Samsung's rumored slim version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 may be getting a surprise name change
It's a very special edition
There have been several rumors circulating about a potential new version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but a recent leak has revealed a potentially surprising new name option.
According to numerous rumors, Samsung plans to release a slimmer version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for the Asian market. However, there was no consensus on the device's name. There were indications that the device could be called the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim or even the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE. However, there is a new name possibility according to a recent leak.
In a recent post on X, known source Evan Blass asserted the device will actually be called the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, which could be potentially shortened to the Galaxy Z Fold SE. We have seen Samsung refer to phones as Special Editions before, for instance, there are Special editions of both the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the only real difference is the color options rather than any real hardware changes.
This wouldn't be the case with the Galaxy Z Fold SE as rumors indicate it'll have a couple of differences from the base model. Supposedly the new phone will have a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch internal display. If true, this would make it slightly larger than the Z Fold 6, which has a 6.3-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch internal display. It has also been stated that the Special Edition won't have S Pen support, which might be a turn-off for some customers.
However, the biggest issue that we have seen with the upcoming phone regards how thin it actually is. A report from the Korean site The Elec claims that the Z Fold SE will measure around 11.5mm when folded, which means it would only have a difference of about 0.02 inches compared to the current Galaxy Z Fold 6. There is an argument to be made that labeling the phone as the "Special Edition" is a way to avoid any mention of the phone not really being any thinner.
According to a report by by Android Authority, the Galaxy Z Fold SE will launch on September 25 in Korea, with rumors that there will be a Chinese launch too. However, there are no indications of a release outside of the Asian market at this time.
For more information on Samsung's current foldable phones, you can check out our reviews of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and our breakdown of everything announced at this year's Galaxy Unpacked event.
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Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.