The Galaxy Fold series was a bold and courageous experiment in smartphone design. Samsung deserves all the credit in the world for pioneering the foldable form factor and taking the risk for everyone else to establish this new category. And it all started with a lot of promise and great hope that foldable phones could soon replace traditional phones.
But five years into the experiment, one thing is clear: foldable phones have not living up to expectations.
Technology research firm Canalys estimates that foldable phones represent just about 1% of total smartphone shipments in 2023. Samsung has sold about 15 million foldable phones per year, which accounts for about 80% of all shipments. foldable phone sales.
There are good reasons for this: the price hasn’t come down much, quite the opposite, it’s gone up with the Fold 6. Worse yet, Western markets have become isolated from the competition, allowing Samsung to drag its feet on innovation. And that was the landscape before the launch of the big Galaxy Z Fold 6. Now the latest and greatest Fold is here, so what’s changed?
Galaxy Z Fold 6: the most refined design of the Galaxy Fold… for a format that should never have existed
If you’ve ever used a Galaxy Fold device, you’ll realize one thing the moment you touch the new Z Fold 6: It’s what it should have been from the start.
Samsung has tweaked the design in all the right places, so the Fold 6 finally looks and feels… complete. The flat sides, the matte finish, the solid hinge—it’s refinement in the best possible way.
But for all that excellence, this is still unmistakably a Galaxy Fold phone.
Number 1
Um, how are we supposed to type on this tiny screen protector? - Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7Um, how are we supposed to type on this tiny screen protector? - Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7
Um, how are we supposed to type on this little protective screen?
The most glaring problem with the Fold’s design remains: the cover display is far too small (and particularly narrow) for comfortable use, while accessing the main display still requires two hands.
This design ensures that most of the simplest tasks will be done without unfolding the phone. Some statistics put the Cover Screen usage percentage at 70%, while the larger main screen is only used 30% of the time.
Samsung has obviously heard these concerns, as the Fold 6’s cover screen has gotten a tiny bit wider, but that’s just a simple nod to the cause and it’s not enough.
Unless you have baby fingers, typing on the screen protector’s tiny keyboard may be less frustrating, but it’s still frustrating. Web browsing isn’t ideal in the narrow form factor, either.
Number 2
Slim, but only if you live in a Samsung Galaxy vacuum - Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7Slim, but only if you live in a Samsung Galaxy vacuum - Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7
Damn, but only if you lived in a Samsung Galaxy vacuum
The Fold’s thickness remains another big issue. Unfolded, it’s undeniably impressive, with its large, tablet-style screen.
But once closed, it’s a bulky gadget that bulges awkwardly in your pocket. We weren’t too worried about this five years ago, but it’s downright disappointing to see the same problem persist today. By comparison, rivals like the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 and Honor Magic V3 are now available at well under 10mm thick. Galaxy Z Fold 6 is almost 30% thicker!
You would think this would at least have the advantage of a bigger battery, but no. Galaxy Z Fold 6 still has a battery size of 4,400mAh, while both alternatives from Xiaomi and Honor have a battery size of 5,100mAh or more.
Knowing that elegance and portability are so important for a foldable phoneThe Fold’s dimensions are a major drawback and Samsung needs to catch up.
Number 3
Same old cameras – Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7Same old cameras – Samsung needs to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7
Same old cameras
The Fold’s camera system is another area where Samsung needs to up its game.
I firmly believe that photography is one of the primary use cases for a foldable phone – the large screen simply elevates your photos.
The Fold 6 is an incredibly average camera. The hardware isn’t the only problem, but we can probably all admit that we’d like to see a longer zoom range.
The software still has a lot of room for improvement, however.
Samsung’s vibrant colors are constantly talked about, and the company is constantly tweaking them, but there’s a much better solution: separating profile photos for a saturated, natural look. This is something that competitors Xiaomi and Vivo have long understood.
These pictures were taken with a phone, but not a Galaxy
One of the foldable phones I have been using the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro for the past few weeks.
I was completely blown away by the attention to detail when it came to this phone’s camera: beautiful filters, precise editing controls, stunning bokeh, film simulations, the list goes on. The camera on this phone is so good that I now carry it as a second camera JUST because of it.
The software experience on Galaxy phones? None of these features are available and we continue to discuss saturated colors in Samsung photos every year, endlessly. It’s getting absurd.
Conclusion
Samsung may have to go back to the drawing board - Samsung has to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7Samsung may have to go back to the drawing board - Samsung has to go back to the drawing board with the Galaxy Z Fold 7
Samsung may have to go back to the drawing board
Ultimately, the fundamental problem with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 It could be very simple: the form factor itself.
Samsung has achieved some impressive technical feats, including probably the best and most durable hinge on the market. Some software features are surprisingly fun, like the new Sketch to Image feature.
But that’s where the list ends. No other company offers foldable phones that are as awkwardly sized as a TV remote. It’s not comfortable to carry in a pocket, and the protective screen is simply not big enough.
Samsung may deny this and stubbornly stick to its current format, but even the most stubborn companies can’t fight the cold reality of sales numbers.
THE Galaxy Z Fold 6 It might be the prettiest of the range so far, but I don’t think it can shake things up and convince regular consumers.
What I have no doubt about is that Samsung has the resources and talent to create a truly revolutionary solution. foldable phoneHowever, it is time to go back to the drawing board and rethink the whole concept.
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