There’s no doubting the fact that Samsung makes some of the best book-style folding phones around.
The latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 is its best effort yet, but there are still some key shortcomings – including that high price tag.
Its improvements compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 were minor, so can we expect more wholesale changes on the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6? Rumours suggest that’ll be the case.
With its expected launch event now confirmed, here’s everything you need to know abo
When will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 be released?
Samsung has confirmed that it’ll be holding a Galaxy Unpacked event on 10 July 2024.
Mention of “the latest Galaxy Z series” all but confirms that the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 will be among the announcements.
Learn more in our separate articles on how to watch the event live and everything we’re expecting.
Assuming this materialises, it’ll be the earliest in the year that Samsung has ever launched a foldable, with 2023 models arriving on 26 July.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold: September 2019
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: September 2020
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: August 2021
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: August 2022
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: July 2023
However, the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn’t thought to be the only model on the way.
Dutch tech site GalaxyClub, which has a good track record for Samsung news, reported that a brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra is in development.
A report from WinFuture also suggested that Samsung will introduce an Ultra model, though it’s likely to be limited to South Korea and China, at least initially.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 cost?
Pricing is often one of the last things to be revealed about a new product. So it should come as no surprise that there are no leaks or rumours about it yet. However, the starting prices of previous generations serve as a useful guide:
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 – £1,748/$1,799
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 – £1,649/$1,799
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 – £1,599/$1,799
As you can see, while pricing has remained consistent in the US, there’s been plenty of fluctuation in the UK. It’d be a surprise to see it become even more expensive, but that might happen if significant upgrades are introduced. If it materialises, the rumoured Ultra model is likely to be significantly more expensive.
However, according to SmartPrix, Samsung might increase the price of its Galaxy Z Fold series, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 starting at $1,899.99 for the base 256GB model in the US. This marks a $100 increase from the previous model, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which was priced at $1,799.
Other storage options will also see price hikes: the 512GB model at $2,019.99 and the 1TB model at $2,259.99. This is a notable shift as Samsung’s competition has been lowering foldable phone prices.
What specs and features will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 have?
While a brand-new Z Fold 6 Ultra model is likely in South Korea and possibly China, almost all the rumours focus on the regular model.
Design
A recently leaked official image of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (via GSMArena) from Samsung’s Kazakhstan website, reveals minimal design changes from its predecessor. The most notable change is the reduction in corner rounding compared to the Z Fold 5, consistent with a recent leaks by Ice Universe:
The bezels seems to be slimmed down, achieving a 22:9 aspect ratio on the cover display, a slight improvement from the 23.1:9 ratio of the 2023 model, without significantly altering the phone’s dimensions.
The rear camera setup remains largely unchanged, featuring a raised island with three lenses, now bordered in black instead of metallic rings.
UnironicallyMe37 / Reddit
UnironicallyMe37 / Reddit
UnironicallyMe37 / Reddit
According to renders from OnLeaks (via SmartPrix), the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6 looks a lot like both the Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 4, with slightly sharper corners on the frame and completely flat sides.
The report also indicates that it will measure 153.5 x 132.5 x 6.1 mm when unfolded, making it 1.4 mm shorter and 2.6 mm wider than its predecessor. Despite this, there remains no slot for an S Pen, and the unchanged thickness suggests a similar internal design, including the hinge.
This aligns with an earlier leak from Chun VN that suggested the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could feature a wider yet thinner and lighter profile, and with sharp edges reminiscent of the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
According to a leaker Revegnus, the device is also anticipated to boast a Titanium build and offer three colour options. According to display industry insider Ross Young, these colours will be Dark Blue, Light Pink, and Silver. Interestingly, if his post on X turns out to be true, we may see the first pink Galaxy Z Fold this year.
In a post on Korean site Naver, blogger yeux1122 agrees. The blogger highlighted a thinner and lighter design, more robust and slimmer hinge, Titanium construction and design cues from the Galaxy S24 series as the main things to expect.
Furthermore, the source mentioned the likelihood of the foldable featuring more durable ultra-thin glass (UTG) with enhanced tactile feedback.
Dominik_Tomaszewski
Dominik_Tomaszewski
Dominik_Tomaszewski
Another report from the Dutch tech website GalaxyClub also reveals a new technology set to feature in upcoming Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices. Given the timing of this listing, it’s reasonable to anticipate that the forthcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 will integrate the so-called “Ironflex” technology.
While the listing lacks a detailed description of the technology itself, it does mention a “foldable OLED display panel,” suggesting its relevance not only to smartphones but also to tablets, laptops, and smart wearables. Consequently, it’s plausible to infer that it relates to foldable screens.
With regards to the name, it is likely connected to the hinge mechanism and its durability. However, further details about it remain unknown at this stage.
Display
A report from SmartPrix indicates that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will feature a 7.6-inch foldable panel. The cover screen is reported to measure 6.2 inches with a 120 Hz refresh rate and up to 2600 nits ofbrightness.
