As we get deeper into 2024, it’s only a matter of time before Samsung unveils its next round of foldables. This should include the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 6.
But what does Samsung have in store for the Galaxy Z Fold 6, specifically? From the rumored prices, specs, design, and more, here’s everything we know.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: release date
Going by the history of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold releases, we should expect the next generation of Samsung foldables sometime in the summer.
For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released on August 27, 2021. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 was released on August 25, 2022, and the latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 launched on August 11, 2023.
That said, it looks like we may see the Galaxy Z Fold 6 a little earlier than August this year. According to a report from SamMobile, the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event will happen in early July 2024. Signs point to the second week of the month, and Galaxy Unpacked events typically occur on Wednesdays, which suggests July 10 as a likely announcement date.
The reason for an earlier-than-usual release date is that Samsung could be looking to take advantage of marketing around the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, starting on July 26. The Galaxy Unpacked event could also be happening in Paris this year as well. At least, this is what The Bell is reporting.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: price
Foldables have never been very affordable, with prices that are typically around the $1,800 range. The Galaxy Z Fold 5, for example, starts at $1,800 for the base model (12GB/256GB) and goes up from there, with 512GB costing $1,920 and the 1TB version being an eye-watering $2,160.
However, this year may be different, as two different Galaxy Z Fold 6 models appear to be possible. Rumors have suggested that we may see a more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 6 “Ultra,” making the Galaxy Z Fold 6 a “cheaper” base model. There were some rumors that Samsung might release a “cheap” Fold 6 FE variant, but a more recent report from The Elec has indicated that Samsung is scrapping the “cheaper” Fold 6 option. Originally, it was believed the base Fold 6 model would be released without S Pen support, but now it’s likely it won’t come at all.
This could mean that we see a lower starting price for the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6, with the Ultra variant possibly starting at the usual $1,800 price point or higher. If that’s the case, we could — theoretically — see the regular Z Fold 6 hit the shelves for $1,600 or even less.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: design
A recent leak from Thinborne, a U.S.-based case manufacturer, reveals that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could end up looking more similar to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The CAD render shows a more angular design with sharper edges and a wider cover screen, essentially corresponding to previous leaks. The render also showed the traditional triple camera setup, along with thinner sides.
One of the issues with the Galaxy Z Fold 3-5 was the aspect ratio of the cover display, which was something you either loved or hated. But Samsung could be making some changes to that this year with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
According to @Revegnus on X (formerly Twitter), Samsung could change the aspect ratio of the cover display. Another leaker, @RossYoung on X, is also suggesting that the inner and outer displays will be larger than its predecessors.
Another leak from IceUniverse seems to confirm this. They got their hands on the screen protectors for the Z Fold 6, which shows the outer display is going to be wider, but not by as much as was rumored earlier. We’re likely looking at a 60.2mm outer display, compared with the 57mm wide display on the Fold 5. The corners of the screen protector also look sharper, again resembling the S24 Ultra’s design more than the Fold 5.
An earlier leak from Yogesh Brar also claims that the cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could be 6.4 inches. The current cover display on the Z Fold 5 is 6.2 inches, so the Z Fold 6 could be a little wider with an aspect ratio of 20:9 rather than 23.1:9 of the Z Fold 5.
50+10+12
6.4"— Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) February 21, 2024
If the cover display is slightly larger, that also affects the inner display as well. The current aspect ratio on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 inner display is 5:6, but the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could be more square-like at 1.08:1.
On February 28, leaker @OnLeaks teamed up with SmartPrix to share some design renders of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. From these particular renders, however, it looks like it still has a 6.2-inch cover display, a 7.6-inch inner display, and product dimensions of 153.5 mm by 132.5 mm by 6.1 mm when unfolded. This would make it slightly shorter and wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Still, the OnLeaks render also contains one more interesting tidbit: the phone’s overall frame. It looks like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 series will have a frame with flat edges and sharper corners, similar to that of the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Leaker Chun Bhai also corroborates that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 may be wider but also thinner and lighter — just 11mm when folded.
