What you need to know
- A report from South Korea states that Samsung's "Slim" Fold 6 won't be as thin as you might've expected.
- The device is reportedly dropping to 11.6mm, down from 12.1mm of the Fold 6 as an executive states Samsung was concerned about product "reliability."
- The Fold 6 "Slim" is rumored to feature an 8-inch internal display, and a 6.5-inch cover display, and will likely see the removal of the S Pen.
There's been talk about Samsung creating a "slim" variant of the latest Galaxy Z Fold 6, but a new report claims it won't be a vast size reduction.
According to The Elec (Korean), Samsung is reportedly in the process of "finalizing" its decision regarding the appropriate thickness (or thinness) of the Fold 6 variant (via 9to5Google). Supposedly, the Fold 6 Slim will arrive at 11.6mm in thickness, which is only a slight 5% drop from the 12.1mm measurement of the Fold 6 when folded.
Though this is a moderate change, the report states Samsung grappled with "product reliability" when deciding how to make the device thinner.
The digitizers (responsible for the S Pen) of the Fold 6 Slim were removed to cut down on its thickness. However, it was stated that "applying expensive, thin internal materials" could not only raise the device's price but also compromise its reliability.
A Samsung executive stated, "even if Samsung wanted to release the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim model, it will be difficult to do so into the 10mm range due to the reliability issues." It's reported that such issues refer to the survivability and longevity of its hinge and various resistances. Moreover, it seems Samsung is playing it safe with this rumored 11.6mm size to avoid "risks."
The company executive reportedly mentioned popular Chinese brands like Honor and its Magic V3 foldable phones, which are very slim. The Magic V3 launched earlier in July with a 9.2mm thickness when folded and 4.3mm unfolded.
Aside from quality control, Samsung has supposedly started mass-producing the general materials required for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim.
Early rumors of a "Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim" claimed the device would miss out on one important feature: the S Pen. Considering the pen is stored in the device, it makes sense that such an item would get the boot. The Slim model was also rumored to offer a slightly larger display, too. A following report claimed the device could sport an 8-inch display, which would beat the Fold 6's 7.6-inch display.
The cover display would also benefit, potentially arriving at 6.5-inches. Moreover, it's been rumored that the device's run may be limited to around 500,000 units. Samsung's launch of the Slim model in the U.S. is also uncertain.
Additional rumors state the company could launch the device in Q4 2024. That could put us right around October if anything.
