Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Innovations and Competition in the Foldable Phone Market

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Do you need to upgrade? | Digital Trends

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us? Samsung is once again trying to woo foldable phone enthusiasts back into its camp with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. The key attraction this time around is a fresh design served in a thinner chassis. There's a faster chipset inside, a slightly more durable build, a redesigned hinge mechanism, and a shallower crease on the inner foldable panel. All that comes at a $100 price increase, though. Needless to say, it doesn't sound like a particularly exciting year-on-year upgrade compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and it's certainly not a standout device compared to rivals like the OnePlus Open and the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro. Recommended Videos But if you've been rocking the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and are of two minds as to whether to stay put or splurge on an upgrade, there are a few aspects you should keep in mind. In this comparison, we are going to focus on the key differences that should matter to buyers. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: specs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Size 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1mm (folded) 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm (unfolded) 67.1 x 155.1 x 15.8mm (Hinge) ~ 14.2mm (Sagging) 130.1 x 155.1 x 6.3mm (unfolded) Weight 239 grams 263 grams Colors Silver Shadow Pink Navy Crafted Black (online exclusive) Purity White (online exclusive) Graygreen Phantom Black Beige Burgundy (online exclusive) Price Starts at $1,900 Starts at $1,800 Cover display 6.3-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2376 x 968 resolution with 22.1:9 aspect ratio at 410 ppi 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2316 x 904 resolution with 23.1:9 aspect ratio 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Main display 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display 2160 x 1856 resolution with 20.9:18 aspect ratio at 374 ppi 120Hz refresh rate 2,600 nits max brightness 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2176 x 1812 resolution with 21.6:18 aspect ratio at 373 ppi 120Hz refresh rate Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 RAM 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB 512GB 1TB 256GB 512GB 1TB Rear cameras 50MP main with DPAF, OIS, f/1.8 10MP telephoto with DPAF, OIS, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom 12MP ultrawide with f/2.2, 123-degree FOV 50MP main with DPAF, OIS, f/1.8 10MP telephoto with DPAF, OIS, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom 12MP ultrawide with f/2.2, 123-degree FOV Selfie cameras 10MP with f/2.2 (cover display) 4MP with f/1.8 (inner under-display camera) 10MP with f/2.2 (cover display) 4MP with f/1.8 (inner under-display camera) Battery 4,400mAh 4,400mAh Charging 25W fast charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging 25W fast charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging Water resistance IP48 IPX8 Connectivity 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.2 Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: design and build For the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung has created what it calls a "dual rail hinge structure" paired with a "strengthened folding edge" and a higher resilience to shock absorption alongside the frame. The company has also used an enhanced variety of Armor Aluminum and the second-gen Corning Gorilla Glass for the cover display and the rear shell. Samsung won't say what degree of added protection they offer, but these materials are certainly more resilient. The crease on the inner flexible screen is also smaller. The biggest difference, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, is that there is no gap between the two halves of the phone when the phone is shut closed. That's a major relief, as the exposed gap allowed dust and liquid particles to make their way inside. Given the history of damages that many buyers have reported, the Galaxy Z Fold 6's gapless design should be a key selling point. For the first time, Samsung has also added dust protection to its foldable, bestowing IP48 protection upon its latest phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 only served an IPX8 level of water resistance, but no validated protection against dust. Better shock distribution to external impact might sound like typical marketing jargon, but in the context of a foldable, it's anything but. We recently investigated foldable hardware complaints at official Samsung centers and encountered issues where bumps and drops misaligned the hinge assembly. As a result, the Samsung foldable refused to open fully, and there were glue leakage issues. