Summary
- The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 were announced in Paris, boasting AI features, enhanced design, and upgraded hardware specs.
- Galaxy AI continues to expand, offering new photo editing features and dynamic wallpapers on both foldable devices.
- The Z Fold 6 will start at $1,900, while the Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100. The phones are available for pre-order now and will hit shelves on July 24.
With foldable phones now hitting their sixth generation, it’s a form-factor that we all need to take seriously — even those of us who might have considered them a gimmick in years past have to admit that foldables have finally gone mainstream. Samsung has been at the forefront of this movement, and now the company is ready to write the next chapter in the story, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 making their debut in Paris today.
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Galaxy AI is in the fold
Galaxy AI made a big splash earlier this year when the Galaxy S24 series debuted, and Samsung is taking the next logical step by implementing new Galaxy AI features that are optimized for folding phones.
The Z Fold 6 benefits the most from Galaxy AI, if only because its S Pen support enables new features like “Sketch to Image.” It’s worth noting, however, that an S Pen is not included, nor does the outer screen support one, but Samsung’s stylus can be purchased separately and used on the main folding screen. You’ll probably want to read the fine print on this one, via Samsung’s press release:
Sketch to Image feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Sketch to Image may result in a resized photo up to 12MP. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.
ProVisual Engine, Samsung’s suite of AI photography tools that debuted on the Galaxy S24 series, will gain new features on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Photo Assist editing features are upgraded on the big inner screen, and Portrait Studio allows you to remix images in various portrait styles, like watercolor or 3D animation. There’s also an Instant Slow-mo feature that generates frames in between recorded frames for a smoother look. Samsung didn’t mention the Z Flip 6 here specifically, but it’s possible these features are available on the flip phone as well.
Samsung’s AI Photo Ambient wallpapers make a return on both foldables after debuting on the Galaxy S24 series, changing appearance throughout the day based on factors like time and weather. The system can now also suggest making layout changes, like moving your clock widget, to accommodate what’s shown in the wallpaper.
Specs and hardware
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
- Display type
- AMOLED, 120Hz
- Display dimensions
- 7.6” (main); 6.3” (cover)
- Display resolution
- 2160×1856 (main), 2376×968 (cover)
- RAM
- 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Battery
- 4,400 mAh
- Charge speed
- Up to 25W (wired), 15W wireless charging supported
- Operating System
- Android 14; One UI 6.1.1
- Front camera
- 10 MP f/2.2 (cover); 4 MP f/1.8 (under main display)
- Rear camera
- 50 MP f/1.8 primary; 12 MP f/2.2 ultra-wide; 10 MP f/2.4 3x telephoto
- Dimensions
- 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1 mm (folded); 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm (unfolded)
- Weight
- 239g
- IP Rating
- IP48
- Colors
- Silver Shadow; Pink; Navy; Crafted Black (Samsung.com Exclusive); White (Samsung.com Exclusive)
- Stylus
- S Pen support
- Price
- $1,900
-
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
- Display type
- AMOLED (internal and external)
- Display dimensions
- 6.7″ (main), 3.4″ (cover)
- Display resolution
- 2640×1080 (main), 720×748 (cover)
- RAM
- 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB or 512GB
- Battery
- 4,000mAh
- Charge speed
- 25W Super Fast Charging
- Operating System
- One UI 6.1.1 (Android 14)
- Front camera
- 10MP f/2.2
- Rear camera
- 12MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide), 50MP f/1.8 (wide)
- Dimensions
- 85.1x 71.9 x 14.9mm (folded), 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm (unfolded)
- Weight
- 187g
- IP Rating
- IP48
- Colors
- Silver Shadow, Blue, Mint, Yellow
- Stylus
- No
- Price
- $1,100
Samsung’s bringing the Flip series up to par with the Fold series in the RAM department — now both models are only available with 12GB of memory, regardless of storage tier. The Flip also gets the most significant camera hardware upgrade with its new 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle shooter with 2x optical zoom, up from 12MP last year.
Cooling should be improved, at least on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, where Samsung has increased the SoC’s vapor chamber by 60% in size. The Flip 6, meanwhile, gets a bigger battery, up from 3,700mAh last year to an even 4,000mAh now.
Design and software
Both devices use what Samsung is calling “enhanced Armor Aluminum,” a branding the company’s flagships since the Fold 3 and S22 have used (minus “enhanced”) for their otherwise unremarkable aluminum frames. Not very exciting, but it’s helped Samsung make what is says are its thinnest and lightest foldables yet. One thing that is exciting, albeit iterative, is a strengthened folding mechanism Samsung says is more resistant to external impacts:
Along with design refinements, the new Galaxy Z series is engineered to provide even more durability, offering you greater peace of mind. The dual rail hinge structure is further supported by a strengthened folding edge, better distributing the shock of external impacts.
The front and the back of the phones (when folded) are both clad in Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a material that debuted with the Galaxy S23. As for the inner screen, Samsung is touting “enhanced layers” that it says will reduce the prominence of the display crease. This follows a supply chain report in May that Samsung had increased the thickness of its “Ultra Thin Glass” from 30 microns to 50 microns.
Galaxy AI isn’t the only software to get excited about here — the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 ship with One UI 6.1.1, an update owners of older Galaxy flagships can look forward to in the near future. Still based on Android 14, the new firmware is said to add features like UHQ audio up to 24bit/96kHz, which itself will be available on Samsung’s 2023 and newer flagships and foldables, once it rolls out to all.
Pricing and availability
Both foldables are available for pre-order starting today, with a street date of July 24. They will be available through all major carriers, as well as retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung itself.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,900 and is available in Silver Shadow, Pink, and Navy colorways. The Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100 and comes in Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, and Mint. Both will have additional exclusive color options if purchased through Samsung’s website.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung’s latest foldable takes some cues from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a boxier design and an all-matte finish. It features a slightly wider cover display for a more comfortable typing experience, as well as new Galaxy AI features and an upgraded ultra-wide camera.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is Samsung’s most evolved take yet on the flip-style foldable form factor. Its 3.4-inch AMOLED cover screen supports Galaxy AI features without opening the device, along with upgraded widgets and suggested replies, but its gorgeous 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED folding display will have you flipping the phone open quite a bit.
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