PETALING JAYA, July 23 -- After years of refining the same tall-and-skinny foldable formula, Samsung has finally done something different this year. The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 isn't just another thinner Fold. It gets an entirely new shape which I think makes better sense.

Instead of the familiar narrow cover screen that opens into a squarish tablet, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 adopts a compact passport-sized form factor. It's a refreshing take and it feels like it sits somewhere between the Galaxy Z Flip and the traditional Galaxy Z Fold.

From our brief hands-on, this might actually be the Fold that would appeal to a wider audience.

The new passport shape makes a huge difference

The first thing you'll notice is the proportions. When fold...