Samsung has begun ramping up the teasers for an upcoming Android phone launch and though details are scarce, the tech giant has dropped a huge and unsubtle hint about what we can expect from its next flagship smartphone.
In a blog post released on Tuesday, Samsung is heavily hinting that it will use its famed ‘Ultra’ branding on the next Galaxy Z Fold device, which was until now rumoured to be called the Z Fold 7.
With the headline ‘Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra’ alongside a looping video of a phone in shadow that unfolds down the vertical crease, just like the Z Fold phones, Samsung hasn’t left too much up to the imagination, even ending the post with: “The Ultra experience is ready to unfold”, implying we will soon see the first ever Galaxy Ultra branded foldable.
“For years, Samsung has listened to users asking for bigger screens, better cameras and new ways to connect and create,” Samsung said. “The demand is clear — an Ultra-experience that goes beyond a simple list of upgraded features in a smaller and more portable form factor.”
Samsung has used the Ultra branding for several years to name the priciest and most capable phone in its Galaxy S line up, the series of phones that tend to be launched at the start of each calendar year. The latest Galaxy S25 Ultra includes an S Pen stylus accessory and has a larger screen and battery compared to the S25 and S25 Plus.
Usually around July or August, Samsung opts to launch its foldable devices, most recently the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 in July 2024. While the Z Flip phones open up like old school flip phones and pack away into tiny squares, the Fold line up are tall, skinny phones that open up to reveal almost-square tablet screens on the inside.
These phones haven’t had the Ultra branding before, but this new blog and video suggests the next Galaxy Z Fold could bear the name. That would possibly mean it would include an S Pen in the box or one that inserts into its frame, like the S Ultra phones. Z Folds have been S Pen compatible, but are not included in the sky-high asking price. The Z Fold 6 retails for £1,799.
“With industry-leading hardware, cutting-edge performance and seamless AI integration optimized for the foldable format, it’s what users have come to expect from Galaxy Ultra”, the post said.
Samsung has not yet confirmed what its new foldable devices will be called, but, perhaps accidentally, the video file in the blog post bears the name ‘Galaxy-Z-Fold7-Z-Flip7-Pre-tease’.
This leaves open the possibility of a third Ultra-branded folding phone alongside a Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. Samsung released a slimmed-down version of the Z Fold 6 for the Korean and Chinese markets last year and called it the Galaxy Z Fold Special.
It’s possible that design will be used for the Z Fold 7 with the Ultra branding slapped onto it for the global market, but now I’m just speculating. We’ll have to wait at least a month, most likely, to find out exactly what Samsung has cooking.