Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6: what's new, and when you can get it

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6

Design improvements: strength with style

It was the first folding phone out there, and it still turns heads.

The Z Fold6 gets a bit of a glow-up over its predecessors thanks to some weight- and bulk-shedding on Samsung's part. The new device packs in a larger 6.3-inch cover screen on the outside and folds out to become a multi-tasking monster on the inside with a massive 7.3-inch display.

Despite the increase to the cover screen, the new design of the Z Fold6 is the slimmest and lightest model yet in the folding range.

And those screens are protected on the inside and out by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to protect you from those everyday bumps and accidental scratches. The toughness extends to the frame of the device, too, with Armour aluminium casing on the cover, rear panel, folding edge and dual-rail hinge.

Productivity: big screen power in the palm of your hand

Multitasking has always been the strong suit of the Z Fold series, and the Z Fold6 boosts its creds even further.

There's a more "PC-like" experience to the multitasking on the Z Fold6, so when you open the device, you get to flick around your apps like a pro without having to memorise a tonne of gestures and shortcuts.

And then there's all the productivity gear you've come to expect from a great Samsung device. Only this time, it’s more powerful (and useful!) than ever.

If you’re a mover-and-shaker or a note-taker, there are AI-powered features that transcribe and summarise your meetings or classes, pulling out key points for you to remember. If you’re a travel-junkie, an upgrade to the translation features (now called “Interpreter”) lets you have a real-time conversation with someone in another language. By displaying translations on both the internal screen and cover screen at once, you can break down the language barrier while abroad.

And it gets cooler. Fancy touring the Louvre in French or listening to Spanish football commentary, for example, but don’t speak the language? AI-powered “Listening Mode” means you can get a real-time feed on your device of words being said in another language around you.

AI even makes keeping in touch easier. Chat Assist reads your last seven messages – both in the Samsung Messages app and other third-party chat apps – and works with a tap to quickly suggest message replies for you. You can even use AI to help write an email with a short prompt.

And there’s loads more AI all over the device. Stay tuned for our hands-on to see how it works in more places around the device.

The tech: smarter inside and out

For the nerds, there's the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor at the heart of the Z Fold6. Samsung says it boosts CPU performance by 14 per cent for faster tasks and GPU performance by 25 per cent for better games on the go. Keeping all that tech going is done by a smarter battery.

Adaptive Battery knows what you're doing and when so it can deliver exactly the right amount of power you need from the hardware without drawing down too much juice.

And Samsung is using the design of the device to keep the device cooler while you use it. Phones that cool better, work better, so there’s a larger “vapour chamber” compared to the older model for faster heat transfer out of the device, meaning more power and time to browse, work and play.

Camera improvements: snap happy with a 50-megapixel rear camera rig

Whether you're shooting in day, night or in-between, the Z Fold6's awesome new 50-megapixel camera will have you covered.

And – as mentioned – there’s a bunch of AI under the hood, too. The new pro-visual engine recognises objects you're shooting, enhances the colour tone and reduces the noisy visual grain you get on some shots.

You can even have AI help you take the shot with Galaxy AI Photo Assist.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6: Telstra release date and pricing

So when can you get your hands on all this folding goodness?

Pre-orders for the Z Fold6 are open from 12:01am AEST on 11 July, 2024. Those pre-ordering are in for a treat, with a bonus offer and bonus trade-in boost.

If you pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold6 from 11 July to 30 July, you can score up to $1349 in bonus value. That includes a bonus Galaxy Tab S9 FE (valued at $949 RRP) and $400 bonus credit when you trade in your device. The Z Fold6 will drop in stores and online from 31 July, 2024. 

And as always, by picking up one of these new devices from us, you’ll be able to do more cool stuff in more places thanks to Australia’s biggest network, complete with payment plans and no lock-in contracts.

Stay tuned to Telstra Exchange for an extended hands on with the new Z Fold6!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6

Design: strong, small, stylish

The Z Flip range has been a fantastic addition to the lives of anyone who wants big screen features without the big phone footprint.

The new Z Flip6 is a pocket-powerhouse, with a fresh new range of colours to boot. This year it comes in Blue, Silver Shadow, Mint and Yellow for that more expressive look.

And like the new Z Fold6, the Z Flip6 is more durable, too. There’s a new “Dual Rail” hinge design for better shock distribution in a smaller footprint; better resistance to pressure and sharp objects on the folding edge; Armor Aluminium in the frame and hinge for 10 per cent improved scratch resistance, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. Phew!

Camera: shoot your shot with AI

The biggest upgrade here is the new 50-megapixel camera, which is a huge increase from the 12-megapixel shooter on the previous generation. You can immediately expect better shots and higher resolutions right out of the box on this one.

And you can put that camera – and the Flip6’s unique form factor – to work to help snap better pictures more easily right away. There’s an AI-powered auto-zoom for your selfies so you’re framed perfectly every time and even object-recognition so the focus is just right without you having to tinker.

You can even hold the Z Flip6’s lower hinge, turn it on its side and use it to shoot videos in what Samsung is calling “Camcorder Grip”. It’s awesome for those looking for the retro feel.

FlexCam also benefits from a 30x Space Zoom that Samsung cameras have become famous for, made up of 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom.

Finally, as with the Z Fold6, there's a lot of AI in the new generation of Samsung devices helping you snap a better pic.

Displays: more screens, more ways to interact

And the AI-ness doesn't stop there: the outer screen has been renamed as the FlexWindow and it's handier than ever. You get more widgets, wallpapers designed by generative AI and even interactive elements that move as you move the device.

On the inside, there's a no-hands feature called FlexMode. In FlexMode, the device uses the top half of the screen to become like a mini-laptop. It allows you to use the phone while it's flexed open to watch a movie, read a book or just kick back with some tunes.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6: release date and Telstra pricing

Much like the Z Fold6, the Z Flip6 is also ready to pre-order right after the announcement at Samsung Unpacked.

Pre-orders for the Z Flip6 are open from 12:01am AEST on 11 July, 2024. Those pre-ordering are in for a treat, with a bonus offer and bonus trade-in boost.

If you pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip6 from 11 July to 30 July, you’ll score up to $1349 in bonus value. That includes a bonus Galaxy Tab S9 FE (valued at $949 RRP) and $400 bonus credit when you trade in your device.

The Z Flip6 will drop in stores and online from 31 July, 2024. 

And as always, by picking up one of these new devices from us, you’ll be able to do more cool stuff in more places thanks to Australia’s biggest network, complete with payment plans and no lock-in contracts.

Stay tuned to Telstra Exchange for an extended hands on with the new Z Flip6!

For more information on pricing, check out Telstra.com.