Should you acquire the newest foldable flip phone Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Arriving appearing much like its predecessor on the surface, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 has Don’t discount this phone out of hand, though; Samsung has made some important tweaks to the Galaxy Z Flip that might make the switch from one of their previous foldable phones worthwhile.
From your present phone, however, is it a decent upgrade? Although our testing is still under progress, our early Galaxy Z Flip 6 hands-on found several changes worth highlighting regarding Samsung’s foldable flip phone. Whether such upgrades should cause you to start grabbing for your wallet is totally up to you.
Said that, you might have to make a snap decision. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 ships on July 24; if you wish to take advantage of any Galaxy Z Flip 6 preorder offers, you must act before then. Here is a closer look at why you might wish to purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 6 together with justification for skipping this upgrade.
Galaxy Z Flip 6: Buying Reasons
Camera Improvements
The main camera of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 represents the most important hardware modification Samsung made. Samsung changed to a 50MP shooter for this model after running a 12MP sensor all through the Galaxy Z Flip family.
Indeed, that should provide some more finely detailed images at greater resolutions than you are used to on the Flip, but the new phone has another camera trick up its sleeve.
By means of pixel-binning, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 may provide the equivalent of a 2x optical zoom, therefore augmenting the phone’s zoom capacity without requiring room for a separate telephoto lens.
That strategy contrasts with the Motorola Razr Plus (2024), which swapped out a zoom lens for an ultrawide camera.
Though it boasts zoom capabilities that fit the 2x zooms the Razr Plus can produce, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 nevertheless enables you employ an ultrawide snapper.
A larger Battery
Although all indications point to some good changes here, we will have to do our battery test on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to find out how long it runs on a charge. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 boasts a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU first of all.
Not only does that system-on- chip show top performance, but it is also proving to be deft in power management. On a charge, phones using a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 typically last a long period.
Samsung also discovered room inside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to suit a bigger battery than previously. The 4,000 mAh juice pack in the new phone is 7.5% bigger than the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s one inside.
On our battery test, the larger battery and more efficient chipset should surpass the just about average time of 9 hours and 53 minutes on the previous phone.
The days of foldables skimping on battery life are long gone; the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is ready to join the mix of foldable phones that last longer than before.
A Vibrant Design
John Velasco, my colleague, has had the opportunity to play about with some other Galaxy Z Flip 6 models and finds the color choices this year to be excellent: Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue and Mint.
If you acquire your phone through Samsung, you can also choose black, white, or peach variations of the Galaxy Z Flip 6. These pastel hues accentuate the playfulness that gives a folding flip phone such attractiveness.
But Samsung raises the ante with some clever design elements. It highlights the camera lens outlines using the same hue as the phone’s body. John feels the outcome is a nice contrast that helps the Galaxy Z Fold 6 stand out from other handhelds.
Amazing Galaxy AI features
Originally included as part of the Galaxy S24 release earlier this year, Galaxy AI unveiled some interesting tools; software upgrades then extend those AI-powered capabilities to other recent Samsung devices.
And with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, those current features—Circle to Search, Instant Slow-Mo and tools for summarizing notes and audio recordings—are incorporated among others.
Samsung’s foldable, however, takes up some fresh Galaxy AI techniques including those that capitalize on the phone’s unusual shape. For rapid responses to texts without having to flip open the phone, suggested replies take the Chat Assist tool and maximize it for the Flip’s cover screen.
With translated transcripts coming up on each Galaxy Z Flip 6 display, Interpreter Mode uses both screens on the device to enable a real-time communication with someone speaking another language.
Whereas the Photo Ambient tool adjusts your background depending on the time of day and the temperature, a Photo Assist function in the Galaxy Z Flip 6 turns photographs into sketches and cartoons.
Although some of these instruments seem more useful than others, Samsung is not cutting back on its AI aspirations, hence the Galaxy Z Flip 6 gains from that.
Software
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is crammed with features, and I invite users to explore. Don’t forget to configure Edge Panels, a useful toolkit that comprises hardware tools like a surface level, compass, and real ruler in addition to weather widgets and app shortcuts.
Then download Good Lock from the Galaxy Store for a sample of Samsung’s software developer skunkworks.
Actually, for the first time ever with a Samsung phone I’m asking why there isn’t… more software?! Why doesn’t the Galaxy Z Flip 6 feature every clever Samsung trick? Why is there no DeX support, which would make this tiny foldable into a tiny laptop? I know it isn’t a feature everybody uses, but Samsung enthusiasts will tell you that DeX is a game changer.