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 seems to have taken a much-needed measure to fix those woes. Regarding the 2024 slate of foldable phones, Samsung says these make for "the most durable Galaxy Z series yet," while also being the slimmest and lightest foldable phones it has ever made. In a nutshell, if your primary concern is the build quality, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 delivers practical benefits over the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: internals Samsung has armed the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 relies on the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 silicon. There's definitely a performance boost on the table, but both are based on the 4nm process, so the lift isn't as huge as one would expect from phones spaced two years apart. Both phones come with 12GB of RAM and memory options starting at 256GB and going all the way up to 1TB. The battery capacity also remains the same at 4,400 mAh, and so do the charging credentials, which max out at 25 watts for wired charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 embraces the multi-eSIM format, but that varies depending on the market where you buy it. Another minor change happens in the wireless connectivity department. The latest from Samsung uses Bluetooth v5.3, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 sticks with the Bluetooth v5.2 standard. The resolution remains mostly the same on the display, but there are two key changes. The cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is bigger at 6.3 inches and more "normal" compared to the oddly tall 6.1-inch front panel on the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The on-screen fluidity will also be uniform across both screens on the new phone. The cover and inner OLED panels on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 can vary between 1Hz and 120Hz, adaptively optimizing to the on-screen content. On the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the cover display's refresh rate can only drop to as low as 48Hz, while the peak remains identical at 120Hz. Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: cameras If you're looking for new camera hardware, well, there is barely any. The only notable change -- at least on paper -- is the 4-megapixel under-display camera, which sees its field of view go from 80 degrees on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to 85 degrees on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The rest of the hardware is identical. You get a 50MP main camera, a 12MP sensor for ultrawide capture, and a 10MP telephoto snapper with 3x optical zoom range. The cover screen offers a centrally aligned 10MP selfie camera. There are some minor differences in the feature set. On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you get a feature called "optical quality zoom 2x," which Samsung says is enabled using an Adaptive Pixel sensor. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 could only capture 8K video at 24 frames per second (fps), but the Galaxy Z Fold takes it to 30 fps. Something curious has happened on the slow-motion side of things. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 could do 960 ultra-slo-mo at HD resolution, but that frame rate is not available on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Instead, it gets two additional options: 120 fps at FHD and 120 fps at UHD. Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: software The Galaxy Z Fold 6 runs Android 14-based One UI 6.1.1 out of the box. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 recently started getting One UI 6.1 thanks to a software update. Now, the UI experience will be familiar, but there are two crucial differences: the years of updates left and the AI experience. Let's start with the AI experience. There was a lot of AI chatter at the Unpacked event, and barring hardware-level limitations, the experience will be uniform across both phones. Samsung's dedicated Galaxy AI website mentions the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and its ability to run features such as Circle to Search, Note Assist, Live Translate, and generative AI-powered photo editing -- among others. And it seems some of the newer AI innovations announced for the Fold 6 will also make it to older foldables, but we're not sure if the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is on the list. "We also plan to roll out the new Galaxy AI features we announced today to select Galaxy devices by the end of the year," Samsung's Annika Bizon said at Unpacked. Of course, not all Galaxy AI features appearing on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will make it to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so keep that in mind. Next, let's check the software longevity situation. Samsung will push four years of OS updates on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and security updates for five years. On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the company has promised seven generations of yearly Android updates and security patches. That's one of the best assurances out there, and if you intend to keep a foldable phone for the long run, this software update commitment is a major step in the right direction. It's a,so important to note that the Z Fold 4 is already two years through its promised updates. Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: verdict The question of upgrading to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is relatively straightforward. If your Galaxy Z Fold 4 is giving you hardware hell (necessitating immediate and expensive repairs) or you want a foldable that will stay in your pocket for the next half a decade at the very least, you should head over to Samsung's website and score the best trade-in deal. Otherwise, beyond a sturdier build and a cleaner design, there isn't much that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 offers that should give you the proverbial FOMO. The AI features might look all jazzy and fancy, but think about whether you will use them daily and in meaningful ways. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of gimmicks that should never sway a person to part with $1,900 -- the Galaxy Z Fold 6's starting price -- or more. On a personal note, I've got a Galaxy Fold 4 in my drawer, and I find little merit to justify an upgrade, even though the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in silver looks more tempting than a cup of sweet Vietnamese coffee.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Vs. Galaxy Z Fold 5: Should You Upgrade?

