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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim rumors: Everything we know so far and what we
Before the Samsung Galaxy Fold 6 ever became official, rumors were suggesting the company would launch a larger model called the Galaxy Fold 6 Ultra. While this model didnt appear at Samsung Unpacked, the rumor mill claims another Fold variant is on its way. Lets jump right in and discuss everything we know about the alleged Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim or Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition.
Will there be a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra/Slim? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is already here, alongside the new Z Flip 6. That should have been enough to squash the idea of an Ultra model, but apparently not. Initially, there were reports that the Fold 6 Ultra had been canceled, but since then, weve seen several new rumors claiming Samsung still has another Fold model in store. Technically, the earlier claims that the Ultra isnt happening might not be completely wrong. Previously, the name Fold 6 Ultra was thrown around, but later rumors suggest the phone will launch under the name Galaxy Z Fold Slim. More recently, renowned leaker Evan Blass recently took to X/Twitter to hint that this rumored new Z Fold 6 variant could be officially named the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition. Its unclear whether itll be called precisely that or shortened to the Z Fold 6 SE. Weve also seen the name Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition popping up too, eschewing the number “6.†Well get more specifically into the rumors in the later sections of this post, but given the frequency in which rumors are still flying, we think its pretty safe to say that a new Fold 6 edition is happening. Why did Samsung elect to wait? From what we can gather, its because the Galaxy Fold 6 Slim wont be widely available, and the company probably didnt want to give it any real focus at the time. What is the most likely Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim release date? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE/Slim/Ultra didnt arrive alongside the standard Fold 6, and its the first member of the Z series with a unique variant, so historical release dates dont help us much here. Even the rumor mill seems to be in conflict. According to German tech news site Allround PC, the Fold 6 Slim will see a limited launch in South Korea and China this October. More recently, a leak from Ice Universe claims the Galaxy Fold 6 Slim will launch in October alongside the Tab S10 series and the Samsung W25 (believed to be the Chinese version of the Z Fold 6 Slim). In contrast, GalaxyClub agrees the phone will only see a release in China and South Korea, though it claims this wont happen until 2025. A recent report by*The Chosun Daily suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim will be available in South Korea starting September 25. The report goes on to suggest that the phone will be offered in a black color and carry a price tag of approximately $2,100. Given all the rumors so far, we think theres a solid chance the phone could arrive this year despite the conflicting reports. Regardless, a winter release seems pretty likely. Its unlikely the device would launch after the Galaxy S25 as this would mean Samsung would be competing with itself. What rumored specs and features could the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim have? From left to right: Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Fold 5, Z Fold 6. Credit: Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra was originally teased as a powerful upgrade to the Fold 6 with a slim design and presumed improvements that would warrant the Ultra moniker. However, the reality is shaping up to be much less ambitious. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim/SE is rumored to pack the same core specs as the standard Fold 6. This means you can likely expect a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC, probably backed by the same 12GB of RAM. Storage variants might be a bit different since this is a special model, but something in the 256GB to 1TB range makes sense. So whats really new? The only major changes weve heard about have to do with the display and the devices thickness when folded. Along with hinting at the official SE moniker, Evan Blass also shared images that seem to reveal the phones dimensions: an 8-inch main display, a 6.5-inch cover display, and a thickness of 10.6mm folded and 4.9mm unfolded. If accurate, these measurements would mean the Special Editions displays are bigger than the Galaxy Z Fold 6s, but the new phone could be noticeably slimmer when folded (10.6mm vs. 12.1mm). Unfortunately, even with the improved slimness, its not nearly as impressive as youd find with China-based foldables, including the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 and HONOR Magic V3, which are ~9.5mm and ~9.3mm thick, respectively. Its also worth noting that the slightly thinner design comes with a sacrifice. The Z Fold 6 SE will reportedly ditch the 0.3mm thick digitizer needed for S Pen support, so you wont be able to use Samsungs signature stylus on the device. In saying so, tipster Ice Universe later claimed that S Pen support was still on the cards. Blass also claims the new foldable is “superior in nearly every category†to the Z Fold 6. However, its wise to be cautious about this particular claim until we have more concrete information. Note the crease, which is especially visible on light backgrounds. Credit: Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority Samsungs hesitation for slimmer designs likely stems from concerns around durability, at least according to a recent report. New materials and components can improve durability, but these also can increase costs and theres always the possibility of unforeseen new issues as well. A new report from Galaxy Club suggests that the Z Fold 6 SE will share some camera specs with the standard Z Fold 6. This includes a 10-megapixel front-facing camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. However, Samsung might finally upgrade the Under Display Camera (UDC) to 5 MP from the 4 MP one used on the Z Fold 6. Blass claimed in August that the slimmer Galaxy Z Fold model would actually have a 200MP main camera. That would be a major resolution upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, suggesting better short-range camera zoom via image cropping. Credit: Android Headlines We also got our first apparent look at the device in early September as Android Headlines posted an image (seen above). The picture shows a phone that looks slimmer than the Galaxy Z Fold 6 while also featuring a bigger camera bump. What might the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim price be? The Samsung Galaxy Fold 6 is already quite expensive at $1,899.99, but how much might the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim cost? The only report we have about the pricing so far points toward a price tag upwards of the equivalent of $2,000. While its a whole other debate whether thats even a reasonable amount to pay for a phone, its worth noting that this phone isnt expected to be available in the US at all. Should you wait for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim? Credit: Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority Considering the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim may only arrive in limited quantities for the Chinese and South Korean markets, theres zero reason to wait if you have your heart set on a Samsung foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a great phone and doesnt appear to be much different from the Slim. Not impressed by the Fold? The only other book-style foldable coming to the US this year is the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. If you dont mind importing and dealing with possible carrier compatibility woes, you can also opt for a China-based foldable if you feel all the globally available options are just too thick. More... |
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