London/New Delhi, July 22 -- South Korean smartphone and appliances maker Samsung launched its eighth generation of foldable phones-its most expensive lineup so far-on Wednesday, amid a global supply-chain crunch for electronics raw materials such as memory chips.

The latest foldable lineup includes Galaxy Z Flip 8, Fold 8 and 8 Ultra. Of this, the passport-shaped Z Fold 8 is an all-new device and the third one in Samsung's foldable phone lineup. The Z Fold 8 Ultra replaces last year's Z Fold 7 and is slimmer and lighter now, while the Flip 8 replaces the Flip 7.

Prices of Samsung's foldables rose on the back of memory chip price hikes globally. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the company's most expensive smartphone to date, with a startin...