Key Takeaways The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,899.99 for the 256GB storage variant, which is $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Compared to Fold 5, Fold 6 has a sleeker design, a lighter chassis, and a more square-ish form factor. Although the Fold 6 houses the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, it features the same camera sensors and battery as the Fold 5. At the Unpacked event in July, Samsung unveiled one of the most anticipated book-style foldable smartphones: the Galaxy Z Fold 6. While the phone does come with a handful of upgrades, like a lighter chassis, a more powerful processor, and the new Galaxy AI features, are those enough for you to upgrade from your Fold 5? Let's find out. Price & Availability Like last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is available in three configurations. The baseline variant with 256GB of storage costs $1,899.99, while the 512GB variant costs $2,109.99. The 1TB variant sells for $2,259.99; all are marked up by $100. The retail pricing makes the Fold 6 one of the most expensive smartphones money can buy, which might not be all that good, especially since other manufacturers like Google, OnePlus, Vivo, and Xiaomi are catching up. The Fold 5's price range is slightly lower than that of the Fold 6. For instance, you can get the 256GB model for $1,799.99 or the 512GB model for $1,919.99. The top-tier Fold 5 with 1TB of storage is available for $2,159.99. These prices are still pretty steep, but with some luck, you can find Samsung 2023's foldable for a discounted price. While the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is available for pre-order through July 23, Samsung will start shipping the devices on July 24. After that, both phones will be available from the company's exclusive store, website, and other leading retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. The Galaxy Fold 6 Features a Wider Cover Screen And Lighter Chassis Although Samsung's Z Fold series has been doing well, buyers often complain about a few pain points. First, the tall and narrow cover screen isn't as comfortable as a traditional smartphone. This became more prominent after the OnePlus Open and Pixel Fold arrived with their nearly perfect cover screen and a square-ish inner display. The bulky form factor isn't one of the strongest suits of the Z Fold series either. With the competition launching thinner and lighter book-style foldables, Samsung had to catch up big time, and that is exactly what it has done with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Unlike the Fold 5, which measured 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1mm when unfolded, the Fold 6 measures 153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6mm, making it slightly shorter and wider, and not to forget, thinner at the same time. Even when folded, the Fold 6 measures 153.5 x 68.1 x 12.2mm, making it 1.4 mm shorter, 1mm wider, and 1.2mm thinner than the Fold 5. With the change in dimensions, the Fold 6 now has a larger and broader cover screen of 6.3 inches (with an aspect ratio of 22.1:9) compared to the 6.2-inch external display (with an aspect ratio of 23:9) on the Fold 5. It's not a stark development, but it does have an impact on the overall usability of the device, especially the cover screen. With the launch of lighter foldables like the OnePlus Open (239.39 grams for the Voyager Black finish) or the Vivo X Fold3 Pro (236 grams), the Galaxy Z Fold series did start to feel a bit bulky. Acknowledging the competition, Samsung has managed to reduce the weight of its latest foldable by a good 13 grams. The Fold 6 weighs 239 grams, while Fold 5 weighs 253 grams. Purely from a portability perspective, the Fold 6 should feel lighter and easier to carry around, fit in pockets, slide in a bag, etc. Besides being lighter and slightly wider than its predecessor, the Fold 6 comes in three primary colors: Navy, Pink, and Silver Shadow. Buyers can also get the phone in White and Crafted Black finishes if they purchase it from the Samsung Store. The Fold 5, on the other hand, is available in Phantom Black, Cream, Icy Blue, and, of course, the online exclusive finishes that include Gray and Blue. What About the Inner and Outer Screen on the Fold 6? The Fold 6 features a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X HD+ cover screen, which is only slightly larger than the Fold 5's cover screen. As mentioned earlier, the former's cover screen is wider and shorter than the latter's; gripping it should feel more natural. Unfolding the smartphones, users will come across the main 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X QXGA+ screen that supports S Pen (like the Fold 5). All the screens support an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, like last year. However, both the screens on the Fold 6 can shine as bright as 2,600 nits (peak brightness), while the Fold 5 maxes out at 1,750 nits. Hence, using the new phone outdoors, especially under direct sunlight, would be much easier. Galaxy Z Fold 6 Gets a Better IP Rating Unlike the Fold 5's IPX8 rating, the Fold 6 now ships with an IP48 rating, which is better than what most manufacturers offer for their current-generation foldables. An IP48 rating implies that the phone can withstand ingress of particles larger than 1mm (not the finer dust particles) and survive immersion in up to 1 meter of fresh water (for 30 minutes). Yes, even the Fold 5 came with that level of water resistance. However, giving credit where due, Samsung's new foldables are the first to ship with a certified dust-resistance rating, which is a big step toward increasing their durability. Speaking of durability, the Fold 6 features a new Dual Rail Hinge design that offers improved shock resistance. The updated hinge isn't just twice as strong as the one on the Fold 5; it also reduces the crease's visibility. The new design also helps the company reduce the hinge's weight, making the Fold 6 more portable. Protecting the cover screen is Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Moreover, the Korean tech giant has put in a lot of effort and resources to make the new foldable more durable. It may not be as sturdy as a regular slab-style smartphone like the S24 Ultra, but perhaps as robust as phones with a folding screen can get at the moment. