Samsung played a key role in making foldable smartphones go mainstream. Since the original Samsung Galaxy Fold’s debut, the company has been making some of the best foldables around. However, the company’s pace of innovation has slowed down in recent years, allowing Chinese smartphone manufacturers to catch up and surpass its offering. With the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung needs to make big changes to ensure its foldables continue to dominate the sales chart. Otherwise, it risks falling behind the competition.
While the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is several months from launch, some leaks and rumors indicate it will pack substantial upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Below is everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Design and specs
Is Samsung prepping an Ultra-sized upgrade?
Samsung hasn’t radically changed the design of its flagship foldable since its inception. There have been improvements and tweaks, but the device’s look has remained unchanged over the last few years. For the most part, this isn’t changing in 2024. Although we’ve heard word Samsung is introducing a new form factor with its next-gen foldable, early leaks suggest some mild changes that could leave it behind the competition.
Leaker Tech_Reve has claimed Samsung will change the outer display’s aspect ratio, making it more roomy and less cramped. This should impact usability and make the cover screen more practical for daily use. Samsung confirmed to Tech Radar that it considered different prototypes for the Z Fold 5 but chose the current form factor because it offered the best “usability and grip and portability.”
The outer screen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is too narrow to type comfortably or run your favorite Android apps. Samsung’s offering is the only outlier. Foldables from other companies, like the Google Pixel Fold, pack a wider cover screen.
With OnLeaks’ first round of device renders, we’ve finally gotten a glimpse of what that aspect ratio change might look like. Largely speaking, it doesn’t seem like Samsung has changed all too much — this front panel is still narrower than what you’ll find on the OnePlus Open and, at least in leaked images, the Pixel Fold 2. Likewise, rumored specs indicate Samsung’s foldable will remain one of the thickest on the market, despite the competition packing bigger batteries in a tighter space.
That said, there is a chance we see a more advanced model of the Z Fold 6 arrive on store shelves. In addition to a Q6 unit being spotted in testing — likely what we’ve seen in leaked images — a phone codenamed Q6A has also appeared. And while initial rumors had that pegged as an entry-level foldable, other reports have suggested it’s actually an Ultra variant, likely sporting a more premium build. This could include a titanium chassis — something previously seen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra — further setting it apart from the growing foldable competition.
Apart from a change in the aspect ratio, expect Samsung to use brighter and more efficient display panels on its next foldables. With the OnePlus Open’s display featuring a peak brightness of 2,800 nits, Samsung will try to reach or surpass that number with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
While there haven’t been any leaks, Samsung should use the same improved hinge that debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The three-part hinge allowed the Korean giant to eliminate the gap between the foldable display on the Z Fold 5 and made the phone slimmer than its predecessor.
Samsung has always equipped the Fold lineup with the best hardware. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 should be no different and share most of the same internals as the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung’s next flagship foldable should use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC, 12GB or 16GB of RAM, super-fast UFS 4.0 storage, and a big battery. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like faster charging speeds are on deck this year, as the Fold 6 series is rumored to support just 25W for another generation.
As for colors, dark blue, light pink, and silver seems to be the three shades rumored for this year, with more potentially to arrive as Samsung.com exclusives.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Software
What will One UI bring this year?
Samsung’s software played a key role in its foldable phones being ahead of the competition. The company added several innovative multitasking features to One UI, which boost your productivity by taking advantage of the bigger folding screen.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 should be no different. It will presumably launch with One UI 6.1.1 based on Android 14 and pack several foldable-specific features and optimizations, right along side the company’s Galaxy AI platform that first arrived on the S24 series in January. It’s unclear if other optimizations will arrive, such as a rival to the OnePlus Open’s mutlitasking menu.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Cameras
Practically unchanged
If the rumors are anything to go by, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 won’t get a major camera upgrade. Instead, it may use the same 50MP GN3 sensor as the Z Fold 5. A 12MP ultrawide and a 3x telephoto shooter may accompany the primary camera. You’ll have to look elsewhere if you want a phone with amazing zoom capabilities or the best primary camera.
We did hear rumors surrounding a move to a 200MP sensor, similar to what’s found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra right now. It didn’t take long for those suspicions to be walked back, though, and it’s a little unsurprising. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 will likely lack the space necessary to fit such a large lens, something not true on the larger non-foldable flagship. And as we expected, the latest word points to a nearly unchanged sensor over last year.
For now, there’s no word on whether the front camera and the under-display camera will see any improvements. You should expect image quality improvements due to a faster ISP and processing improvements. And while the Z Fold 6’s camera might not be the best, it should deliver impressive imaging performance.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Price and release date
When’s it coming?
Samsung has been bringing forward its foldable lineup’s launch by a few weeks every year. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 launched in late July instead of August. The Korean giant could stick to the same timeframe or move it up a couple of weeks and unveil the Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 as early as the first week or two of July, as we’ve heard suggested. These foldables could go on sale by the end of the month. Given that the Galaxy S24 is rumored to launch as early as mid-January next year, an early launch for Samsung’s 2024 foldable lineup is plausible.
If Samsung does go ahead with two Fold 6 models — one Ultra, one regular — it becomes a little difficult to predict pricing. Rumors have the cheaper Fold 6 model pegged at just $800, which, frankly, seems a little hard to believe. That undercuts the rest of the market, including budget-priced foldables from smaller brands like Tecno. As for the Ultra model, sticking to $1,800 makes sense, though a potential swap to titanium, alongside a more expensive processor and new display, could bring the price closer to the $2,000 mark.
Samsung’s 2024 foldable could pack some big upgrades
But can it top the competition?
Samsung has faced stiff competition from Apple in the premium segment. While its foldable lineup allows it to attract a premium range of customers, other smartphone makers are giving Samsung tough competition in this area. You can find a lighter, longer-lasting, and better folding phone than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 from OnePlus, Honor, Oppo, and others.
Google Pixel Fold 2: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
What’s next for Google’s latest addition to the Pixel lineup?
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 will be an important phone for Samsung. It could help the company solidify its lead from an innovation viewpoint in the foldable segment. But only if the company can bring enough to the table to convince holdouts to upgrade.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Z Fold 5 is here, and it’s nothing short of splendid! While it doesn’t particularly blow us away with what it offers, we surely appreciate the subtle improvements it sports over its already-decent predecessor, the Z Fold 4. Even though we didn’t get to see some of the changes we’d hoped for — such as improved battery life — the disappointment was compensated by a powerful chipset, an aesthetically pleasing hinge, and an upgraded camera setup.
