Unlock the Hidden Gem of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: It’s Not Just About Folding
The Galaxy Z Flip 6: A Phone That’s More Than Just a Gimmick
Samsung’s mid-year Galaxy Unpacked launch for 2024 was a bit underwhelming. The Galaxy Watch range didn’t see many improvements, except for the introduction of the Ultra, which is only intended for die-hard fitness enthusiasts. And time was mostly devoted to the show-stopping Galaxy Ring, a new product category for the smartphone maker (one that I’m excited about in Australia, where it’s still yet to launch). The Galaxy Z Flip 6, an foldable phone, arguably received the least love of all the new gadgets – but I’ve come to appreciate the phone for what it is beyond the obvious gimmick.
The Flip’s Unique Charm
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has existed in a weird space among Samsung’s premium phone lineup for some time now. Vertically foldable, akin to trendsetting phones of the 2000s, the Z Flip’s only real drawcard is its fashion before function. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 makes a much better case for its existence, acting as a tablet-phone hybrid, albeit at a high price point.
A Tall Screen to Fall For
Internally, the phone underperforms compared to similarly priced models in the flagship Galaxy S product range, with a dimmer and less detailed screen, along with a smaller body. Its unimpressive cameras don’t do it any favors, and its battery life is middling at best. But I don’t really want to be too down on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, because it’s an aesthetics-first device – and it aces that. In fact, it’s more fun than almost every other phone I’ve used this year. The flipping function makes for a fun fidget toy, and the phone can be placed in a bunch of creative poses.
Why I Love the Tall Screen
Perhaps it’s me admitting that smartphones are sort of blending together in my head, as they all share the same basic ‘big glass rectangle’ characteristic, but I’ve truly fallen in love with just how tall the screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is. The phone folds in on itself from top to bottom, and to avoid being too short for casual use in its folded form (where it’s square-shaped and usable in a limited capacity via the screen on the back) it has a taller stature. Let’s pull up the specs: the dimensions of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 are 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm (H x W x D), while the Samsung Galaxy S24 (the phone with which it shares the most DNA) has dimensions of 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm. The Z Flip 6 has a slightly narrower (and thinner) chassis, with thicker bezels that give the S24 a great screen-to-body ratio.
How Far Can a Gimmick Take the Z Flip 6?
It’s at this point that it’s worth discussing the inevitable – can Samsung continue to make the cool, quirky, yet stylish little foldable interesting enough to buyers? There’s always going to be the space for consumers wanting something a bit more aesthetically pleasing, but in the vertical folding space, Samsung’s now competing with cheaper (and arguably better-looking) options from Motorola and other smaller brands. Comparative to the Z Flip 5, the Flip 6 was less a revision and more a re-release with some small changes made.
