Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, a premium variant of its flagship foldable smartphone exclusively for the South Korean market. This new model addresses several key criticisms of the standard Z Fold 6 while potentially hinting at future improvements for the global lineup.
Larger displays in a slimmer package
The Special Edition boasts enlarged screens compared to its predecessor:
- 6.5-inch outer display (up from 6.3 inches)
- 8-inch inner display (up from 7.6 inches)
Despite the increased screen real estate, Samsung has managed to make the device both thinner and lighter:
- 10.6mm thick when folded (1.5mm thinner than Z Fold 6)
- 236g weight (3g lighter than Z Fold 6)
Major camera upgrade
Perhaps the most significant improvement is the camera system. The Special Edition features a 200MP main camera, matching the resolution found in Samsung's top-tier Galaxy S24 Ultra. This is a substantial leap from the 50MP sensor in the standard Z Fold 6.
Powerful internals
The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset and comes with 16GB of RAM. Samsung touts this configuration as enabling a 'Galaxy AI' experience optimized for foldables, though specific details on these AI features remain unclear.
Limited availability and pricing
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition will launch on October 25, 2024, exclusively in South Korea. It will be available in a single Black Shadow color option, priced at ₩2,789,600 (approximately $2,000 / £1,550 / AU$3,000).
No plans for a budget foldable
While this Special Edition represents a more premium offering, a Samsung official reportedly stated that the company has no current plans to release a lower-priced Galaxy Z Fold device. This contradicts earlier rumors of a potential Z Fold FE model aimed at a more budget-conscious market.
Outlook
The enhancements found in the Z Fold Special Edition address several criticisms of Samsung's foldable lineup, particularly regarding display size and camera quality. While global availability remains uncertain, these improvements may provide a preview of features we can expect in future iterations of the Z Fold series available worldwide.