And if you want one, you better save up, because it costs $13,130.
Samsung’s next big Galaxy Unpacked event is still a few days away. However, it seems that didn’t stop luxury device customizer Caviar from selling a special edition of the Lionel Messi-themed Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra almost a week before its official announcement.
Described as a tribute to the legendary footballer, the phone features handcrafted cloisonné enamel artwork depicting Messi’s likeness, decorated in the traditional colors of the Argentina national team and plated in 24-karat gold. Caviar even includes a FIFA badge highlighting the country’s World Cup victory in 2022, as well as its official crest and the Adidas logo, because apparently you can’t leave anyone out. Other details include a rather attractive custom box dressed in royal blue with even more 24k gold plating and a custom Caviar key.
Caviar
However, the most striking figure is the price of the phone, as it is listed at $13,130. Granted, since the phone hasn’t been officially announced yet, we’re still waiting for official pricing from Samsung regarding how much a regular Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will cost. But if the new model’s price is anything like its predecessor (launched at $2,000), that means the custom version of Caviar potentially costs up to five times more than a standard commercial version. But I guess that’s the price you pay for fancy materials and exclusivity, because the Lionel Messi version of the Z Fold 8 Ultra will be limited to just 19 units.
Meanwhile, for gadget fans, assuming Caviar’s product listing is accurate, we can glean a few small details about Samsung’s upcoming foldable flagship. The first is that the phone will offer 256GB of base storage, with the option to upgrade to 512GB or 1TB. However, more importantly, the mention of the Ultra designation on Caviar’s website appears to confirm rumors that Samsung will announce two versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The Ultra model seen here appears to feature a very similar design to last year’s Z Fold 7 – minus all the gold and enamel – while Samsung adds a new base model of the Z Fold 8 which many expect to feature a wider chassis with a better aspect ratio for watching TV and movies on its flexible main screen.
Caviar
Unfortunately, Caviar’s listing doesn’t provide many other technical specifications on the upcoming Z Fold 8 Ultra, so we’ll still have to wait until Samsung Unpacked to get a proper look. That said, if you’re considering shelling out a lot of money in hopes of getting Samsung’s next flagship phone sooner, you might want to think again. Indeed, Caviar claims that “production of your personalized phone only begins after payment is made in full” and, based on the company’s description, it will likely take some time to do all that custom enameling and gold plating.
