Samsung Electronics unveils thinnest Galaxy Z Fold SE

Galaxy Z Fold SE. (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics Co. has unveiled the thinnest and lightest foldable smartphone in the Galaxy lineup to date, heralding its entry into the global “ultra-slim” race alongside Chinese competitors.

Samsung announced on Monday that the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition (SE) will be available in Korea from Friday onwards on Samsung.com and via the three major mobile carriers’ official online stores. The retail price is 2,789,600 won ($2,020).

The most notable feature is the design improvement compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which was unveiled in July 2024. The Z Fold SE measures 10.6 millimeters thick and weighs 236 grams, making it 1.5 mm thinner and 3 g lighter than its predecessor. The unfolded screen size has also increased, featuring a 203.1 mm display with a 20:18 aspect ratio, the widest in the Z Fold series. The cover screen, which is usable when folded, has a 21:9 aspect ratio with a 164.8 mm (6.5-inch) display, providing usability and grip akin to that of a traditional bar-type phone.

Artificial intelligence (AI) features and camera technology have seen significant enhancements. A 200-megapixel wide-angle camera is included, a first in the Galaxy Z series, delivering more vivid and clear photo and video capture. Memory has been increased from 12 gigabytes in the previous model to 16 GB, enabling optimized Galaxy AI functions for foldables. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile application processor (AP) and will be available in a single color: Black Shadow.

Galaxy Z Fold SE. (Samsung Electronics)

The competition for foldable thickness in the global smartphone market is intensifying. Xiaomi Inc. released the Mix Fold 4 in July 2024, which is 9.47 mm thick, while Honor Device Co.’s Magic V3 is 9.3 mm thick. Huawei Technologies Co.‘s recently released tri-fold smartphone, the Mate XT, is about 12 mm thick.

Samsung Electronics expressed gratitude to Korean consumers for leading the foldable market and highlighted the elegant design of its new model consumers ahead of the latest Galaxy Z Fold model’s launch.