If you agree to a flip phone’s utility, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a prudent pick

Aug 06, 2024 10:49 AM IST

Nostalgia may have slowly lost its sheen. Flip phones, part of the foldables envelope, are now being purchased with more weightage given to reliability, utility and effectiveness. Not simply an allure of the form factor, but a combination of the screens, software that has the smarts for a flip screen, cameras and specifically in Samsung’s implementation, a generous dose of artificial intelligence (AI) too. All things considered, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is the most versatile flip phone to buy, though there’s a bit more choice now compared to when the first-generation phone came around, a few years ago.

Prices have gone up a bit this year (the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 costs ₹1,09,999 onwards), partly due to the trajectory of inflation, and partly because there are improvements across the board. The displays are brighter, the main camera gets a much-needed upgrade to a 50-megapixel sensor (12-megapixel simply doesn’t cut it anymore) and Qualcomm’s especially spec-ed Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip for Samsung phones, alongside the layer of AI called Galaxy AI. Samsung’s hoping new buyers and those upgrading, would find value.

All of these improvements do go some way in justifying the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6’s value proposition, indicative of its closer proximity to what you’d expect from a flagship-esque phone. Unlike previous generations, where at different levels, a gap remained. Its closest competitor is perhaps Motorola’s Razr 50 Ultra (its priced around ₹1,19,000) and whilst there is certain parity with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 in terms of specs, it also claims to be “with Google Gemini” and something called Moto AI. The latter is photography focused, and not as wholesome as Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite that we’ve come to know quite well since early 2024.

You could always argue that the Razr’s outer screen, also called cover screen, looks better. That is also a factor of how its wrapping around the camera module. The Galaxy Z Flip6’s cover screen experience has a more customisable foundation than before, with a number of apps that can fit on this small screen, as well as a series of widgets with sizing options that allows you to potentially add more than one nugget of information on this cover display. That means more utility, and underlying changes give it similar treatment to an Android home screen, in more conventional form. Play your cards right with this, and you’ll be able to get some stuff done without having to un-flip the flip phone. Music controls, for example. Utility trumps fun, at least in my book.

Much like its latest flagships, the Galaxy Z Flip6 also makes do with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip that’s been optimised according to how Samsung wanted it. Outside of Google’s Pixel phone in the Android ecosystem, this is the closest you’d come to that level of synergy between hardware, software and the AI layer. It all simply comes together rather nicely. Credit where it is due, Samsung’s gotten it spot on with One UI to work across three very different screens and form factors – the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold6 book style foldable and now the Galaxy Z Flip6 flip foldable.

The one area where we could perhaps say Samsung could’ve and should’ve done more is with the Galaxy Z Flip6’s design. Much like it is the case with the Galaxy Z Fold6, this is also more about iterative improvements to the finer aspects, while the overall design language may need a bit more of a refresh after a prolonged period of continuity (that has its advantages, mind you). It perhaps wouldn’t be outlandish to expect a slightly slimmer form factor (6.9mm when un-flipped, much like its predecessor). That’s one of the things.

There are changes inside, such as a more elaborate cooling system with a vapor chamber at its core. But often, the Galaxy Z Flip6 does exhibit heating on the back, particularly if you’ve been in a prolonged video recording session outdoors or been using navigation in what’s not exactly an airconditioned environment. Not particularly a drawback of this phone, it’s been a standard fixture across flagships through this summer. The innards also pack in a slightly larger 4,000mAh battery (up from 3,700mAh before), which means you get through to dinner time with a little more charge on the battery counter, and a little less anxiety to go with it.

Remember I mentioned the allure of the flip foldable? A core tenet to that is it’s easy to pocket, and straightforward ergonomics that go with it. That hasn’t changed over the generations. The camera upgrades bring it more in line with last year’s Galaxy S24 series flagships which is a step forward but perhaps not enough for photography enthusiasts who’re paying top money for this form factor. Though subjective, you could perhaps find fault with the power key embedded fingerprint sensors, if you’re as used to as I am, with in-display fingerprint sensors. On that point, it is perplexing that long pressing the power key by default still points you to Samsung’s own (and long-neglected) Bixby assistant – with Galaxy AI and Gemini on board, why would that still be the case?

Generation to generation, the Galaxy Z Flip6 (much like the impressive Galaxy Z Fold6) focuses more on small steps forward on the spec sheet to keep up with the times, while the greater focus is on polishing and refining the overall experience. As is the case with its book-style foldable sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip6 too now has more competition to contend with, and still stays well in the lead. Software improvements, the promise of refinements and updates as well as the proposition of reliability that comes with Samsung’s phones, will figure prominently in buying decisions. We too would lean towards that thought, when the Moto Razr’s more fun personality is the other choice. As I said, utility trumps fun, more often than not.