The Galaxy Z Fold 6 isn’t expected to be Samsung’s only foldable this year that falls under the “Fold” brand. Samsung should also launch an ultra-slim version of the phone, which we’ve been referring to as Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE. That moniker might not even matter to most people, as Samsung will supposedly release the foldable in select markets, starting with China and Korea.
Still, the prospect of seeing a slimmer Fold is exciting, as it would show Samsung is getting closer to matching similar offerings from rivals. Honor’s Magic V2 made waves last year for being about half as thick as an iPhone when unfolded. The Magic V3 that came out this summer is even thinner.
This isn’t just about making thin foldable phones, but thin smartphones in general. I’m actually far more excited about the prospect of an iPhone 17 Air than I am about foldable phones.
Back to the ultra-thin Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE, the handset is still just a rumor. Reports said Samsung would start selling it in select markets in late September, just after the launch of the iPhone 16. But that never happened.
An announcement might not be too far off, however, as a prominent leaker just posted what looks like a partial image of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE.
Evan Blass shared what appears to be the profile of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE on X. The slim chassis is painted in a gold/pink hue. We can see the screen bezels, the antenna lines, the volume rocker, and the power button with its built-in fingerprint sensor.
If this is the ultra-slim Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE, it must be unfolded. It could be part of an official Samsung marketing image for the device. The reason it’s cut out like that might intended be to prevent Samsung from removing the picture from X with takedown requests.
How do we even know that’s a Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE and not something else? Well, we don’t. The leaker posted the photo on Saturday without providing any context.
However, if you’ve followed Galaxy leaks for as long as I have, you’ll think the image looks familiar. That’s because a different leak in early September actually featured the entire purported design of the ultra-slim Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE. Here’s a look at that leak:
The strange photo Blass posted features a phone chassis that’s very similar to that September leak. Neither leak can be confirmed, but the image from back in September makes sense. It’s what I’d expect from Samsung when it comes to making a thin foldable. On the other hand, Blass routinely produces images for unreleased Samsung products and they’re usually correct.
That said, there’s no telling when Samsung will unveil the ultra-thin Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant. It could happen really soon, or we might be in for a longer wait. Blass did not mention a launch date for the handset.
I’m not even looking forward to it as a buyer. However, I’m interested to see what Samsung has done to create a Magic V3 rival that will mainly target Chinese buyers. The various innovations required to make such a thin foldable, like improved display tech, thin batteries, and a thin but strong chassis, could be important for future smartphone designs.