Samsung finally unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold SE a few weeks ago the thinnest and most expensive foldable ever. Interestingly enough, the Galaxy Z Fold SE could be Samsung’s first foldable almost no crease in the middle of the screen. Furthermore, the Special Edition device is only available in Korea, and rumors suggest it will be launched in China as well.
But it looks like the Galaxy Z Fold SE is already a big success Samsung in its home market. Samsung has put two Galaxy Z Fold SE batches up for sale, and the phone sold out both times. While it’s unclear how many Galaxy Z Fold SE units Samsung can even make, it’s still a promising development.
Instead of pining for an ultra-thin foldable Samsung smartphone that may never hit the international market, I’ll point you to more exciting rumors about next year’s foldable Samsung models. Samsung is apparently planning to launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip device, and I hope the rumors are genuine this time.
We saw similar rumors in early 2024: Samsung would make two Galaxy Z Fold phones this year, including the regular Fold 6 and a cheaper version. The rumor then turned into something else, that Samsung would launch a thin Fold-type device. Some reports even said that there won’t be a cheap Fold 6 variant in stores regardless of the market.
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What we got was a Galaxy Z Fold 6 model that is more expensive than its predecessor. Then the Special Edition ultra-thin was released, with an even higher price tag for that slim profile.
The latter proved quite successful in Korea, with Samsung already confirming that it had sold out all available stock. Per SamMobileAll inventory sold through local carriers is also sold out.
Regardless of how many units Samsung has made, the success of the Galaxy Z Fold SE is great news. Buyers loved the improved form factor, which puts pressure on Samsung to bring the Fold SE’s design to the Fold 7 next year. I explained that this would not be the case a big problem for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. You can’t go back to the Fold 6 design when the Fold SE is possible.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 side by side. Image source: Chris Smith, BGR
It will be several months before we get a clearer picture of what lies ahead, but we already have an exciting rumor about foldable products from Korea.
A blogger who goes by the name jaux1122 may be familiar to iPhone users who keep track of rumors. The leaker has been offering details about unreleased devices for a while now. yeux1122’s The latest rumor mentions some of the upcoming Galaxy devices, including new foldables.
Samsung is reportedly working on three devices that may be released next spring. The list includes the Galaxy S25 Slim, the Galaxy Z Flip FE and a Galaxy Z Fold 7 variant. The leaker didn’t provide more details about either device, nor do we have a clear release window.
However, the name Flip FE indicates that Samsung may launch a cheaper version of the Flip 6 or Flip 7 next year. The moniker “FE” stands for Fan Edition, which represents a flagship-like device that is cheaper than the original version.
It’s unclear what to expect from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in that lineup, especially if it releases in April. Could it be a variant of the Galaxy Z Fold SE? Or is it an “FE” device? The second option would only make sense once the actual Galaxy Z Fold 7 comes out.
This year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 in mid-July, ahead of the Summer Olympics. I think both phones are great upgrades over their predecessors, especially the latter. But sales weren’t that good. The Galaxy Z Fold SE may only be sold out because it is a limited edition device. It would be great if Samsung made cheaper (and thinner) foldable products next year.