Why am I unable to open more apps on the cover display? If you dig into Settings > Advanced features > Labs menu, you can choose which apps are permitted to run on the cover screen, but right now you can only activate Google Maps, Messages, Netflix, WhatsApp, and YouTube.
That’s it!? Not even SmartThings or Google Home to manage my lights? And why is this option buried under a scary-sounding Settings section named ‘Labs’ that nobody with any sense of prudence would ever touch? This is not what the Galaxy Z Flip 6 deserves.
I tested the Galaxy Z Flip 6 on AT&T’s network in the US, utilizing a review unit given by AT&T. Network performance was amazing, but when you buy a carrier version of a Samsung phone you receive carrier software that you can’t remove easily.
It didn’t bother me, and it never hindered performance, but if you’re troubled by bloat you may want to get an unlocked model, even if it means missing out on aggressive carrier pricing.
How aggressive? AT&T will offer you a Galaxy Z Flip 6 for free, and you can spend only $0.99 more per month to obtain a Galaxy Watch 7, then add a Galaxy Tab A9 Plus tablet for an additional $0.99, if you are willing to sign up for a three-year payment plan.
Three years isn’t that long when you consider the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will receive important Android OS and security updates for the next seven years, just like the Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 family. This is a beautiful new development in the world of Android, and I’m watching hard to make sure phone makers don’t stray from this promise.
It shows enormous confidence in the phones on the side of manufacturers, in terms of performance and ideally also build quality after all, if a phone is going to get updates for seven years, the hardware needs to last that long.
At the very least, there should be support and repair options available for longer, but I also expect that this longevity would boost the resale value of Android phones, especially high-ticket smartphones like Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. Time will tell.
GALAXY Z FLIP 6: SKIP REASONS
It costs more than before
Last year, you spent $ 999 for a Galaxy Z Flip 5, which let you slip under that crucial $1,000 threshold to acquire a Samsung foldable. With the Galaxy Z Flip 6, there is no such luck; Samsung increased the entry-level 256GB model’s price by $100 to $1,099.
That price increase stings not only for the meager hardware enhancements beyond the enhanced main camera and switch to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU.
It also coincides with Motorola’s ability to maintain the Razr Plus’s $999 price for its rival foldable phone. Should you be willing to forgo some processing capability, you could even grab the 2024 basic Motorola Razr for $699.
With trade-ins, preorder discounts can help you save money; Samsung is boosting capacity to 512GB at no additional cost for Galaxy Z Flip 6 preorders. Ultimately, though, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs more than the flip phone from Samsung in quite some years.
The cover display stays the same width
Regarding hardware, Samsung has been advised to increase the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s cover screen to 3.9 inches, therefore allowing more space for programs to run natively on the external display.
That hasn’t happened, though; the cover screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is still 3.4 inches and cannot run more programs natively than the Motorola Razr Plus can.
Although Motorola provides a better experience, it’s good that the Z Flip 6 supports Galaxy AI functions on the cover screen.
Pedestrian charging speeds
Given a phone that costs a premium pricing, one would expect the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to enable faster charging of the phone than it does. This new phone stays at 25W charging rates, so filling up your battery could take some time.
When you consider how other Android phones welcome quicker charging rates, it is especially clear-cut a weakness. When it comes time to charge your gadget, the Motorola Razr Plus (2024) offers 45W charging, therefore leaving the Galaxy Z Flip 5 well behind.
Particularly considering the price increase, Samsung charges a premium price for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Its characteristics should mirror a luxury experience, including with regard to charging.
GALAXY Z FLIP 6 OUTLOOK
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is still under testing, hence a complete recommendation will have to wait.
For anyone with an older handset who would benefit from the superior cameras and incorporated AI functions, right now the phone appears perfect—especially if they are not minding the additional expense of this year’s model.
Those seeking more significant changes perhaps wish to wait to update for now.
Conclusion
Pros of Galaxy Z Flip 6:
- Improved camera capabilities with a 50MP main shooter and 2x optical zoom
- Larger 4,000 mAh battery with efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU
- Vibrant design options including appealing color choices
- Advanced Galaxy AI features enhancing functionality
- Extended software support promising longevity with updates
Cons of Galaxy Z Flip 6:
- Higher price tag compared to its predecessor
- Unchanged 3.4-inch cover display limits functionality
- Relatively slower 25W charging speed
Considerations for Buyers:
- Evaluate priorities such as camera quality, battery life, design, and software longevity
- Balance the benefits of enhancements with the incremental changes and increased cost
