Samsung
Galaxy Z Flip 6 Olympic Edition

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Olympic Edition was a limited-release foldable smartphone created exclusively for the athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This continued a tradition that began in 1998, with Samsung, as a Worldwide Olympic Partner, provided a custom device to every competing athlete—approximately 17,000 in total—to help them document their experiences and stay connected during the games. The device is most notable for being the first Olympic Edition phone to be used on the medal podium. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a rare change to the rules regarding personal items, allowing athletes to carry their Galaxy Z Flip 6 onto the podium to take "Victory Selfies," creating a unique experience that was widely seen by global viewers. This effectively turned the Olympic athletes into a small army of influencers for Samsung. The phone had a striking "compact yellow" (often described as gold) finish, adorned with the Olympic rings and Paralympic Agitos in gold on the rear glass. Each unit was paired with an exclusive "Flipsuit" case made of Venezia leather, designed in collaboration with the Parisian luxury maison Berluti, which also designed the French team’s opening ceremony uniforms. Source: Samsung Technically, the Olympic Edition has the same specifications as the standard Galaxy Z Flip 6; however, it was distinguished by its bespoke software. This included a preloaded 100GB 5G eSIM from Orange, an unlimited digital public transport pass in Samsung Wallet for free travel around Paris, and several IOC-exclusive apps, such as Athlete365 and the Olympic Shop. Athletes could also get free drinks from vending machines located throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Village, provided in partnership with fellow sponsor Coca-Cola. Because the phone was never commercially available, it has become a highly sought-after item for collectors. Shortly after the games began, several units appeared on eBay, with some listings reaching prices upwards of $5,000–$10,000, underlining its status as one of the rarest modern Galaxy devices. Samsung Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer, Benjamin Braun, stated that the company saw a 23 per cent increase in sales of the standard Galaxy Z Flip 6 model between the months before and during the Olympic Games.