Samsung didn’t just play a crucial role in bringing foldables to the market — it’s arguably the entire reason we have folding phones in the first place. Despite making some of thebest foldables around, however, Samsung’s pace of innovation has slowed down in recent years, arguably allowing Chinese manufacturers to catch up and even surpass its offerings. With the brand-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the company is aiming to strike back.
Announced at this summer’s Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris, the Z Fold 6 marries cutting-edge hardware with a refined design, all in an effort to prove who really rules the world of bending smartphones. Here’s everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Review: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has cost Samsung its head start in the foldable race
A real tortoise-and-hare situation
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Design, specs, and cameras
A new look for some familiar specs
For the first time in a few cycles, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a brand-new look. Gone are the curved corners, glossy frame, and ultra-tall cover display, replaced with something quite a bit boxier — think Galaxy S24 Ultra-inspired — completely matte, and, well, still pretty tall. But yes, Samsung has seen fit to widen its external screen, using a 22.1:9 aspect ratio for the 6.3-inch edge-to-edge panel rather than last year’s 23.1:9. It’s still pretty narrow, but it does make traditional two-hand typing a bit more comfortable than before.
Inside, you’ll find a 7.6-inch main display, with a slightly more square aspect ratio than in year’s past thanks to that new cover screen. Although there isn’t any specific upgrades to speak of here, there is one pretty major change: the crease that has undoubtedly turned off potential foldable buyers in the past is all but erased this year. It’s still present if you’re hunting for it, but in terms of both look and feel, it’s a pretty big upgrade compared to last year.
The overall device is thinner and lighter, too, with Samsung bringing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 down to 12.1mm thick. That ties last year’s Pixel Fold, but it trounces Google’s first-gen foldable when it comes to weight. At 239 grams, Samsung’s managed to make a device that is nearly as light as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it did so without having to turn to titanium.
There aren’t many surprises to be found under the hood. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with 12GB of RAM and up to a full terabyte of storage. It’s sporting the same 4,400mAh battery as its predecessor, along with identical charging speeds — no 45W fast charging here. It’s missing a couple of other features from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, too, including Gorilla Armor on the cover screen and full IP68 water and dust resistance. Instead, you’ll find, respectively, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and IP48 certification, the latter of whichisan improvement over the Fold 5’s IPX8 rating.
Specifications
Samsung’s Z-series of smartphones have never been about top-tier camera performance — that honor belongs to the Galaxy S-series instead — but that doesn’t mean Samsung hasn’t paid some attention to its triple lens lineup on the Z Fold 6 this year. Alongside returning main and 3x telephoto lenses, this year’s device gets an upgraded 12MP ultrawide lens taken straight from the S24 series that should deliver better low-light performance. It’s a small change, but it’s better than nothing.
Isn’t Samsung making a slimmer Galaxy Z Fold 6?
It’s rare for rumors to persist for a device post-launch, but that’s exactly what we’re seeing with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim.Word of a second Galaxy Z Fold 6has persisted for much of 2024, with it existing either as a cheaper, entry-level foldable or a more advanced, more expensive Z Fold 6Ultra. The truth seems to be landing somewhere in the middle, with the big appeal of this particular model coming from a slimmer, more refined design.
At least, that’s the latest word on this “Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim,“which sounds destined to launch later this year. Really, the rumors around this thing have settled on two major aspects. First, it’ll be thinner than the regular 12.1mm Galaxy Z Fold 6, though by how much remains to be seen. The most recent reporting around this suggestsit’ll land somewhere between 11mm and 11.5mm, which isn’t that much sleeker than the mainstream model. And to do so, Samsung will have to remove the Fold 6’s digitizer — that means no S Pen support.
The other aspect has to do with this slim Fold 6’s displays. It sounds likethe entire device could be larger, allowing for a 6.5-inch cover screen paired with an 8-inch main display. That does bring this iteration of the Z Fold 6 closer to “tablet” territory when unfolded, which could be pretty appealing to some buyers.
But before you get too excited, you might want to put your wallet away. Everything we’ve heard about this phone suggests it’ll arrive in an extremely limited set of regions — in fact, it might be exclusive to China and South Korea. It’s a sign that Samsung really is feeling the pressure from competition like Honor and Xiaomi, both of which just launched foldables that measure in under 10mm when folded. But if you’re reading this in North America, expect to be stuck with the plain-jane Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Software and OS updates
Galaxy AI, meet your S Pen match
It’s 2024, so you likely know where this section is headed. Rather than leaning into new features designed specifically for foldables — like, say, taking a page out of theOnePlus playbook when it comes to multitasking— the company is laser focused on developing new AI tools with One UI 6.1.1. These range from productivity tools like an automated translator for PDFs or a new dual-screen conversation mode for Interpreter, to party tricks like Sketch to Image, which lets you draw items on your photos before they’re brought to life with hilariously mixed results. You can even drawPokémon-themed bongs on your photos, if you really want to.
Really, the big news is that Samsung is bringing the same seven years of software support first unveiled on the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. So while your next foldable might be an expensive purchase upfront, you can rest assured it’s going to live to see plenty of OS upgrades — assuming, of course, the hardware can keep up. That cycle will start later this year, when Android 15 arrives alongside One UI 7.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Price and release date
It’ll be in your hands before you know it
Samsung’s summer Unpacked event was held even earlier than usual this year, with the company taking the stage in Paris on July 10th. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 — alongside all of the other newly-unveiled products, including the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — went up for preorder immediately after the show, with general availability set for two weeks later on July 24th.
With that date having come and gone, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is officially ready for you to purchase, either through Samsung directly or through the carrier or retailer of your choice. It is, however, more expensive than last year’s model, with a starting price of $1,900. That’s quite a pretty penny, even for a folding phone, so ensure to shop around and compare trade-in offers to get the most bang for your buck.
Samsung’s latest foldable packs some big upgrades
But is it enough to beat out the competition?
Although it might not be the total reinvention anyone was hoping for, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 represents another step forward in Samsung’s most premium lineup of smartphones. Whether a refreshed design and a new aspect ratio for both of its displays is enough to keep a growing swarm of competition from taking over remains to be seen, but for now, the king of foldable flagships is back on top of the world.
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.
