Samsung appears to be gearing up for its next wave of foldables. Rumors suggest the tech giant will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and a potential new form factor—dubbed the "Wide Fold"—later this year. In a promising development, early signs indicate that software testing is already underway, with all three models likely shipping with One UI 9 out of the box.

Following earlier sightings in the GSMA IMEI database, these devices have now popped up on Samsung’s internal testing servers, signaling that the company has moved into the initial firmware verification phase.

Breaking it down, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 was spotted on US testing servers bearing the model number SM-F976U, which corresponds to a carrier-locked version. The first test firmware, labeled F976USQU0AZB1, is reportedly running on One UI 9. For now, testing seems confined to the US market, as international or unlocked variants have yet to surface.

Not to be left out, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 also appeared on the system under model number SM-F776U—another US carrier variant—with test firmware F776USQU0AZB1.

Here is where it gets interesting: a third, mysterious device carrying model number SM-F971U and firmware F971USQU0AZB1 was also discovered. While its identity hasn't been officially confirmed, industry insiders speculate this could be the rumored larger foldable, tentatively called the "Wide Fold." However, this remains pure speculation for now.

The appearance of One UI 9 indicates that Samsung is strictly coordinating the development of its new hardware alongside its next major software leap. Expect to see the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 unveil at a Galaxy Unpacked event around July or August, running One UI 9 (based on Android 17) right from the start. A broader rollout to older devices would typically follow.

In the immediate future, however, all eyes remain on the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, slated for launch on February 25. While details on the new foldables are still scarce, we can expect the rumor mill to ramp up significantly in the coming months.