Skip to main content

Samsung may have a big surprise in store with its next folding phone

A person holding the open Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, showing the screen.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

As Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 continues in Barcelona, Spain, there are whispers that Samsung could be releasing not one, but two Galaxy Z Fold 6 models. More specifically, one of them could be a Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra, at least according to a report from WinFuture. If this is the case, it will be the first time that Samsung releases two Z Fold variants at the same time — and the first time we’ve seen an Ultra model in the Z Fold family.

For some time now, there has been a rumor that Samsung was possibly launching a second “fold” in the Galaxy Z series, which currently includes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. However, most of the rumors up until this point have suggested that a second “Fold” model would have been a cheaper, more affordable variant. However, that may not be the case.

What if I told you the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Q6) was the "cheap" new foldable and there is a new "Ultra" (Q6A) coming up? That's what's going on according to what I hear on the streets of Barcelona. #MWC24https://t.co/fNesmk1C0Y

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 28, 2024

There is now talk that there will be a standard Galaxy Z Fold 6, which we were already expecting. But there also could now be a more expensive model in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra. If this is indeed Samsung’s plan this year, it would bring the Z Fold series more in line with the S-series, which currently consists of the affordable base model Galaxy S24 and more expensive Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, what this Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra could have to differentiate it from the base version is still unclear.

In previous reports from a few weeks ago, the code name “Q6A” has popped up alongside what appears to be the normal model internal code name “Q6.” It’s possible that the “Q6A” is the Ultra model, though that is still speculation.

Again, we don’t have concrete leaks about what features a Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra could have. But possibilities  include different display sizes, storage options, or perhaps an integrated S Pen or different camera systems and battery sizes. And with some other foldables like the OnePlus Open having an antireflective inner display, that could be another differentiating factor.

This is all still speculation and just word on the street at MWC, so take it with some skepticism for now. We’ll have to wait until summer for Samsung to announce the next generation of the Z Fold and Z Flip line. And assuming this is true, that wait just got a lot more interesting.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
Why I ditched my iPhone 15 Pro for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro in hand.

This is not another “lifelong iPhone user tries Android” story. I use and review all kinds of phones, and I prefer the flexibility of Android. That said, I’ve been on the iPhone 15 Pro since its launch — for two reasons. First, I had been getting the iPhone 14 Pro Max-level battery life on it. Second, I like the stability of social media apps like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). But the experience has been downgrading for a while now.

Samsung's "AI phone," the Galaxy S24 Ultra, tackles these two issues and gives me some extra features that I didn’t think would be important for me. It’s been a surprisingly fun experience. Here’s why I shifted to the Galaxy S24 Ultra from the iPhone 15 Pro and decided to stay on it. And no, it has nothing to do with AI.
Updates have ruined the iPhone 15 Pro

Read more
iPhone Flip: what we know about Apple’s first foldable phone
Folding iPhone concept from iOS Beta News.

In the past few years, Samsung has become one of the leading manufacturers of foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. Though it's not the only brand making foldable devices, it offers the most mainstream and available options, especially in the U.S. That leads to the question of whether Apple will follow suit with a foldable iPhone — or even an iPad.

There have been long-standing rumors that Apple could be working on such a device, including a foldable iPhone, which we'll call "iPhone Flip" for now. Apple's a secretive company, so there may very well be at least some research and development taking place on such a device. But, of course, this continues to just be all speculation for now. From the latest news, rumors, and reports, here's everything we know so far about Apple's folding iPhone.
iPhone Flip: design and display

Read more
I just ordered my first folding phone, and I’m worried
The Z Fold 5 being half folded.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a technological marvel. Not content with creating some of the world's most powerful smartphones, Samsung decided they had to bend in the middle as well, and the original Z Fold sprang from that seemingly insane decision. Several years later, the culmination of that process is the Galaxy Z Fold 5 -- a folding phone with an enormous inner display, flagship hardware, and the most advanced hinge technology we've ever seen.

I've just bought one, and I should be over the moon. But I'm not; I'm worried.

Read more