Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Three features that would put it back on top for me

After a trailblazing five-year run throughout the foldable market, Samsung in 2024 finds itself doubtlessly shedding its place on the leaderboard to the likes of Huawei, Honor, Motorola, and others, experiences Display Supply Chain (DSCC) of Counterpoint Evaluation.

Aside from lower-than-expected product sales numbers of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, I gave remaining yr’s “Best Foldable Phone” honor to the OnePlus Open, which delivered a better multitasking experience, sort concern, and digicam effectivity than Samsung — all whereas undercutting the Z Fold 5 by $100.

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With the Galaxy Z Fold 6 anticipated to launch as early as this summer season, listed below are three choices that may ship Samsung once more to its former glory and maintain its rivals combating for second.

1. Constructed-in S Pen

The most important selling stage of big format foldables has been the elevated show display precise property, whether or not or not the tip shopper leverages that for consuming content material materials, multitasking with floating residence home windows, or taking notes. Paired with a stylus, you’ve received acquired most likely essentially the most futuristic mannequin of a pocket e book and pencil. It merely is wise.

Good news: Samsung shares that imaginative and prescient and has made progress in creating an S Pen-supported case for the Z Fold line by way of the years. Unhealthy info: Requiring an additional case — no matter how so much slimmer it’s gotten — to have an always-ready stylus stays to be too cumbersome, cumbersome, and costly to utilize with a instrument that’s already further superior than typical smartphones.

Moreover: I tried a rollable phone for the first time, and it made even my foldable feel outdated

Though it’s easier talked about than achieved, Samsung should embed its S Pen stylus into the Galaxy Z Fold 6, similar to the way in which it’s been achieved with the Galaxy Remember line since 2011. This one attribute alone would separate the Galaxy from the rest of the foldables within the market whereas making the transition for Galaxy S Extraordinarily prospects — who I would assume share comparable vitality desires as Z Fold prospects — way more welcoming. 

2. Wider and lighter sort concern

One among many the reason why I select the OnePlus Open over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the excellence in sort concern. The OnePlus has a wider exterior show display that — when folded — feels further like I’m using a standard cellphone. Additionally it is lighter than the Galaxy at 245 grams versus 253. Collectively, the reachability of the OnePlus Open, significantly when used with one hand, makes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 actually really feel like an ergonomic nightmare.

Moreover: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 leak reveals two design upgrades that’ll make Google and OnePlus sweat

With the following model, I would want to see Samsung experiment with newer facet ratios, ideally wider and shorter ones that make using the cellphone require fewer finger gymnastics. I mustn’t should stretch my thumb like I’m attempting to elongate it with a goal to realize the logo of a webpage. Having a shorter present moreover means horizontal films appear a lot much less cropped, with smaller letterboxing (black bars that fill in any gaps on the show display).

3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Lite

For a twist, Samsung should launch a “Lite” mannequin of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, inserting aside choices like a telephoto lens, wi-fi charging, and under-display digicam (which I’ve just about forgotten about); using an older nevertheless nonetheless competent chipset; probably even reserving the built-in S Pen for the widespread model; and selling it at a fraction of the worth. 

I’m not asking for one thing decrease than $1,000; the Galaxy Z Flip fills that gap, nevertheless someplace spherical $1,200, nearing the worth of the additional widespread Galaxy S24 Ultra, would make the foldable a further participating buy.