Additionally, analyst Ross Young suggested that both the foldable and cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 would be larger than those on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, although specific dimensions or additional details were not publicly disclosed.
According to leaker Yogesh Brar, the cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could measure 6.4 inches diagonally, an increase from the 6.2-inch cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 5:
Before the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, leaker Revegnus said that there’d be a change to the aspect ratio of the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s cover display. Consequently, this alteration in shape would also impact the aspect ratio of the internal screen, potentially resulting in a slightly more square aspect ratio of 1.08:1 compared to the previous 5:6 aspect ratio.
However, according to the most recent leak from Universe Ice, the device is said to feature a 7.6-inch foldable display with a 7:6 aspect ratio and a 6.3-inch cover screen with a 22:9 aspect ratio. This adjustment could offer a more user-friendly experience compared to the previous awkward 23.1:9 aspect ratio of the Z Fold 5’s cover screen.
Additionally, the Z Fold 6 is rumored to have higher resolution screens than its predecessor, though exact specifications remain unclear. Despite conflicting reports on the cover screen size, we’re expectingthinner and lighter form factor when folded and unfolded, with dimensions of 12.1mm and 5.6mm, respectively, and a weight of 239g.
These improvements could potentially make the Z Fold 6 slimmer and lighter than competitors like the Google Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open.
Performance
Given all previous Galaxy Z Fold’s used the latest and greatest Qualcomm chip at the time of launch, the Z Fold 6 is likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This is an assertion also shared by the leaker Chun Bhai.
But could Samsung’s own Exynos chips be used in some markets? As we know, the Galaxy S24 phones are split between Snapdragon and Exynos, so it’s possible the same could apply to the Z Fold 6. However, an Ultra-branded device is unlikely to trade the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Exynos 2400, which is considered to be slightly less possible.
All Galaxy Z Fold 5 models have 12GB of RAM, but Korean blogger yeux1122 mentioned that the device might offer up to 16GB of RAM, alongside up to 1TB of storage.
Cameras
In another X post, leaker Revegnus suggested Samsung will persist with the Isocell GN3 main sensor from the Z Fold 5.
However, the leaker also hinted at the possibility of the Fold 6 being equipped with the camera sensor used in the S24 Ultra, potentially upgrading it to a 200MP primary camera.
A report from GalaxyClub indicated that Samsung was considering implementing a 50MP primary camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which is identical to the camera featured in the Galaxy S24. However, the report did not address the claims regarding the 200MP primary camera.
Leaker Yogesh Brar mentioned a potential camera setup comprising a 50MP primary rear camera, a 10MP telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide camera, similar to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
It also looks like the other sensors will be unchanged, if a tweet from IceUniverse is anything to go by:
Therefore, you can expect the same five lenses as the Galaxy Z Fold 5: 50MP main, 10MP 3x telephoto, 12MP ultrawide, 4MP under-display inner screen selfie and 10MP cover selfie.
However, the 200MP main camera may appear on the standard (and arguably more expensive) Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant, while the 50MP camera from the previous model may appear on the alleged budget variant.
Battery & charging
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2‘s power efficiency benefitted battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, despite it remaining at the same 4400mAh as its predecessor.
However, leaker Chun VN has been suggested that the phone could come with a slightly larger 4,600mAh battery and the rumoured inclusion of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 should improve battery life further.
You can already get a full day of regular use on a single charge, but it’d be great if it could also last until the end of demanding days with lots of GPS, high brightness and mobile data.
The 25W wired charging could also be improved – the Galaxy Z Fold 5 only charges to 28% in 15 minutes and 56% in 30 minutes.
Software
In terms of software, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will probably run on Android 14 with the Samsung’s One UI 6.1 overlay, though there’s a chance Android 15 will be available by the time it comes out.
The exclusive features that were specific to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 are also expected to be available on the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Dominik_Tomaszewski
Dominik_Tomaszewski
Dominik_Tomaszewski
There may also be some new additions, like Galaxy AI, thanks to the implementation of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. At this point, however, this is not certain.
Additionally, a report from OnLeaks (via Smartprix) suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is expected to receive 7 major OS updates and 7 years of security updates. That would match what we’ve seen on the Galaxy S24 series.
This is all the information we have at the moment, but please stay tuned as we will continue to update this article with more details. In the meantime, be sure to check out our guides to the best foldables and best Samsung Galaxy phones, plus news on the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Author: Artur Tomala, Mobile Writer, Tech Advisor
Artur is a Mobile Writer at Tech Advisor, where he covers a range of smartphone, tablet and smartwatch-related topics. He has been working in the tech industry since 2021, including time spent leading a team focused on mobile news, reviews and product rankings. As an ambassador for the productivity app Notion, he runs training workshops and creates advanced templates to help people stay organised and productive.