Even though I have yet to replace my trusted slab-type daily phone with a foldable device, I admire the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip lineups and the beautiful Galaxy Z6 series, which Samsung released earlier this year. But in light of recent events and leaks, I'm kind of baffled by what Samsung appears to be planning next. As the title says, I don't see the point of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition.
By all accounts, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is a thinner version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, featuring a slightly wider aspect ratio and a more capable camera combo.
There's nothing wrong with that, in principle. In fact, it sounds like a pretty darn good Galaxy Z Fold 6 successor. But that's not what the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is poised to become.
According to industry sources, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition will be a very niche device due to its limited reach. It won't be released globally but will debut in China and possibly Korea within the next few weeks.
That's sort of a blessing in disguise for most people who spent a small fortune on the technically inferior Galaxy Z Fold 6 only a couple of months ago. As long as they didn't get the phone in China or Korea, they won't get (as much) buyer's remorse. But limited market reach alone might not justify the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold SE.
For a limited “Special Edition” phone, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition sounds too unambitious, especially in the wake of devices like the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate. Is it suffering from an identity crisis or missing a clear purpose? It certainly looks that way to me. At least so far.
I don't see why the Z Fold SE exists. Does Samsung know?
In my mind, the whole point of a phone with limited availability is to use it as a show of force and to push technological boundaries, especially if it means taking risks you otherwise would not take with a phone destined for a widespread global release.
I fully understand why Samsung plays the safe game with its mainstream Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold lineups. These have been the most successful foldable phones globally, for years, and I can understand why Samsung does all it can to avoid releasing a dud with durability issues en masse.
The foldable market is still evolving, and the last thing Samsung wants is to use a mass-production phone with global reach as a test bench for new and untested technologies that pose too high of a risk of failure. It can't afford to take that risk as a market leader, especially after working so hard to inspire confidence in prospective foldable phone buyers with concerns related to durability. So, in its wisdom, Samsung chose to refine its mainstream foldable phones year after year instead of taking giant leaps.
But this brings me back to my original issue with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition. A phone with such a limited availability is supposed to be bold and take risks. It's supposed to do what the mainstream Galaxy Z Fold can't do in its position. And since the Special Edition phone doesn't seem to be doing any of that, at least based on leaks, well, I fail to understand its purpose.
Not only does it seem unambitious, but it will be at risk of insulting Galaxy Z Fold 6 buyers in those few markets where the SE foldable will go on sale. And while it may cost even more than the regular Fold 6, it seems a bit absurd to think that Samsung's only mission is to make a quick buck by releasing this device with extremely limited availability.
So what does Samsung expect to get out of this phone, if money and bragging rights aren't it?
Unfortunately, I don't have the answer. No matter how I look at it, I fail to see why Samsung would want to release this phone in this manner this time of year. Worse of all, for a ‘Special Edition' phone, I'm afraid it could fail to capture people's imagination more than other geographically limited foldable devices from other brands, such as the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate.
The story concludes after our Galaxy Z Fold 6 review video
In a way, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition seems like the safe sequel the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could have gotten next summer, and not a limited-run phone that doesn't seem innovative enough. It's almost like a hybrid only Samsung understands — if that. It may be an experimental device that plays it too safe, but in my mind, that defeats the purpose of being experimental. It seems to lack courage and playfulness, and I don't get it.
Who knows?! Maybe I'm wrong, or the leaks don't tell the full story. Perhaps the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition will make perfect sense once it goes on sale, and I hope it does. Maybe it has some unseen tricks up its sleeve that will blow our minds. But until we see any evidence of that, I'll keep questioning this phone's purpose, especially in a market space where Samsung's rivals have become more aggressive and increasingly creative.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how Samsung will try to pitch this phone to prospective buyers in the few markets it will supposedly be available. Perhaps a detailed design story could provide some much-needed answers as to what place the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is supposed to occupy in the current foldable phone landscape and Samsung's own lineup. I'm hoping for the best.
