Multiple news sources from around the world are collectively claiming that Samsung is still working on a slim version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, codenamed Q6a. While recent rumors indicated that development of the phone had been canceled, appearance of test firmware indicates that the work is continuing.
Judging from the reports, Q6a is going to be a tough task. According to The Korean Economic DailyCEO TM Roh tasked Samsung’s engineers with creating a phone that is 7.7mm thick when folded and weighs less than 239 grams.
To put that in perspective, that’s thinner than both the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which is 12.1mm thick when closed, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is 8.6mm thick.
Possible design changes
It’s unknown how Samsung plans to shave five millimeters off its foldable device. None of the reports or their sources detail the development process, though the company could opt for a wider device.
Honor recently launched the Magic V3which is the thinnest foldable to date, measuring 9.2mm thick when folded. When opened, the inner screen measures 7.92 inches.
The Z Fold 6, on the other hand, has a 7.6-inch display. That extra three-tenths of an inch could be all the size Samsung would need to make its ultra-thin smartphone, perhaps even more. The company has shown itself capable of designing slimmer foldables. The original Galaxy Fold, for example, has a 7.3-inch main display that measures 17.1mm when folded.
Likewise, no one knows for sure how big the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim (or the Z Fold 6 Ultra, as some are calling it) will be; another leak from early July claims that the internal display will be a whopping eight inches diagonal.
Limited edition
There is some debate surrounding the availability of the Z Fold 6 Slim as different reports claim different things.
German technology news site All-round PC states that Q6a will have a limited launch in South Korea and China in October. GalaxyClub disagrees, saying the release is actually planned for early 2025. Sources close to the Korea Economic Daily said that Samsung will instead unveil “a 10mm Galaxy Z Fold Slim model” at the end of the year. So it’s not quite 7.7mm, though later devices will apparently get thinner over the years.
Despite all the conflicting information, most articles agree that the availability of smartphones will be limited to the two countries. No one knows exactly why Samsung is opting for a limited release, although 9to5Google thinks it has to do with local competition.
Besides Honor, both OPPO and Huawei have foldable smartphones that are thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, as seen with the 11.7mm Find N3 and the 11.08mm Mate X3. The market in those regions is moving towards convertible smartphones, and Samsung is feeling the pressure to up its game.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim’s US and European rollout remains a mystery, though there’s always a chance it could come to the West. Of course, this is all just rumor until Samsung says something official about it.
Be sure to check out Ny Breaking’s list of the best Samsung phones for 2024.