This seems to be confirmed by another recent leak from IceUniverse, which revealed the possible dimensions of the Z Fold 6 with an unfolded thickness of 5.6 mm, a folded thickness of 12.1 mm, and a weight of 239 grams. However, IceUniverse contradicts @Onleaks and claims that while the internal screen will be 7.6 inches and have a 7:6 ratio, the external screen will be 6.3 inches and have a 22:9 aspect ratio. That puts the Fold 6 right between the Pixel Fold (5.8 mm unfolded, 12.1 mm folded) and the OnePlus Open (5.8 mm unfolded, 11.7 mm folded).
When you look at all of these reports, there seem to be some contradictions with the display sizes, but IceUniverse has been fairly reliable so far and, unlike the other tipsters, seems to have gotten their hands on the screen protector, giving more weight to the dimensions and aspect ratio. However, with the report that there may be an “Ultra” version coming too, perhaps that one will have a larger external display.
We’ve now gotten our first rumor of the new Z Fold 6 Ultra, with Android Headlines revealing that a Samsung phone with SM-F958N as its model number was spotted. For those unfamiliar, the number “8” at the end of the model typically indicates an Ultra edition of a Samsung phone. That’s the case with the S24 Ultra, which goes by model number SM-S928B.
Unfortunately, at this point, we don’t have any additional details about the Z Fold 6 Ultra, aside from the fact that it’ll be the first time Samsung has introduced an Ultra model to its folding phone lineup.
According to the original report by analyst Ross Young, the Z Fold 6 should launch with Dark Blue, Light Pink, and Silver color options. A more recent update from Young suggests that Dark Blue is now called Navy, and Silver will be called Silver Shadow. Finally, the phone will also get Crafted Black and White colorways. That will give buyers a total of five color options for the Z Fold 6 and seven for the Z Flip 6.
It’s also likely that there won’t be an S Pen slot but with the possibility of a more expensive Ultra version, that could also change.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: specs
Samsung released the S24 lineup — which includes the S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra — at the end of January. These phones come with the latest chip from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
It’s a good assumption that we will see Samsung implement the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip into the Galaxy Z Fold 6 series as well. The Galaxy Z Fold tends to get an annual chip upgrade, and with the S24 series already using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, that’s probably what the Z Fold and Z Flip will get, too.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is the latest and greatest for Android phones, and Qualcomm has once again partnered up with Samsung for these chips that are optimized for Galaxy devices. That means they’re slightly overclocked for optimal performance and power efficiency.
Analyst Ross Young has revealed that the Fold 6 and Flip 6 will have the same storage options as the Fold 5: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. We haven’t seen any rumors of RAM just yet, but we’re sure to get more details soon.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: cameras
As far as cameras go, there is some contradictory information here as well.
Originally, Revegnus claimed in his tweet regarding aspect ratio that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 would use the same image sensor as the Z Fold 5. But a more recent leak he posted claims that Samsung could be using the same camera sensor that is found in the S24 Ultra. That could mean an upgrade to a 200MP main camera.
Again, these leaks are contradictory, but they could also be true if Samsung is going with a Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra. The Ultra variant could get the 200MP camera, while the base version gets the same cameras from the Z Fold 5.
A report from GalaxyClub cannot confirm the rumors of a 200MP main camera, though it suggests the Z Fold 6 will have a 50MP primary lens like the regular S24. Yogesh Brar has mentioned that the camera setup could be similar to the Z Fold 5 with the 50MP primary camera, 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and 12MP ultrawide camera.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: battery life
There aren’t a lot of leaks regarding the battery that will be in the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but we do have a little bit of information. Currently, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 4,400mAh battery with 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging speeds.
It looks like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will have a slightly larger battery at 4,600mAh. And when combined with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip’s power efficiency, which is evident with the S24 series, it should look pretty good for battery life. There are no specifications on the charging speeds, however, but we can probably assume it’s similar to its predecessor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: software and updates
It’s safe to assume that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will come with Android 14, with at least One UI 6.1 layered on top. Since Samsung also launched its Galaxy AI suite of AI-powered tools with the S24, there’s a good chance that those features will be available on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as well.
Starting with the S24 series, Samsung promises seven years of Android updates for its phones. That means if the Z Fold 6 ships with Android 14, there’s a very good chance it will be upgradable to Android 21. Of course, since this is a foldable, the durability levels aren’t quite the same as a slab phone like the S24 line. Still, long-term software support should be a pretty safe bet.
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