The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6’s rumored battery upgrade isn’t good enough

Several leaks have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will have a 4,000mAh battery, up from 3,700mAh in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and we now have the most credible evidence of that increase yet, as a certification has seemingly revealed the exact capacity.

A new FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing spotted by MySmartPrice details a phone with the model number SM-F741U, which is the model number we’re expecting the Z Flip 6 to have, as its predecessor is the SM-F731U.

Taken in isolation, this listing doesn’t tell us much, but it does mention two batteries: one with a 1,097mAh capacity, and another with a 2,790mAh capacity; the two combining for a rated capacity of 3,887mAh.

Due to their dual-screened designs, it’s typical for foldable phones to use two batteries, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is no exception, offering a rated capacity of 3,591mAh.

The rated capacity is the minimum verified battery capacity of a phone, but companies – including Samsung – tend to advertise the ‘typical’ capacity, a higher figure referring to the average capacity of the battery (often rounded up or down to a round number). The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a typical capacity of 3,700mAh, and if the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a rated capacity of 3,887mAh, then it’s likely to have a typical capacity of 4,000mAh, as has been rumored. So far, so good.

Bigger than before, but no faster to charge

On the face of it, any increase in battery capacity is a good thing. But in the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, it’s still not as good as we’d like, since a 4,000mAh battery would only be in line with that of the Samsung Galaxy S24, which has a 6.2-inch screen, whereas the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is expected to have a far larger (and therefore more power-hungry) display of around 6.7 inches.

It’s likely that the foldable form factor limits space for larger batteries, since some of this space will be eaten up by parts of the phone’s hinge. So, this small rumored size increase isn’t surprising, but it is unfortunate.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like Samsung will mitigate the issue with speedy charging either, as a Danish UL Demko certification (also seen by MySmartPrice) shows a charging power of 25W for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. That’s the same charging power as last year, and would mean that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 offers far slower charging than some rival handsets – even the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offers 45W charging.

Of course, as with all leaks, we’d take these specs with a pinch of salt, but as they’ve been listed by national certification agencies, they’re likely to be accurate.

We should find out for sure in July, as that’s when the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will probably land. Leaks suggest the upcoming foldable will launch on July 10 at Galaxy Unpacked, alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, the Samsung Galaxy Ring, and possibly the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.