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Last year, Samsung's flagships relied on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which doesn't feel underpowered, even in 2024. However, with the Fold 6, buyers get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC (4nm), which offers a significant upgrade over its predecessor, both in terms of raw performance and efficiency. Synthetic benchmarks like Antutu and Geekbench indicate a whopping 35% upgrade in performance (considering the overall Antutu score and multicore Geekbench score). Even though both the contenders feature LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0, the Fold 6 provides faster app loading times and better multitasking prowess. To maintain the optimum CPU and GPU temperature, the Fold 6 now ships with a vapor chamber that is 1.6x larger than that on the Fold 5. So whether it is extended gaming hours or hardcore content creation, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 should be able to handle it all. Fold 6 Features the New Galaxy AI Features (For Now) While the Fold 5 already supports a bunch of Galaxy AI features, the Fold 6 adds more. These include the new Sketch to Image feature, which allows users to convert rough sketches (made with the S Pen) into aesthetically pleasing drawings. Fold 6 owners can also use the feature to edit their images by simply drawing the elements they wish to add, and Galaxy AI will add those objects to the picture like they were there from the beginning. The Note Assist feature in Samsung Notes now offers translation, summaries, and auto-formatting. Then, there's PDF overlay translation, which can recognize the text in a PDF and translate it to another language. Samsung partnered with Google to integrate the latest Gemini app into the Fold 6. While these features are a part of One UI 6.1.1, the operating system that Fold 6 ships with, there's a good chance that Samsung will introduce some of them, if not all, to the older flagships (including the Fold 5) via a software update. What won't expand to the Fold 5 is the promise to provide seven years of major operating system and security updates for the Fold 6 Fold 6 Features the Same Cameras as the Fold 5 While the Fold 6 does have some worthwhile upgrades, the cameras aren't one of them (except the ultrawide sensor). Like the Fold 5, the Fold 6 ships with a 50MP (f/1.8, OIS) primary camera, a 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide sensor, and a 10MP (f/2.4, OIS) telephoto sensor that provides 3x optical zoom. On the cover screen, users get a 10MP (f/2.2) selfie shooter, whereas the main screen houses a 4MP (f/1.8) under-display sensor (which still doesn't come up to the mark of regular sensors). The new 12MP ultrawide sensor on the Fold 6 can record 4K HDR videos at 60 fps, which could be significant for vloggers or content creators. Further, the sensor clicks brighter and more detailed images in low light (folks at CNET put it to test), but I suspect that's more about the software than the hardware itself, as the camera's aperture hasn't increased. Though the Fold 6 has a familiar camera setup, Samsung aims to improve the overall image quality by integrating the ProVisual Engine that debuted with the Galaxy S24 series, including several AI-based features, including Auto Zoom. Battery Life and Charging Speed Are No Upgrade Either Unfortunately, there are no upgrades in the battery department. The Galaxy Z Fold 6, like the Fold 5, draws its power from a 4,400 mAh battery that supports 25W wired charging. However, since the new foldable runs on a more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the Fold 6 provides over three more hours of web browsing and half an hour of additional video streaming over the Fold 5, thanks to the tests conducted by Phone Arena. Which Is Right for You? Between the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Fold 5, Fold 6 is a more complete foldable for several reasons. First, it has a more durable hinge, the backbone of the large 7.6-inch foldable screen. There's an improved IP rating, a more powerful yet efficient processor, and a slightly better ultrawide camera. It's like the company has fulfilled all the shortcomings of the Fold 5 and presented it as a new smartphone. However, to answer the question of which is right for you, we'd have to consider your current smartphone. If you're using an old Samsung foldable, like the Fold 3 or the Fold 4, upgrading to the Fold 6 will create a world of a difference, provided your budget allows. Consider trading in your old smartphone for an upfront discount. However, if you already own the Fold 5, I don't think the Fold 6 is worth upgrading. If you're fine with how your smartphone is performing and don't feel enticed by the new Galaxy AI features (which will make their way to older phones), there's not much you'll miss out on. Last but not least, if you're considering purchasing your first Fold series smartphone, go with the one that fits your budget. With some luck, you can find the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at a discounted price of around $1,200. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a foldable smartphone that combines the functionality of a tablet with the convenience of a phone. It features a large, flexible internal screen that automatically picks up where you left off on the cover display. It is the definition of mobile productivity and entertainment with advanced multitasking capabilities, powerful performance, and enhanced Galaxy AI capabilities. SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 for Galaxy RAM 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 4,400 mAh Ports USB-C Operating System Android 14 / One UI 6.1.1 Front camera 10MP cover camera, 4MP under-display main screen camera Rear camera 10MP 3x optical zoom, f/2.4, 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 50MP main camera with autofocus, f/1.8 Connectivity 5G, 4G LTE, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4GHz+5GHz+6GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, UWB Dimensions 153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1mm (folded); 153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6mm (unfolded) Colors Navy, Silver Shadow, Pink, Crafted Black, White Weight 239g IP Rating IP48 Expand $1900 at SamsungSee at T-MobileSee at VerizonSee at AmazonSee at AT&TSee at Best Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 $1411 $1920 Save $509 The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is Samsung's best foldable for 2023, packing a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 'for Galaxy' chip, 12GB RAM, and superfast UFS 4.0 storage. The new Flex Hinge enables the phone to close fully flat, though the Fold 5 falls short in other aspects. SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy RAM 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 4,400mAh Ports USB Type-C 3.2, OTG Operating System Android 13 (One UI 5.1.1) Front camera 4MP f/1.8 under-display camera (80˚ FoV, 2.0μm pixels), 10MP f/2.2 cover display camera (85˚ FoV, 1.22μm pixels) Rear camera 50 MP f/1.8 wide-angle (85˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels), 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (123˚ FoV, 1.12μm pixels), 10MP f/2.4 telephoto (36˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels) Connectivity 5G (inc mmWave), LTE, up to Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Dimensions 67.1 x 155 x 13mm (2.6 x 6.1 x 0.5in) folded, 130 x 155, 6.1mm (5.1 x 6.1 x 0.24in) unfolded Colors Ice Blue, Phantom Black, Cream + Samsung.com exclusive Gray, Blue Weight 253g (8.92z) IP Rating IPX8 Expand $1411 at AmazonSee at SamsungSee at Best Buy

Samsung's graceful tightrope walk, as Galaxy Z Fold6 retains its foldables lead

New Delhi: It must be an impossible task to balance. The expectations from customers weighed against continuity with what works as it should. That has been the conundrum facing Samsung over the years since it attained a benchmark lead with foldable Android smartphones a few years ago. They have all the right to take it easy if they wish to, for they attained this finesse much before any other Android phone maker even got to the start line. Apple hasn't even gotten on that mission. If you are complaining that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is far too similar to the Galaxy Z Fold5, at least on the spec sheet, you're only considering half of the story. You'd of course look at the price tag, and there, it's a significant step up. Rs.1,64,999 now gets you the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage config. Last year, the same outlay would get 512GB of storage. Now that's Rs.1,76,999 while the 1TB storage spec crosses the Rs.2,00,000 mark and sports an exact price tag of Rs.2,00,999. With the Galaxy Z Fold5, this storage spec would demand you part with Rs.1,84,999 instead. That does raise the question about how we define a generational upgrade over incremental updates. Is this mix of the new and the continuity, enough to push users to upgrade, and to stave off competition from the very capable (and don't forget the Zeiss camera optimisations) Vivo X Fold3 Pro and the value for the buck OnePlus Open? Also read: For Vivo X Fold3 Pro, three generations of refinements define characteristics There's a slight reduction in the Galaxy Z Fold6's footprint and thickness, significant weight reduction (239 grams compared with 253 grams; great for ergonomics), of course, the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a cover display that's only marginally larger but improves usability manifolds. Yet, the overall design language doesn't change much, the camera troika is still being carried forward two generations later and while there is a significant dose of AI to play with, the One UI software feels familiar (perhaps too familiar for some; but difficult to complain because it is certainly a complete experience). Speaking of which, Samsung is following through on the promise of 7-year OS and security updates first made with the Galaxy S24 series. That sounds like a great support ecosystem to have for the lifetime of a premium smartphone in your hands and pocket. Yet, quite who will hold Samsung accountable for their promise if they waver at some point down the line, remains to be seen. Secondly, it is unlikely that as many as 7 years down the line with this hardware, any phone maker will be able to promise smooth performance with the then-latest software. What doesn't change is how Samsung continues to deliver slick multi-window implementation, switching between the foldable and cover displays as well as app-specific utility. None of this would be new to existing Galaxy Z Fold users, at least true for the previous handful of generations), and a lot of it is familiar territory for Samsung smartphone users in general. In that, the Galaxy AI suite ushered in by the S24 flagships, is making its mark on the foldables too. Mark my words, you'll find Circle to Search useful to the extent that when using an Android phone that doesn't have it yet, you'll tremendously miss it. Extensive utility across the suite, such as transcribing audio recordings (I find this very useful as a professional utility) and translating phone calls live which may be relevant for a demographic. For the former, don't forget to download language packs too from the app settings. