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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.

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Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
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