With every Chinese manufacturer pushing the envelope in how thin and lightweight they can make their foldables, Samsung has no choice but to respond. The company's clamshell Galaxy Z Flip smartphones are already slimmer than most of the competition. But the same isn't true for the Galaxy Z Fold lineup.Summarize in one-click with Galaxy AI
Samsung's response is expected later this year in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim. Whether that will be the actual name of the phone is unclear, but the rumors and leaks have all but confirmed that it will have a slimmer and lighter body. And titanium could play an important role, according to a new report from the Korean media.
Titanium backplate will make the phone stronger and lighter
Samsung is reportedly thinking of using titanium as a building material for the phone's backplate. The backplate is the support structure between the foldable panel and hinge on foldable smartphones, and for existing Galaxy Z Fold models, Samsung used carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) as the building material.
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For the Z Fold 6 Slim, Samsung may switch to a titanium backplate for increased strength and lighter weight. CFRP is apparently still on the table, though we can assume the titanium backplate is what Samsung will ultimately opt for.
Titanium backplate may be why the Z Fold 6 Slim won't support the S Pen
We learned back in May that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim would lack S Pen support. The titanium backplate may be the reason for that. Titanium can interfere with the digitizer that enables stylus support, which is likely why Samsung didn't use it for the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a titanium frame, but that frame doesn't sit behind the display panel, unlike the backplate on a foldable device.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim could go official sometime between October and December. However, it will likely be exclusive to Korea and China. A wider release doesn't seem to be on the cards for now, and part of the reason for that may be the phone's higher price tag, which will probably exceed the $2,000 mark.