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: AI bets, human nature and a generational shift Photo editing smarts of course play a big role in the Galaxy AI pitch. Moving subjects around, erasing an unwanted object in the frame, filling the background and so on. But you'll probably spend a lot of time with the Portrait Studio and Sketch to Image, particularly useful with the S Pen. The way the latter works is, that you can either sketch something (even a rough one would do, don't worry about your lack of drawing skills) or even an image, and server-side AI processing will find a way to integrate a realistic-looking addition into the image you selected in the first place. How about adding some clouds to an otherwise plain landscape sky? Very much possible. The beating heart of this flagship phone isn't just any Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, but specifically, the SM8650-AC spec, where the "AC" represents the specific customisations "for Galaxy". Those are specific optimisations for hardware with Samsung's One UI and Galaxy AI layers but doesn't change the basic performance characteristics of this flagship chip. I'm never the one for synthetic benchmarks to define a smartphone, but this across similar tasks feels as far as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. That pegs it close to the top of the best-performing smartphone charts, with other notable mentions being the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the Vivo X100 Pro and the OnePlus 12. Noticed that I didn't mention the OnePlus Open? That's now half a generation older, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 - expect a refresh anytime soon. Cameras, a topic of much debate and discussion, must be addressed. The Galaxy Z Fold6 uses the same three cameras as the Galaxy Z Fold5. Indeed, the Galaxy Z Fold4, before that. To be carrying forward the same specs for three generations, particularly when the Vivo X Fold4 Pro has the Zeiss optimisations and the OnePlus Open leans on Hasselblad's expertise, is either incredibly brave or a massive miss by Samsung. Depends on how you see it. The undeniable trend is, that foldable around are stepping forwards quite a bit with photography performance. Much to the extent of their flat slab flagship counterparts. Also read: OnePlus Open review: New benchmark for foldable phones with key software smarts Without a doubt, Samsung has left a lot for image processing advancements to do, to fill a supposed deficit. That works to an extent. Scene Optimiser, for instance, is now a bit more restrained with dialling up colour richness, and the differences in photos with or without are more subtle. Outdoor, daytime photos look pleasing and retain details quite well - even more so in the higher resolution 50-megapixel mode, which you must switch to if the object or scene has a lot of finer details you'd want to crop into. Skin tones are handled better in general, but if you're taking a portrait, there seem to be more aggressive corrections of finer skin and facial features. But this is where we inevitably reach that proverbial virtual ceiling with a couple of generations-old optical hardware. Low-light photos, particularly if there are people involved, require some work to get through the sort of detailing you'd want - there is a slight lag in image processing in these scenarios, something you'll notice soon enough. Move the phone after tapping the shutter button too soon, and you may find faces slightly blurred. Then there's the dated telephoto, which often turns out photos that look a tad too soft, but nothing a slight sharpness tweak cannot handle. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 proposition in 2024 isn't having the sort of cakewalk that its predecessors had the luxury of. The reason being, the aforementioned competition that's at its strongest showing, till now. There's a lot of perception and knowledge credit in the bank, having had years of an unassailable lead to still rely on. Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is all about polish, a new hinge and benchmark refresh For most intents, Samsung has done just about enough to improve the Galaxy Z Fold6 on most fronts that matter - a design that's more usable and reassuringly robust with a redesigned hinge, display improvements, more power under the hood and now a thick layer of utilitarian AI tools. However, for many from within Samsung's smartphone user base and indeed first-time foldable buyers, cameras may hold more weight, than perhaps Samsung's approach to this foldable generation may value. The competition can be given some credit for that. But has Samsung done enough to warrant an undeniable all-rounder tag for the Galaxy Z Fold6? Absolutely.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is on the way -- here's what Google needs to learn from the Galaxy Z Fold 6

4 things Google should do with its foldable, and 1 thing it definitely shouldn't Samsung took the wraps off its new Galaxy Z Fold 6 foldable device this month, with the phone landing in stores in a little less than a week on July 24. Hopefully, Google has been paying attention during the whole launch process because there's a lot of lessons in there for how the company should be handling the next version of its foldable phone. That would be the follow-up to the Pixel Fold, which will apparently be folded -- sorry -- into the Pixel 9 lineup and rebranded as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google has scheduled a Made by Google hardware event for August 13, and we will see the new foldable revealed there. Any changes Google plans to make with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold are likely set in stone by this point. Still, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 release has a few Dos -- and one super-huge Don't -- that I hope Google follows with its foldable Pixel. There's no question the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will have AI features. That's kind of the Pixel lineup's calling card, along with providing outstanding mobile photography. And by launching the new foldable as part of the Pixel 9 lineup, that means the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will likely have a Tensor G4 chipset that enables a bunch of new AI-powered capabilities. Here's hoping some of those capabilities recognize that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has multiple