Samsung’s Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 Smartphones Offer Minor Improvements at a Higher Price

Jul 10, 2024

Jeremy Gray

Two foldable smartphones are displayed against a white background. The phone on the left is unfolded to reveal its triple camera setup and slim profile. The phone on the right is half-folded showing its external screen and dual camera setup.

At a jam-packed Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event this morning, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 smartphones, each offering improved camera systems and even more artificial intelligence (AI).

The Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 share some interesting features. For example, both phones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and feature 12GB of RAM. Both new smartphones are more robust than their predecessors, promising better drop resistance, an improved hinge design, and slightly better protection against dust and water ingress.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor promises best-in-class CPU, GPU, and NPU (neural processing unit) performance, and Samsung says the processor is optimized for AI processing. And there’s no shortage of AI features on offer.

With its larger display, the Z Fold 6 promises “large screen productivity elevated by AI,” including Note Assist with AI-powered translation, summaries, and auto-formatting. The device also uses AI to turn sketches into fully realized images. Further, Google Gemini is fully integrated into both new Galaxy Z series devices, reflecting Samsung and Google’s long-term partnership. And of course, Google’s Circle to Search is still here after being unveiled at a Samsung event this January, where Samsung revealed its Galaxy S24 smartphones.

A sleek, modern smartphone with a silver metallic finish is displayed on its back side. The device features three rear cameras arranged vertically in a raised module, alongside a small flash. The side buttons and SIM card slot are also visible. — Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Concerning photo editing in particular, the ProVisual Engine on the new Galaxy Z devices includes Photo Assist and Portrait Studio, aiming to make it easier for people to edit photos and create portraits in diverse styles. There’s also the AI-powered Instant Slow-mo, which generates additional frames to a standard video to enable smooth playback at slower frame rates.

The image shows a Samsung flip smartphone in light blue, partially folded open, displaying its front screen. Two other similar flip phones are stacked underneath, both closed with "Samsung" visible on their hinges. The background is plain white. — Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

“Samsung’s long history of innovation has allowed us to lead in the mobile space, creating the foldable form factor and ushering in the mobile AI era. Now, we are excited to bring these two complementary technologies together and unlock new possibilities for users around the world,” says TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our foldables meet the unique needs of every user and now enhanced by the power of Galaxy AI, Samsung is delivering an experience like never before.”

Next up are displays. While the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 incorporate hinges, they use them in very different ways. The Z Fold 6 looks like a typical smartphone with a larger 6.3-inch display until the user unfolds it and then is treated to a large 7.6-inch “InfinityFlex” display. Both the cover and main internal displays are Dynamic AMOLED 2x panels with 120Hz adaptive refresh rates.

A Samsung flip smartphone is partially open, showcasing its external display. Colorful widgets hover in the background, displaying various apps like weather, health, calendar, and reminders. The focus is on the phone's sleek design and functional screen.

As for the Z Flip 6, it has a much smaller footprint thanks to its clamshell design. It has a 3.4-inch panel on the outside, which displays basic app info and notifications. Flipped open, it sports a 6.7-inch FHD+ panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.

The image shows a graphic of two smartphones, highlighting their camera specifications. One phone has a 12MP ultra-wide camera, 50MP wide-angle camera with 2x optical quality zoom, and 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The other phone has a 10MP cover camera and a 4MP under-display camera. — The Z Fold 6 has a new ultra-wide camera, but little else has changed.

As for cameras, both smartphones offer similar setups, although the Fold 6’s don’t reflect much of an upgrade.

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy foldable has a 50-megapixel primary camera — the same as the standard Galaxy S24 — alongside a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x) and 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The ultra-wide imager is new, at least. There’s also a 10-megapixel cover camera and a 4MP camera beneath the cover display.

An image showcasing the new Galaxy Z Flip phone, highlighting its upgraded 50MP wide rear camera enhanced with AI through the ProVisual Engine. The camera also includes a 12MP ultra-wide lens and features 2x optical quality zoom. Text reads, "The most powerful camera on a Galaxy Z Flip, now with AI. — The Z Flip 6 has a new 50-megapixel main camera, up from 12 megapixels.

The Z Flip 6 also has a 50-megapixel main camera, upgraded from a 12-megapixel camera on the Z Fold 5. The flip phone also has 12-megapixel ultra-wide and 10-megapixel selfie cameras, which aren’t new.

The Z Flip 6 also uses AI to improve its photo offerings. There’s AI zoom up to 10x using the main camera, and “Nightography,” which promises improved performance in low light.

Pricing and Availability

There’s also something else different about the new Samsung Galaxy devices: their price. Despite not offering many new features and still not matching the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in terms of photo features and performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is $100 more expensive than its predecessor, starting at $1,899. The Z Flip 6 also gets a $100 price hike, starting at $1,099.

A silver smartphone is showcased. The image prominently displays the phone's triple rear camera setup on the left and a glimpse of a second screen on the right. The background is white and minimalistic. — Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 are available to preorder now and will start shipping in two weeks, on July 24. Complete details are available on Samsung’s website. https://www.samsung.com/us/

Image credits: Samsung