Samsung’s new foldable for China has something the Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn’t

Samsung has launched a new foldable smartphone in China. It is largely based on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but has some things additional features and new paint jobs. One of those additional features include could come in really handy in emergency situations.

Samsung W26 launches in China with satellite calling and messaging

The Samsung W26 is a slightly upgraded version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It maintains the same slim profile (8.9mm) and lightweight design (215g) as the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Both devices feature the same 6.5-inch cover screen and 8-inch foldable screen, along with identical internal hardware.

However, the W26 introduces a unique feature: direct satellite connectivity for emergency calling and messaging. This is achieved by connecting to Tiantong, China’s mobile communications satellite system. This feature isn’t available in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that is sold globally.

The phone also comes in two special dual-tone colors: Dan Xihong (Red+Gold) and Xuan Yao Black (Black+Gold). Moreover, it has 16GB RAM as standard in both 512GB and 1TB storage variants. In comparison, the 512GB version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has just 12GB RAM. It also comes bundled with a special dual-tone kevlar case, a 25W fast charger, a USB cable, and a China Telecom co-branded privilege card in the box.

The new smartphone’s displays have a 1-120Hz variable rate and up to 2,600 nits peak brightness (for HDR). It has stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. It runs Android 16 (One UI 8.0) out of the box and will get seven major Android OS updates. It has some additional Galaxy AI features as well, including Smart Collection, Smart Drag And Drop, and a Smart Password Manager.