screens and can fold in half. Because several Galaxy AI features introduced with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 certainly do. Interpreter mode isn't necessarily a new Galaxy AI feature, but Samsung did tweak it for both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to take advantage of the phones' interior and exterior displays. Now, when you have a conversation with another person speaking a different language, each person can see the real-time transcript appear on their respective display. Sketch to Image takes advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold 6's S Pen support and extended drawing space, turning sketches that you create into more elaborate illustrations with the help of generative AI. Google Gemini can pop up on the phone's cover display, answering your questions without requiring you to open up your Z Fold 6. Will the Pixel 9 Pro Fold deliver something similar? It's hard to say at this point, as rumored AI features for the Pixel 9 phones such as Add Me for improving group photos and the ability to search screenshots would work just as well on a conventional phone was they would on a foldable one. Pixel 9 Pro phones could come with a year of free access to Google Gemini Advanced, and the Fold would presumably be included in that offer. But again, that's not something that necessarily specific to a foldable phone design. Here's hoping the Made by Google event sheds a little bit more light on Google's AI plans, particularly as they relate to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Battery life on the original Pixel Fold was OK -- it last 10 hours and 21 minutes on our battery test, where we have phones surf the web over cellular until they run out of power. The Pixel Fold time was a marginal improvement over the average smartphone's result, which isn't bad when you consider that the Fold has to keep a massive 7.6-inch screen powered up. Samsung's Galaxy Fold phones have a similar issue, though the Z Fold 6 made slight progress in this area. The new phone turned in an average result of 10 hours and 35 minutes. That's only a slight improvement over what the Galaxy Z Fold 5 was able to do, though the extra battery life came without any increase in battery size. That same challenge now applies to Google and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold -- improve upon the original Pixel Fold's battery life by any means necessary. Maybe that means a larger battery than before. Maybe it mans the Tensor G4 is more power efficient than its predecessor. But however Google pulls it off, it's critical to wring more battery life out of its new foldable. Probably the biggest complaint surrounding past Galaxy Z Fold models involved the phone's exterior display -- specifically, its narrow aspect ratio. The slender screen screen proved difficult to type on, particularly compared to devices like, well, the Pixel Fold, which offered a wider cover display. Samsung tackled that problem with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, increasing the size of the cover display from 6.2 inches to 6.3 inches. The result is a slightly wider display that's a bit easier to work on than before. Our Z Fold 6 review certainly found the screen less claustrophobic. There's nothing wrong with the Pixel Fold's cover display, but that doesn't mean there aren't other areas that need attention. I'm thinking about the bezels surrounding the inner display on the original Pixel Fold, which are simply too chunky for a phone that's supposed to sport a modern look. We don't know how well Google will fix this issues until we get a hands-on look at the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but early indications are promising. The above image is taken from a video teaser Google itself posted ahead of the launch event. And the bezels definitely look narrower. Samsung seems to keep trying to make it easier to tote around its super-sized foldable. With the Galaxy Z Fold 5 last year, Samsung adopted a Flex hinge that made the foldable sleeker than its predecessor; that switch also helped the Z Fold 5 shed 0.3 ounces. The weight loss continued with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 this year, as the new phone weighs half an ounce less than the Z Fold 5. If any phone needs to go on an aggressive weight loss program, it's the Pixel Fold. That device tips the scales at 10 ounces -- 1.5 ounces more than the Galaxy Z Fold 6 weighs. I don't know if Google has any plans to tweak the Fold design to slim things down a bit, but making a foldable that's easier to carry around would seem like it should be near the top of the to-do list. And now, the one thing Samsung did that Google definitely should not do -- charge more for its Pixel Fold successor. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 costs $100 more than its predecessor, with a starting price of $1,899. Samsung probably has its reasons for boosting the price, though it really hasn't articulated them. "The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 set a new standard of mobile innovation for us and is our best foldable series yet enhanced by new Galaxy AI capabilities," is what Drew Blackard, vice president of mobile product marketing at Samsung, told my colleague Mark Spoonauer when asked about the Galaxy foldable price hikes. The problem with that approach is it makes shoppers ask if those kinds of improvements really deserve an extra $100, and sometimes, the answer they come up with may not match Samsung's. Google shouldn't take that risk, nor should it make the same mistake twice. When the Pixel Fold debuted a year ago, one of the things that immediately took the wind out of the new phone's sails was Google's decision to match the Galaxy Z Fold's starting price. By either holding the line on pricing this year -- or even better, shaving a little off the Pixel Fold's $1,799 starting price -- Google can draw more of a distinction between its new phone and the Galaxy Z Fold 6. And in that way, Google could teach Samsung a thing or two about foldables.

