Samsung’s next folding phone could be unbelievably thin

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published July 18, 2024

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 in different colors. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Just one week after Samsung revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 6, good news about the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 has emerged.

According to KED Global, Samsung’s TM Roh (who heads the company’s mobile division) wants the next Galaxy Z Fold to be even thinner than this year’s model. When folded, the next folding phone’s thinnest point is expected to match that of the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 5.6mm thick when unfolded and 12.1mm thick when folded. In comparison, the Galaxy S24 is 7.6mm thick, the Galaxy S24 Plus is 7.7mm, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra is 8.6mm. In other words, the 2025 Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be 3.5mm thinner than this year’s model. If that actually happens, that could be game-changing.

Whether this happens remains to be seen. However, Samsung was able to shave off 1.3mm between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 6. If the company can reduce the thickness by another 3.5mm, that’s worth getting excited about.

A person holding the open Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, showing the bottom of the device. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Earlier this week, news leaked that Samsung could unveil another Galaxy Z Fold smartphone before the end of the year. The new model, possibly named the “Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra” or “Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim,” is expected to be thinner than the recently announced model.

Similar to Apple, Samsung seems to be focused on creating thinner devices. This year’s Apple iPad Pro is the thinnest yet, and it’s anticipated that Apple will release an ultrathin iPhone 17 in 2025.

Do you need even more reasons to forgo the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and wait for the thinner Galaxy Z Fold 7? Consider our thoughts on why waiting for 2025 might be a wise choice.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 was revealed during a July 10 Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris. Other new devices announced at the event included the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Watch 7, the all-new Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the first-generation Galaxy Ring.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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