I've been impressed with Samsung's launch of a new foldable every summer, but have held on to my iPhone because my thought was always, "That's cool, but why wouldn't I just use my laptop?"
Even after reviewing plenty of AI features over the last couple of years, I still couldn't justify carrying a phone that unfolded into a small tablet. I really didn't feel as though I had a purpose for it. But, Galaxy Unpacked finally changed my mind.
Oddly enough, it wasn't the thinner design that caught my attention or the cameras tht stood out to me. This year it was the ability to use Gemini Notebook (formally NotebookLM) on the phone.
When Google announced that Gemini Notebook will come preinstalled on Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold lineup, alongside a broader push to make Gemini work across dozens of apps, I was sold. For the first time, I looked at a foldable and thought: "That's actually the device this was built for."
Gemini Notebook feels cramped on a normal phone
I already use Gemini Notebook almost every day. It's actually one of my very favorite AI tools. It lets me dump messy notes, PDFs, YouTube videos, research papers and random thoughts into one place before asking questions or generating summaries.
It's incredible for professionals as well as students who want to stay organized and prepared. But as much as I love it, using it on my iPhone hasn't been ideal. The screen makes a difference with Gemini Notebooks becuase it's not really a chatbot. It's more like a workspace.
Because of the nature of the platform, I want to see my sources while asking questions. And I need to be able to scroll through notes without constantly switching views. Sometimes I want an AI-generated study guide on one side and the original document on the other. I didn't realize it, but having the ability to do that is what was keeping me from successfully using Gemini Notebooks on mobile. On a regular smartphone, that experience feels squeezed into a screen that was never designed for it.
A foldable finally has room to breathe
Watching Google's demos during Unpacked, something clicked. Open the Fold and suddenly there's enough space to treat Notebook like an actual research desk instead of another messaging app. Using a foldable phone would make reading a research paper so much easier, especially while Gemini explains confusing sections on the other side.
Or, even planning a vacation with hotel websites open alongside Notebook as it organizes my itinerary. I could see it useful for comparing recipes, watching a cooking video on one side while asking Gemini questions on the other without jumping between apps or trying to zoom in.
That's the kind of multitasking foldables have always promised, but I've ignored until now. AI finally gives that extra space a real purpose.
AI is giving foldables a reason to exist
Samsung has spent years trying to convince people that foldables are productivity devices, but I wasn't buying it even though the hardware kept improving. But this year's announcement made all the difference to me.
Now that Gemini can now automate tasks across more than 40 apps, it makes the larger screen useful for workflows that previously required bouncing between windows. Instead of simply opening multiple apps, the phone becomes a place where AI helps connect them.
Final thoughts
I know Foldables aren't for everyone. They are expensive and much bulkier than standard phones. Most people don't need an 8-inch display for checking emails or scrolling social media.
But, I can see Foldables being a real game changer for those who spend their day writing, studying, planning or researching. I think that's the audience Samsung has been searching for all along, and Gemini has sealed the deal for me.
For the first time, I didn't leave Galaxy Unpacked thinking about the hardware, instead, I thought about how I would actually use the phone in real life. For someone who uses Gemini Notebooks for just about everything, I'm looking forward to taking advantage of AI that works alongside me. The extra screen suddenly feels like a necessity now that Gemini is baked in.
