Samsung Launches W26: A China-Exclusive Luxury Foldable with Satellite Connectivity
Beijing, China – Samsung has unveiled the W26, a premium foldable phone exclusive too the Chinese market, positioning it as a more luxurious iteration of the recently released Galaxy Z Fold 7. The W26 boasts enhancements including satellite calling capabilities – a feature largely absent in global Z Fold 7 models – alongside a refined presentation and boosted RAM.
While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 expands Samsung’s foldable offerings worldwide, the W26 caters specifically to Chinese consumer preferences, often functioning as a status symbol within that market. This distinction is rooted in Samsung’s long-term partnership with China Telecom and a strategy to offer localized designs and features. The W26’s arrival alongside the Z Fold 7 in China provides consumers with a choice between mainstream innovation and exclusive luxury.
Beyond aesthetics, the W26 introduces satellite calling for text, picture messaging, and data – functionality currently supported on T-Mobile in the US but not widely available on global Z Fold 7 versions. Samsung elevates the unboxing experience with a premium package including a Kevlar case, charging cable, and a bundled charger, a rarity in contemporary smartphone releases.
Internally, the W26 features 16GB of RAM across both its 512GB and 1TB storage configurations, exceeding the 12GB of RAM found in the base 512GB Galaxy Z fold 7. It also incorporates exclusive Galaxy AI tools, notably “Smart Collection,” designed to streamline content management by allowing users to drag and drop images and text into a dedicated workspace.
Pricing for the Samsung W26 begins at CNY 16,999 (~$2,383) for the 512GB model and CNY 18,999 (~$2,663) for the 1TB variant. The device will remain exclusive to the Chinese market, with no current plans for international availability.
