How many different foldable phones is Samsung planning to release in the next few months? That question is on a lot of minds right now, tormenting the most reputable tech leakers and publications out there, as well as regular consumers and everyday Galaxy fans.
At this point, the entire mobile tech world will be bitterly disappointed if the industry’s top vendor only ends up unveiling two boring and repetitive sequels to last year’s Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 in 2024. That’s because the rumor mill has been abuzz for quite some time now with speculation of upcoming models carrying potential names like Galaxy Z Flip FE, Z Fold FE, Z Fold 6 Ultra, and most recently, Z Fold 6 Slim.
Yet another moniker is today joining the (chaotic) fun, and although this would have been very surprising before yesterday, it’s now… slightly less of a shock.
How could a Z Flip 6 Slim stand out?
Tipped just yesterday by the equally trustworthy Ross Young to ditch S Pen support in an attempt to reduce the thickness of the Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 6, the Z Fold 6 Slim could be joined to the market soon by an even more mysterious and puzzling Galaxy Z Flip 6 Slim.
This is how the regular Z Flip 6 is expected to look.
Because the Z Flip 5 is already quite slender and there’s no stylus digitizer to get rid of, we honestly have no idea how Samsung intends to make the clamshell’s Slim-branded cousin a reality. Shrinking the battery capacity would probably be an easy way to shed a millimeter or two, but we’re not convinced that’s the best decision the company can make to guarantee this product’s success.
The “normal” Galaxy Z Flip 6 is currently expected to measure 7.4mm in thickness when unfolded and pack a 4,000mAh cell, up from 6.9mm and 3,700mAh on the Z Flip 5, so Samsung does have a little wiggle room as far as the Z Flip 6 Slim is concerned.
With that name not yet etched in stone, there’s a possibility that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 Slim will eventually materialize as a Z Flip FE or Z Flip 6 FE variant with a reduced price in addition to a thin profile and a small(er than 4,000mAh) battery, although we’re obviously just speculating here.
Let’s do a quick recap
While the Z Flip 6 Slim is purportedly known on the inside as the “B6 Slim”, the “classic” Galaxy Z Flip 6 predictably also goes by a “B6” codename.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6, meanwhile, carries the “Q6” internal codename, with the Z Fold 6 Slim of course taking on the “Q6 Slim” mantle for development purposes. But then you have the “Q6A”, which may or may not commercially materialize as a Fold Fan Edition, and believe it or not, there’s also word from the inside today of a “Q6 Slim Pro.”
This is how the Z Fold 6 is expected to look.
That means we could see Samsung release up to six different foldables in the not-so-distant future, although there’s still a good chance the Q6 Slim and Q6 Slim Pro codenames refer to one and the same device. Meanwhile, the Z Fold 6 FE could be headed exclusively to Korea or get cancelled altogether, so there’s clearly still a lot of confusion hovering over the company’s foldable expansion plans for the rest of 2024.
On top of everything, Ross Young now believes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim is more likely to see daylight in Q1 2025 alongside the Galaxy S25 family than in Q4 2024. If that’s the case, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 Slim could definitely keep us waiting until next year as well… if it ever comes to pass.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
