This Galaxy Z Fold 6 rumor has me convinced Samsung is gunning for its foldable phone rivals
Can Samsung regain the top spot among foldable phones?
When it comes to the best foldable phones, Samsung isn't used to playing second fiddle to anyone, having essentially invented the category with its own lineup of foldable devices. But that was before other phone makers decided to get into the act.
These days, if you asked me to recommend a foldable phone that opens up to reveal a much larger interior screen, I probably wouldn't steer you toward the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It's not that I've got anything against that particular device, which is probably the best Samsung phone when it comes to foldables. I just happen to think the OnePlus Open is a better choice. And if you look at our OnePlus Open vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 face-off, my foldable-using colleagues agree with me.
Whether Samsung is taking feedback like this to heart or its future phone plans happen to be coincide with correcting what some people have criticized about the Z Fold, it sounds like things are going to change with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 when that phone arrives later this year. And that can only be good news if you're hoping for more choice when it comes to choosing a foldable phone.
Design changes in the works
Two bits of news have surfaced in the past week that make it seem as if Samsung wants to re-establish the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as the go-to foldable. First, a leaked render that's since been removed has indicated that Samsung's upcoming foldable will offer a more angular design with sharper edges and a slightly wider cover screen. In addition, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 could be thinner than it was before.
That last bit continues a trend that Samsung started with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to address a complaint about a lot of foldable phones and not just Samsung's — these big-screen devices are awfully bulky and difficult to carry around. Last year, Samsung introduced a new Flex hinge with a thinner, lighter design, and it seems to want to build on that effort with the Z Fold 6.
But it's the detail about the wider cover screen that should pique your interest, particularly if you've used past Z Fold models. A common complaint about the 6.2-inch cover display on the current Fold is that it's awfully narrow, which can make typing with the on-screen keyboard feel too cramped.
Contrast that with foldables like the OnePlus Open or the Pixel Fold, both of which have a wider profile. They're better suited to running apps like you would on a conventional phone, which makes it easier to get more things done without even having to open up your foldable phone.
So yes, it's encouraging to hear about a leaked render promising a wider cover screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Specifically, leaker Ice Universe says that the Z Fold 6 has a width 60.2mm when shut, compared to 57.4mm on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It may not match the 73.3mm width of the OnePlus Open, but a wider Z Fold 6 cover display would certainly be aa step in the right direction.
Room to grow for the Galaxy Z Fold 6
It's been fascinating to see how the Galaxy Z Fold has evolved ever since Samsung's first foldable stumbled out the gate in 2019. First came the process of just making sure the phone was durable enough to stand up to frequent use. Later, Samsung would address camera performance by adding a 50MP main camera with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. And this time out, it sounds as if Samsung will address some of the issues raised by having more foldable phones competing with its own handset.
There's more to do beyond just widening the cover display. I still don't think Samsung has taken full advantage of the foldable design of its phone — certainly, the OnePlus Open's Open Canvas multitasking feature is a more dynamic way of running multiple apps at once on an extended display. And at $1,799, the Galaxy Z Fold remains priced out of reach for the vast majority of consumers. (Perhaps, the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE is going to tackle that problem with a lower-cost version of Samsung's foldable.)
Nevertheless, you take progress where you can get it, and a more useable cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 would certainly count as a big step forward. We'll get a better sense of just how Samsung plans to take on the competition at the Galaxy Unpacked summer event where it's all but certain to show off its latest foldables. And with an earlier than usual date for that event apparently in the works, we could get the answers to our questions sooner than we think.
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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.
