7 new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 upgrades you won't find on other Folds
by Brady Snyder · Android PoliceSamsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a relatively minor upgrade, but it brings small changes that make the phone more than the sum of its parts. After using it for two months, I spotted seven key upgrades on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 that aren't available on past Galaxy Fold devices.
If you're coming from an older foldable or want to jump to a great folding phone for the first time, these features and changes may sway you toward Samsung's latest one. From hardware to software, let's round up the new features to hit the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 this year.
Read our review
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has cost Samsung its head start in the foldable race
A real tortoise-and-hare situation
1 Sketch to image lets you remix your photos
Your quick drawings can turn into AI-generated art — and it works with S Pen
Source: Android Police
Sketch to image is a neat Galaxy Z Fold 6 feature that gives you a reason to pull out the optional S Pen. It uses generative artificial intelligence to turn your rough sketches or doodles into a semi-realistic graphic. It's also available on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, and our Taylor Kerns used it to give his dog a Pokémon bong. Galaxy AI tries to work its magic with Sketch to image regardless of how talented you are at drawing. However, it works best on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 if you use the S Pen for more precise control.
2 A new chassis design feels more premium
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 feels like a device worthy of $1,900
This is how the new Galaxy Z Fold 6 looks next to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
From afar, it might be hard to tell the Galaxy Z Fold 6 apart from the older Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4. However, a few fit-and-finish changes make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 feel more premium. The design is more rectangular and flat, with brushed aluminum rails instead of a curved and polished aluminum chassis. When closed, the two halves of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 blend together to feel almost like a traditional slab phone.
The rear camera bump is flashier, with accents around each lens. Pair that with a thinner and lighter build, and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 finally feels like it has hardware worthy of a $1,900 price tag. As someone who has used past Galaxy Fold models, I can say that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 feels like a massive improvement over its predecessors.
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3 Circle to Search can scan QR codes, translate, and solve math problems
That's on top of everything else Circle to Search could do before
Circle to Search is a fan-favorite feature from Google and Samsung, and it's better on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. You can activate Circle to Search by holding the navigation bar on your Galaxy phone. It was initially a quick way to access Google Lens, but the feature is more powerful on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. You can scan QR codes, as is shown in the photo above. It's a great way to access content when the QR code is on your phone rather than somewhere you can scan it with your phone's camera.
On top of that, Circle to Search on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 translates text anywhere on your screen and computes math problems in a pinch.
4 The Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes with seven years of OS upgrades
The biggest upgrade might be that your pricey foldable will last longer
Samsung's seven-year update promise, which will bring full OS upgrades and security patches to flagship Galaxy phones into the next decade, comes to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It's fitting that this expensive foldable now has a software support window that matches its price tag. Although the $1,900 sticker price is tough to swallow, those seven years of guaranteed One UI updates mean you can use your Galaxy Z Fold 6 for many years.
5 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy brings more power and better efficiency
Foldables are great for gaming and productivity, and this chip makes both a breeze
Samsung and Qualcomm brought the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it's still the fastest Android mobile processor. More importantly, the chipset is more power efficient. This allowed Samsung to increase the brightness of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 displays without taking a hit on battery life. Performance is improved across the board for the CPU, GPU, and NPU. You get excellent speed with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, whether playing games or using Galaxy AI features.
6 New Galaxy AI and Gemini features
Note Assist, Portrait Studio, and Gemini are just a few of them
Speaking of AI features, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is full of them. Gemini is now the official replacement for Google Assistant on new Samsung foldables, and it works on both screens. You also get access to top Galaxy AI features, like Portrait Studio and Note Assist.
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7 Interpreter mode uses Flex Mode to bridge language barriers
You and the person you're speaking to can use it simultaneously
Flex Mode is a staple of Galaxy foldables, and Interpreter mode might be the best use of it. You can prop up the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and use the Interpreter app to converse with someone speaking another language. When they speak, you'll see the translated words in your preferred language on the main screen. When you speak, they'll see your words in their preferred language. This works in 16 languages to start, and it's a useful tool that takes live translation features to the next level.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 worth the upgrade?
Although the Galaxy Z Fold 6 might not be the biggest upgrade over its predecessors, it packs seven key upgrades over older Galaxy Fold models. For those in the market for a foldable, these features and changes could convince you to pick the Galaxy Z Fold 6 over the OnePlus Open or the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
$1500 $1900 Save $400
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.