A Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra May Be in the Works, Report Suggests
Samsung may release an even more premium version of its book-style foldable.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5.
With its $1,800 price and top-tier specs, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is already a premium smartphone. However, Samsung may take that up a notch with the introduction of a Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra, according to a leak from the blog Galaxy Club.
The report says Samsung is working on a new Galaxy device with a model number that appears to be a cross between the numbers typically used for the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy S Ultra line. However, it also notes that this model may only be available for the South Korean market. Crucially, it doesn't suggest what would be added to make the foldable Ultra to distinguish it from the standard Z Fold.
The new rumor follows a report from Korean news outlets The Elec and ETNews that indicated Samsung is also working on a lower-end version of the Z Fold. Taken together, both reports suggest that Samsung could be expanding the Z Fold into its own product lineup in an attempt to appeal to new audiences.
A Samsung representative said the company doesn't provide comment on rumors or speculation.
Read more: Foldable Phones in 2024: What to Expect From Samsung, Google and Others
It's also not the first time rumors have indicated that a supposed Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra could be in development. WinFuture reported back in February that an Ultra is in the works, although neither report includes details about what would separate this high-end model from the standard Galaxy Z Fold. Rumors of a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra have also coincided with speculation that Samsung may add an embedded S Pen to its book-shaped foldable. If Samsung is working on making that happen, perhaps it's saving it for the Ultra model, which would fit with the approach it's taken for the Galaxy S series.
As I've written in the past, branching out beyond one Galaxy Z Fold model could go a long way in making foldables more popular. A cheaper Galaxy Z Fold may be more attractive to those who want a larger screen that fits in their pocket, but aren't willing to pay close to $2,000. An Ultra model, on the other hand, could satisfy those who are interested in foldables but don't want to deal with some of the shortcomings on today's devices. That all depends on what Samsung has in store for a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra, if it's even working on one at all.
Regardless, Samsung clearly has big plans in mind for its foldable lineup. The company's display division has been flaunting new concept devices at CES for the past two years, showing that Samsung is investing in coming up with new flexible designs. Samsung also held what may be its flashiest product launch ever last year in Seoul to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, with K-pop stars and the American actress Sydney Sweeney in attendance. It was a statement indicating how important Samsung views foldables as being to its mobile product portfolio.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 stole the show last year with its new cover screen. But perhaps these rumors regarding cheaper and Ultra variants of the Z Fold suggest it's time for Samsung's larger foldable to shine. We'll likely know more this summer, when Samsung is expected to announce the next Z Flip and Z Fold.
