Honor Magic V6 goes global with a 6,660mAh battery and a head start on Samsung
Honor has kicked off the international rollout of the Magic V6, its flagship book-style foldable, starting with Malaysia in June 2026 at RM 7,699 — roughly $1,900 for the base 16GB/512GB model. Europe and the Middle East are confirmed as next stops. The US is not on the list. Samsung's Z Fold 8, meanwhile, isn't expected until late 2026, giving Honor a two-to-three-month window to plant its flag in the premium foldable space.
The hardware case
At 8.75mm folded, the Magic V6 is among the thinnest book-style foldables on the market. But Honor's stronger argument is battery life. The device packs a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon cell — 50% larger than the 4,400mAh battery in the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Silicon-carbon chemistry (which substitutes silicon for some graphite in the anode) lets manufacturers squeeze more capacity into the same physical space. The result, on paper, is a foldable that should last a full day of heavy use without the anxiety that has plagued the category since its early days. The chipset is Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same silicon found in 2026's top Android flagships.
Two storage tiers are available: 16GB/512GB at ~$1,900 and 16GB/1TB at ~$2,200. Pre-orders in Malaysia ran June 4–11 and included a bonus bundle — reportedly worth around $940 — covering an extended service plan and accessories. A free Skyworth Google TV was also bundled in Malaysia; that specific promotion has not been confirmed for other markets.
The market picture
Honor's timing is deliberate. The brand has grown its global foldable market share from 11% to 19% year-over-year in Q1 2026, per Android Headlines (May 2026), while Samsung sits at 25% and Huawei has slipped from 54% to 40%. That's a tighter race than it was a year ago, and a mid-year launch against a distracted competitor is exactly the kind of move that changes share numbers.
The Magic V6 in its folded form: 8.75mm thin, with a battery that dwarfs most foldable rivals. Image: Honor
UK pricing hasn't been announced yet, but based on the Magic V5 pattern, Notebookcheck has indicated a likely bracket of around £1,699–1,900. European pricing is expected around €1,999. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched at roughly £1,799 in the UK. Honor is aiming to match Samsung on price while beating it on battery — a straightforward pitch for anyone who's ever been tethered to a charger by mid-afternoon.
Foldables remain a niche buy, but that niche is getting more competitive. If you've been waiting for a reason to try one that isn't made by Samsung, the Magic V6 is the most complete argument Honor has made yet.