Samsung says its new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are breaking company pre-order records for foldable phones.

U.S. pre-orders are reportedly 30% higher than the previous Z series record, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 accounting for nearly half of all orders.

Samsung also says three times as many Flip users are switching to the larger Fold models compared with previous generations, despite their high prices.

The strong demand extends overseas, with 1.44 million units reportedly pre-ordered in South Korea and record sales expected in Europe, Mashable has reported.

The surge suggests foldable phones may finally be moving beyond their niche status as improved designs and features attract more mainstream consumers.