
It's close. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 if you want the longest software support. Buy Apple iPhone Air if you want to spend less.
The short answer
- CameraIt's a tie
- BatteryIt's a tie
- SpeedIt's a tie
- UpdatesSamsung Galaxy Z Flip8. Android upgrades: until about Jul 2033 (7 upgrades). Security patches: until about Jul 2033 (7 years from launch).
- PriceApple iPhone Air. Costs 4% less.
Overall it's close, so pick the one that wins on what matters most to you.
Side by side
Compared like for like: every phone in its 12GB + 256GB version. Change a version at the top of its column.
| Spec | Your main pickSamsung Galaxy Z Flip8 | Apple iPhone Air | Suggested by TuvvoGoogle Pixel 11 ProWins 8 of 10 key areas against Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8₹5,000 cheaper for 12GB + 256GB, better camera, longer battery life, brighter screen outdoors, faster charging, better water protection, upgrades for longer, security fixes for longer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹1,24,999 12GB + 256GB | Best price of these phones₹1,19,900 12GB + 256GB | ₹1,19,999 12GB + 256GB | |
| Price since launch | No change ₹1,24,999 when we started tracking (18 October 2026), ₹1,24,999 now 12GB + 256GB model | No change ₹1,19,900 at launch, ₹1,19,900 now 12GB + 256GB model | No change ₹1,19,999 at launch, ₹1,19,999 now 12GB + 256GB model | |
| Versions | 12GB + 256GB: ₹1,24,999 12GB + 512GB: ₹1,44,999 | 12GB + 256GB: ₹1,19,900 12GB + 512GB: price not known 12GB + 1TB: price not known | 12GB + 256GB: ₹1,19,999 16GB + 512GB: ₹1,34,999 | |
| Stands out for | Nothing that leads its price range | Nothing that leads its price range | Nothing that leads its price range | |
| Launched | 22 July 2026 | 9 September 2025 | 12 August 2026 | |
| Big upgrades | Android upgrades: until about Jul 2033 (7 upgrades) | iOS upgrades: no fixed promise from Apple, expected until about Sep 2031 | Best big upgrades of these phonesAndroid upgrades: until about Aug 2033 (7 upgrades) | |
| Security patches | Security patches: until about Jul 2033 (7 years from launch) | Security patches: until about Sep 2030 (5 years from launch) | Best security patches of these phonesSecurity patches: until about Aug 2033 (7 years from launch) | |
| Software now | One UI 9 (Android 17) (same as launch) | iOS 27.0.1, launched with iOS 26 | Android 17 QPR1, launched with Android 17 | |
| Rating | 8/10 | 7.3/10 | Best rating of these phones8.3/10 | |
| Battery | Good battery life for a flip phone; usually lasts a full day. 4300 mAh | Lasts a day for light use; heavy users will need a top-up or the MagSafe battery. 3149 mAh | Best battery of these phonesNow lasts as long as Samsung and Apple rivals (about 15 hours 39 minutes in GSMArena's test); fast 25W magnetic wireless charging. 4850 mAh | |
| Camera | Dependable 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide cameras, the same as last year; no zoom lens. | One 48MP camera: good photos, but no ultrawide or zoom lens. | Best camera of these phonesVery good photos and video from every camera, including a 48MP 5x zoom. | |
| Speed | Best speed of these phonesFast chip, but it heats up and slows down under heavy use. | Best speed of these phonesA19 Pro is very fast, but the thin body limits long gaming sessions. | Smooth for everyday use, but graphics are slower than rival flagships, so not ideal for heavy games. | |
| Screen size | 6.9 inch | 6.5 inch | 6.3 inch | |
| Smooth scrolling | 120Hz, very smooth | 120Hz, very smooth | 120Hz, very smooth | |
| Outdoor brightness | 3,000 nits, very easy to read in sun | 3,000 nits, very easy to read in sun | Best outdoor brightness of these phones3,600 nits, very easy to read in sun | |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless | Not officially stated, 20W wireless | Best charging of these phones30W wired, 25W wireless | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | Best wireless charging of these phonesYes | |
| Water and dust | IP48: survives a dunk in water | Best water and dust of these phonesIP68: survives a dunk in water | Best water and dust of these phonesIP68: survives a dunk in water | |
| Weight | 180 g | Best weight of these phones165 g | 204 g | |
| Thickness | 6.1 mm | Best thickness of these phones5.64 mm | 8.4 mm | |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tap to pay (NFC) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Speakers | Best speakers of these phonesTwo (stereo) | One | Best speakers of these phonesTwo (stereo) | |
| Headphone jack | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No | |
| Colours | Graphite, Cream, Pink, Mint | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue | Fog, Olive, Canyon, Obsidian | |
| Catch | Hardly changed from the Flip7, costs $100 (about ₹9,500) more, and only IP48 so it is not fully dust-proof. | eSIM only (no SIM card slot), single speaker, one rear camera and a small battery for the price. | Heavy for its size, slow 30W wired charging, and it costs ₹1,19,999. | |
| What owners say | No owner reports yet | No owner reports yet | No owner reports yet | |
| Expert reviews | 91mobiles 8.3/10 Digit GSMArena | 91mobiles 8.1/10 TechRadar | GSMArena 91mobiles 8.4/10 |
marks the strongest phone on each row, Tuvvo's suggestion included. For price, weight and thickness, that's the lowest.
