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Leaked render shows off the wasp waist of Samsung's impending Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Sep 06, 2024, 2:16 AM

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Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition leaked render

Samsung's most "special" foldable yet is fast approaching its long-awaited official announcement, and following countless rumors focused primarily on its branding and what could distinguish it from the existing Galaxy Z Fold 6, a new report finally gives us an idea on how the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition will probably look.

Unsurprisingly, the first-ever product render leaked by the usually reliable folks over at Android Headlines depicts an extremely similar design to that of the aforementioned Z Fold 6. That's because Samsung can't simply decide to reinvent the wheel all of a sudden and produce a book-style foldable like no book-style foldable before it. But there are a few interesting differences to note as well, and that's what we're going to discuss in the following lines.

More than just a thinner profile

Rumored to be called Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim for a good couple of months or so, Samsung's "bonus" foldable this year is now widely expected to carry a more fitting Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition moniker for marketing purposes.

The phone's key selling point, of course, will not be changed or revised in any way, and if you closely inspect today's leaked image, you're likely to notice the waist does look significantly thinner than that of the "standard" Galaxy Z Fold 6.

The Z Fold Special Edition looks undeniably slim and stylish in its first (blurry) render.

The latest inside information dug up by the always trustworthy Evan Blass puts the Z Fold Special Edition at a 4.9mm depth when unfolded and 10.6mm in folded form, down from the 5.6mm and 12.1mm thickness numbers of the Z Fold 6. That's likely to vastly improve the maneuverability of Samsung's top-of-the-line foldable, even though these upgrades will obviously not be enough to match the industry-leading measurements of the Honor Magic V3.

But the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition will bring a few other changes to the table as well, including a sleek new back panel finish and possibly a more prominent rear-facing camera module. Despite how it looks at first glance, we don't expect the phone's rear cover to be made of actual metal, but merely resemble the material to stand out from the glossy Z Fold 6.

The camera system, meanwhile, could gain in weight and thickness to accommodate the presence of a 200MP primary sensor, up from the 50MP main snapper on the back of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

What about the screens?

Well, it's hard to tell from just one picture (especially this type of picture), but all credible signs point to the Z Fold Special Edition sporting a generous 8-inch primary foldable display and a cover screen of around 6.5 inches. Both numbers are up significantly from the Z Fold 6's 7.6 and 6.3-inch screen sizes, actually eclipsing even the aforementioned Honor Magic V3, as well as the likes of the OnePlus Open and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (at least as far as the secondary display is concerned).

There are no words on other upgrades over the Z Fold 6 just yet, but even if the rest of the specifications will go completely unchanged, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition definitely looks premium, stylish, large, and powerful enough to bid for the world's best foldable crown this holiday season.

The Z Fold 6 already offers A LOT of screen real estate. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

That state-of-the-art 200MP camera borrowed from the Galaxy S24 Ultra alone could seal the deal for a lot of Android power users in a lot of key global markets, but unfortunately, the Z Fold Special Edition is still expected to be released exclusively in China and South Korea soon.

The retail price is obviously likely to fit the ultra-high-end specifications and ultra-attractive design discussed today, at the equivalent of over $2,000, which might ultimately make this device a purely experimental model for a very small group of users.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.