Samsung launches new foldable phones with AI stuffed into everything

The latest models in Samsung’s Galaxy Z series of foldable blowers have received some technical upgrades on their predecessors as well as a price hike, but the real emphasis seems to be the AI features, which the release mentions in almost every paragraph.   

Hardware wise, both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform and have some tweaks to their design that are supposed to make them more durable and also less chunky than previous iterations. There’s also an upgraded cooling system thanks to a larger vapor chamber on Galaxy Z Fold 6 and, they’ve also stuck one in the Galaxy Z Flip for the first time.

They have new cameras in the shape of a 50MP Wide and 12MP Ultra-Wide sensors. The 50MP sensor supports 2x optical zoom and an AI zoom which Samsing says provides ‘an advanced shooting experience with up to 10x zoom.’ The Fold 6 is held up having improved gaming chops, with Ray Tracing and its 7.6-inch screen. 

Much is made of the range of AI-powered features and tools that come with the devices. Note Assist on Samsung Notes offers translation, summaries, and auto formatting for meetings, while the latest Google Gemini app is integrated into them, ‘providing your own AI-powered assistant right on your phone.’ Users can swipe the corner of the screen or say, ‘Hey Google’, which will bring up Gemini’s overlay.

Galaxy AI also has ‘enhanced barrier-free communication’ on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, we’re told. By this it means that, making use of the dual screen form factor, Interpreter comes with a new conversation mode that enables both parties to view translations on the main and cover screens, and it also has a one-way translation mode. Live Translate meanwhile translates phone calls directly onto the device in real-time, and has been extended beyond Samsung’s own native calling app to a selection of third-party apps.

Meanwhile Samsung’s content creation tools, such as ProVisual Engine, Photo Assist, Portrait Studio^, and Instant Slow-mo, have AI bells and whistles and features supposed to make the most of larger/dual screens.

“Samsung’s long history of innovation has allowed us to lead in the mobile space, creating the foldable form factor and ushering in the mobile AI era,” said said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “Now, we are excited to bring these two complementary technologies together and unlock new possibilities for users around the world. Our foldables meet the unique needs of every user and now enhanced by the power of Galaxy AI, Samsung is delivering an experience like never before.”

The phones are available for pre-order starting today and will be available on July 24th, and there’s also an upgraded set of earphones in the shape of the Galaxy Buds 3 series.

Going by the consumer press review sites there seems to be the general opinion that these phones represent some modest upgrades on the previous foldable efforts, with an increased price tag to match. The foldable phone market hasn’t taken the world by storm as yet, but perhaps the new offerings from Samsung will provide it with some impetus, alongside the gazillion AI features it’s got stuffed within its foldy frame. Either way, it’s always good to see some design deviation from the indistinguishable black rectangle shape that makes up the modern smartphone market.