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kshensley71 I have used Samsung for a long time, and have been using the Fold 4 and then 5 because I travel a lot and don't have to bring a tablet, but I also had to bring another phone or camera because the camera on the Fold is just really bad for anything other than a 1x shot of a person or object really close to you, it's unusable for vacation photos and any zoomed photos are grainy and noisy. If they can't put a flagship camera on the Fold there is no point. I tried the OnePlus Open just because of all the reviews, fully expecting to send it back after seeing it for myself, but I couldn't, it is just staggeringly better than the Fold, the camera is amazing. After using the Open I actually became angry at Samsung because if OnePlus could put a camera this good in a foldable then Samsung absolutely could have if they wanted to. I became used to the narrow screen of the Fold, but I have to say the Open is so much better. It is 100% a no compromise flagship phone with the outer screen, and a great flagship tablet with the inner.Reply -
AirKwa Unpopular opinion here, but as someone who continues to use the OG Fold (and refuses to upgrade to newer versions), Samsung got it right the first time. The only issue was the enormous bezels. In terms of device dimensions, the OG Fold accomplishes the best of all worlds. A nice compact phone that fits in your pocket, with the only improvement needed was to make it thinner. When open, you have a big screen with a standard(ish) aspect ratio of 4:3, meaning less presence of annoying black bars that defeat the purpose of having more screen real estate. Likewise, with foldables turning more and more into "regular" phones when folded, that also negates the reason for folding phones in the first place, to make them more compact.Reply
I don't like the direction Samsung foldables have been heading in and hope some other manufacturer realizes that they'd already figured it out. -
dglacier
Let me know if you need help with the camera settings . I use it and it takes great vacation pictures although not like the s24 of course but definitely good ones. Even Tom's guide has reviewed this camera versus the OnePlus and Samsung just takes the lead because megapixels are not what is all about also the quality and the processing so you can do tweaking for sure. Also the Samsung Galaxy fold is made of way better quality and it's water resistance which is a big plus if you're going into Adventures or vacations.kshensley71 said:I have used Samsung for a long time, and have been using the Fold 4 and then 5 because I travel a lot and don't have to bring a tablet, but I also had to bring another phone or camera because the camera on the Fold is just really bad for anything other than a 1x shot of a person or object really close to you, it's unusable for vacation photos and any zoomed photos are grainy and noisy. If they can't put a flagship camera on the Fold there is no point. I tried the OnePlus Open just because of all the reviews, fully expecting to send it back after seeing it for myself, but I couldn't, it is just staggeringly better than the Fold, the camera is amazing. After using the Open I actually became angry at Samsung because if OnePlus could put a camera this good in a foldable then Samsung absolutely could have if they wanted to. I became used to the narrow screen of the Fold, but I have to say the Open is so much better. It is 100% a no compromise flagship phone with the outer screen, and a great flagship tablet with the inner. -
kshensley71
I took a ton of comparison photos with my Z Fold 5, S23 Ultra, and the Open, of course the S23 was best, but the Open was really close, even on the 100x zoom, but these shots in my office were the first shots I took, these are cropped but that's the point, the Z Fold 5 looks good on the screen, but when you start zooming in on details it just fall apart. Both photos were taken from the same place, same lens, auto settings. https://photos.app.goo.gl/eeXVFXsoWrAmcEgV8AirKwa said:dglacier said:Let me know if you need help with the camera settings . I use it and it takes great vacation pictures although not like the s24 of course but definitely good ones. Even Tom's guide has reviewed this camera versus the OnePlus and Samsung just takes the lead because megapixels are not what is all about also the quality and the processing so you can do tweaking for sure. Also the Samsung Galaxy fold is made of way better quality and it's water resistance which is a big plus if you're going into Adventures or vacations. -
dglacier
Hi, thanks for the images. Yeah I'm not sure what to tell you. I haven't experience the Open myself as you do. What I CAN tell you is that yes, the Fold 5, only zoom it up to 3x, because taht's optical I belive, so anything after that you are zooming in pixels (digitally). I hear the Open has a 3x but because it has more resolution it can do pretty well at 6x and that's probably where it all comes down to (if you are planning on doing zooming which seems what you really care about).kshensley71 said:I took a ton of comparison photos with my Z Fold 5, S23 Ultra, and the Open, of course the S23 was best, but the Open was really close, even on the 100x zoom, but these shots in my office were the first shots I took, these are cropped but that's the point, the Z Fold 5 looks good on the screen, but when you start zooming in on details it just fall apart. Both photos were taken from the same place, same lens, auto settings. https://photos.app.goo.gl/eeXVFXsoWrAmcEgV8
With that said, here is some comparisons from Phone Arena:
Main camera, day time:
In bright daylight conditions, the OnePlus Open and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 both fare well. Colors and processing are a bit more excessive on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, while the OnePlus Open goes for a more natural style. Interestingly, even though better dynamics were touted as a strong point for the OnePlus device, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 seems to be doing a better job in extreme lighting conditions.
Main Camera, lo light:
Low-light performance is similar on both devices, but the OnePlus Open seems to have that tiny edge when it comes to overall dynamics and style. It maintains a nice balance between a natural and pleasingly rich look that gives it a slight edge over the Z Fold. 5.
and ... your Zoom ordeal...:
The OnePlus Open beats the Galaxy Z Fold 5 when it comes to zoom quality, especially when it comes to low-light performance.
Scroll down to the camera comparisons on the article , here is the link
https://www.phonearena.com/reviews/oneplus-open-vs-galaxy-z-fold-5_id5907
Hope this gives you a more assuring perspective and with your decision :)