Full specifications (tap to open)
Every spec side by side
Compared like for like: every phone in its 12GB + 256GB version. Change a version at the top of its column.
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 | Apple iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 3000 nits peak; 4.1-inch Super AMOLED cover screen, 120Hz, 3000 nits | 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR LTPO OLED (1260 x 2736), 120Hz ProMotion, 3000 nits peak, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm) in US/Canada/China; Exynos 2600 (2nm) elsewhere | Apple A19 Pro (3nm) |
| CPU | US/CA/CN: 2x @ 4.74GHz + 6x @ 3.62GHz (Oryon V3). Elsewhere: 1x C1-Ultra @ 3.80GHz + 3x @ 3.25GHz + 6x C1-Pro @ 2.75GHz | 6-core: 2x performance @ 4.26GHz + 4x efficiency |
| Graphics (GPU) | Adreno 840 @ 1.3GHz (Snapdragon) or Xclipse 960 (Exynos) | Apple 5-core GPU |
| AI chip (NPU) | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU or Exynos NPU (TOPS not officially stated) | 16-core Neural Engine (TOPS not officially stated) |
| RAM and storage | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB (UFS 4.x storage; RAM type not officially stated) | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 12GB + 1TB (NVMe storage; RAM type not officially stated) |
| Battery | 4300 mAh | 3149 mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired (55% in 30 min), 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired USB-C (50% in about 30 min with 20W adapter), 20W MagSafe wireless |
| Cameras | 50MP main (f/1.8, 1/1.56", Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) + 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 123 degrees, 1/3.2"); 10MP inner selfie | 48MP Fusion main (f/1.6, sensor-shift OIS); 18MP Center Stage front |
| Water and dust | IP48 | IP68 (6m for 30 mins) |
| Size and weight | 6.1mm unfolded, 13.1mm folded thick, 180g | 5.64mm thick, 165g |
| Software | One UI 9 (Android 17) at launch, One UI 9 (Android 17) now | iOS 26 at launch, iOS 27.0.1 now |
| Updates | 7 years promised | 6 years promised |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi 7 (Apple N1), Bluetooth 6, NFC, UWB, USB-C 2.0, eSIM only, satellite SOS |
| Modem | Region dependent, exact modem not officially stated | Apple C1X 5G modem |
| Speakers and haptics | Stereo speakers (rated Very good by GSMArena, -25.9 LUFS) | Single speaker (no stereo); Taptic Engine |
| Screen flicker (PWM) | Not officially stated | Not officially stated |
| Cooling | Not officially detailed; GSMArena found significant thermal throttling | Not officially stated (no vapour chamber) |
| Colours | Graphite, Cream, Pink, Mint | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue |
Where to buy
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8₹1,24,999
Pick your version and colour, then your store:
Opens 12GB + 256GB.
- Apple iPhone Air₹1,19,900
Pick your version and colour, then your store:
Opens 12GB + 256GB.
Store links may earn Tuvvo a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings.
Waiting for a better price?See it here next time you open Tuvvo if any of these phones drops in price.
Common questions
- Which is better, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 or Apple iPhone Air?
- It's close. Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 if you want the longest software support. Buy Apple iPhone Air if you want to spend less.
- Which has the better camera?
- They are about even on camera.
- Which has the better battery life?
- They are about even on battery.
- Which is faster for gaming?
- They are about even on speed.
- How much do they cost?
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 (12GB + 256GB) costs ₹1,24,999, Apple iPhone Air (12GB + 256GB) costs ₹1,19,900.
- Which gets software updates for longer?
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8, now on One UI 9 (Android 17). Android upgrades: until about Jul 2033 (7 upgrades). Security patches: until about Jul 2033 (7 years from launch). Apple iPhone Air, now on iOS 27.0.1. iOS upgrades: no fixed promise from Apple, expected until about Sep 2031. Security patches: until about Sep 2030 (5 years from launch).
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