One of the best budget foldable phones I've tested is not a OnePlus or Samsung

The camera remains the weakest point of the device, and you'll only get three major Android upgrades. So, you're in the market for a folding phone. Whether it's your first one or your second or third -- if you refuse to go back to "normal" non-folding phones and are looking to save some money, there's no better foldable on the market today than the Motorola Razr. Also: I went hands-on with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6, and it's basically a high-tech fidget spinner The latest version of Motorola's flip phone gets all sorts of upgrades from last year's model: a bigger external display, faster performance, better water resistance, and higher brightness, all for the same $699 price. Are there some downsides? Sure, but anyone looking for a mid-range foldable should look no further. It starts with the cover screen, which has significantly improved over the previous generation. The display has grown from 1.5 inches to 3.6 inches -- the same size as the outer screen on the 2023 Razr Plus. This means that you can run apps, play games, and use well-detailed widgets for quick glances at important information. Also: I went hands-on with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6, and it's basically a high-tech fidget spinner For context, none of these features were available on the old Razr. Sure, you had some widgets and panels to look at on its tiny 1.5-inch display, but there's no denying that it got cramped pretty quickly. The new Razr gracefully avoids that issue with a far larger screen, and it's the upgrade I've appreciated the most. Speaking of which, the main display also looks great. It shares many of the same specs as the old Razr's display, such as the size, the P-OLED panel, and the Full HD+ resolution. The refresh rate is slightly lower at 120Hz versus 144Hz, but the difference is negligible. What matters most is the increased brightness; the new Razr can go all the way up to 3,000 nits, making the screen way easier to see in direct sunlight, especially through sunglasses. Of course, the crease is still there, but Motorola has reduced it compared to the previous Razr. It doesn't feel as pronounced in person, but you can definitely still see it. The hinge itself has also been upgraded with increased strength, which is important for long-term use. Also: The best Android phones you can buy: Expert tested Motorola also had the Razr and Razr Plus IPX8 certified, which means you can dunk either of them in a meter and a half of water for up to 30 minutes. You might be wondering why there's an "X" where you'd usually find a "5" or "6" in that rating, and that's because Moto didn't test for dirt and dust protection. The company did, however, tell me that there is a level of protection for small debris, so there's that. The design also includes some premium materials on the exterior. The Koala Gray version I have comes with a vegan suede material, while the Beach Sand and Spritz Orange (a.k.a. the best color) have vegan leather. The suede on the gray model feels both smooth and grippy, and I haven't noticed any excess dirt collection. Of course, over time, it's unclear how well the material will hold up, but it seems to be doing well in my early testing. Also: I tested Motorola's new Razr Plus (2024) and it made the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip feel outdated New in Motorola's Hello UX experience are a few AI upgrades, including a whole new Moto Assistant that can reference images, remember what someone said, and manage your notifications. Unfortunately, it's not here yet. Instead, the only "new" AI feature I could test was Google Gemini, which is integrated into both the folding and cover displays. You can completely replace the Google Assistant with Gemini and use the same "Hey Google" command to ask questions or prompts. I also really liked the battery life of the Razr. Motorola equipped it with a 4,200mAh cell, and it can deliver all-day battery life with 20-25 percent left in the tank after a full 16-hour day. It recharges at 30W which, admittedly, is slow by today's standards, but it's fine for an overnight juice-up. You also get 15W wireless charging, which is a nice convenience, but there's no reverse wireless charging. The biggest downside to the new Razr, however, is the camera. The 50MP f/1.7 main camera is severely underwhelming. Photos come out decent in broad daylight, but they fall apart quickly in most other situations. The 13MP ultra-wide camera is simply unreliable as is. Quality dips tremendously between the two sensors, with the ultra-wide failing to capture the same amount of light and detail as the main. Video quality from both looks choppy and overprocessed, and the portrait mode is passable. I do appreciate the fact you can use the outer screen as a viewfinder for your subject, but with cameras this disappointing, it's nothing more than a nice-to-have the few times you'll be snapping shots. Also: Motorola's $399 Razr is still the cheapest foldable phone deal after Prime Day Video quality is also disappointing, as are selfies taken with the 32MP front-facing camera. Overall, unless you tend to apply a ton of filters to your photos anyway, you'll be disappointed. I'm also not a fan of the software support Motorola has promised. It only guarantees three years of major Android upgrades and four years of security patches, whereas other manufacturers offer five to seven years of updates. Maybe you use your phone for longer than three years, maybe you don't, but it'd be nice if Motorola gave you the option to use the phone longer than three years with updates. One more side note: the Razr has a tendency to get pretty hot under normal usage. Maybe it's just the extra heat from the summer or the fact I was taking more pictures than I usually would outside of a review period, but I noticed that it heats up pretty often and doesn't cool down as quickly as other phones. My guess? It's a physics thing involving the specs, battery, and the fact this thing is on the thin side. The Motorola Razr (2024) is a great entry-level phone for those who are curious about the flip-style form factor. While the camera isn't the best, the rest of the Razr is incredibly solid, especially for the $699 asking price. Sure, you'll find more high-end foldables out there, but if you want to save some money (or perhaps pick it up as a secondary phone), this is the one to get.