Samsung has once again disrupted the smartphone market with the launch of its latest foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, at the highly anticipated Unpacked 2024 event. While the core design language remains familiar, these new flagships pack meaningful improvements under the hood, focusing on durability, performance, and a strategic integration of AI features.
The Fold 6, known for its book-style foldable design, has been engineered to be thinner and lighter than its predecessors. It measures 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1mm when folded and 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm when unfolded, weighing just 239g. This makes it 6% lighter than the previous model, enhancing portability without compromising on robustness. Samsung has addressed consumer feedback by refining the display experience on both devices. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 features an improved 22.1:9 aspect ratio on its outer display, offering a more immersive viewing experience. The inner display boasts a wider 20.9:18 aspect ratio, enhancing usability and readability when multitasking or consuming content. Both displays support vibrant colors and sharp details, powered by Samsung’s advanced display technologies.
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, ensuring exceptional performance and efficiency. This chipset not only powers seamless multitasking and gaming but also integrates advanced AI capabilities. Samsung has deepened its partnership with Google, integrating the Gemini AI assistant into the devices. Users can access Gemini through intuitive gestures or voice commands, leveraging its AI-driven features for tasks ranging from real-time translation to intelligent photo management.
Samsung has prioritized durability with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, introducing an IP48 rating for water and dust resistance. This represents a significant improvement over previous models, ensuring greater protection against everyday hazards. The devices feature a robust dual-rail hinge design and strengthened display layers, enhancing structural integrity and durability for long-term usage. Furthermore, one of the most striking aspects of the Fold 6 and Flip 6 is the prominent role Samsung assigns to its Galaxy AI suite. Building upon the foundation laid with the Galaxy S24 series earlier in 2024, these new foldables boast an integration of AI features. As mentioned earlier, a key element is the inclusion of Google’s Gemini AI assistant, offering a more comprehensive and functional experience on the Fold 6’s expansive main screen. Features like Circle to Search leverage the power of AI for image recognition, allowing users to perform web searches directly from the phone based on what they see in an image.
The capabilities of Galaxy AI includes Note Assist (which utilizes AI to streamline note-taking and information retrieval. It provides AI-powered translations, summaries, and formatting for notes and even voice recordings. This can significantly improve organization and access to important information) and PDF Overlay Translation (which translates PDF documents displayed as an overlay on top of the original text, eliminating the need for cumbersome back-and-forth switching between languages). Other features include Composer, an addition to Samsung Keyboard that leverages AI to suggest text in emails and social media apps. Composer can anticipate your next words and phrases
Both devices boast neat camera setups as well. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 includes a versatile array of cameras, including a 50MP primary camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 10MP selfie camera. Meanwhile, the Z Flip 6 offers its own set of high-quality cameras, ensuring users can capture detailed photos and videos in various lighting conditions.
Coming to pricing, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is priced starting at $1,900, while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100, reflecting a modest increase over their predecessors. Both devices are available for pre-order immediately after the Unpacked event and are set to ship on July 24. Samsung is offering compelling pre-order incentives, including a free year of Samsung Care+, doubled storage options, and up to $1,200 in trade-in values, making the upgrade proposition attractive for early adopters.
