Are foldable smartphones finally a reality?

For example, web browsing and typing on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are clearly better than on any other device, including the massive Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max ( ₹154,000/$1,840). Key to its appeal is the display width, which otherwise wouldn’t be possible without the foldable form factor. Samsung has also managed to nail two key aspects — making sure the device folds down without a gap in the middle, and optimizing its software to seamlessly switch between the large display and the smaller, 6.3-inch external display.

The lack of a gap is important because you won’t find dust in the phone when you open it. In each of the Moto and Samsung phones, the bend in the display is also not visible and does not interfere with everyday use.

Further form factor practicality can be found in the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Moto Razr 50 Ultra. If you don’t need a big screen for frequent typing, like journalists, the next best thing is to get a phone that folds into a more compact, pocketable form factor. In that context, both “flip” phones have managed to adapt their builds and designs to feel like well-crafted gadgets.

The Moto Razr 50 Ultra does exceptionally well in this department. With a soft-touch leather-like back panel, smooth edges, and a super-premium glass and metal finish, the Razr 50 Ultra feels right at home in its price point. Well-finished software ensures that the outside matches the inside.

While the Z Flip 6 isn’t far off, there do seem to be some clear trade-offs that separate it from the Z Fold 6 in terms of usability. For starters, the awkwardly shaped external display offers less real estate than the Moto Razr 50 Ultra.

What each of these phones achieves, however, is that as a user, you don’t always have to focus on extra care for your devices when you’re out and about. When combined in usability, smoothness of use, and durability, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Moto Razr 50 Ultra show real progress made by designers at Samsung and Lenovo (which now owns the Moto brand).

Artificial Intelligence and Use Cases

It’s also commendable that, as smartphones, each of the above devices feels like a complete unit that’s at least as good as, if not better than, a conventional smartphone. On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, for example, you can access the main cameras without having to “open” the phone. The same can’t be said for the Moto Razr 50 Ultra or Galaxy Z Flip 6. However, the Razr certainly makes up for this with its nifty “camera mode” gadget—simply open the phone in half, open the camera, and turn it sideways to turn it into an old-school video recorder.

In other features, each phone performs as well as any flagship. Samsung’s duo is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while Moto uses the even newer Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 for all performance tasks.

Flip phones have very wide screens, which is great for gamers. Meanwhile, the Z Fold 6 has a display that makes watching movies a great experience — even though there are no movies that can take advantage of its square dimensions. You don’t miss out on not having a tablet, especially when you’re on the go.

Then there’s the artificial intelligence (AI). Samsung’s AI capabilities have improved significantly — and that’s evident in its voice memo transcription. Even with the Indian English accent pack, transcription performance is clearly better than the previous generation (Galaxy Z Fold 5/Flip 5). Samsung attributes this to its ever-improving machine learning algorithms running locally.

Moto’s native generative wallpaper creator, powered by Google’s core Gemini AI model, does a much better job than Samsung’s, giving users more flexibility to create a wider range of images. However, the Razr lacks voice transcription — an increasingly popular feature these days. Overall, each of these features ensures that the foldable smartphone lacks nothing, and that the latter is actually better and more future-proof than conventional smartphones.

Must have?

At over $1,000, as a consumer, you want a device that stands out from the crowd. The latest generation of foldable smartphones are covering up for their previous shortcomings in terms of durability and practicality, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, as well as the Moto Razr 50 Ultra, create phones that are a pleasure to own and use. If you’re willing to spend a significant amount, the overall finesse and user experience offer more than conventional smartphones.

Since each of the above smartphones now has enough battery life to last a full day, even with heavy use, 2024 could be the year foldable smartphones come of age. With increasing competition from more and more brands on all sides (Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is supposedly just around the corner) and rumors of a foldable iPhone still circulating, flagship smartphone buyers need to have a foldable smartphone on their shortlists today.

When it comes to choosing, the Moto Razr 50 Ultra is undoubtedly the most appealing in terms of compactness, finesse, and features. But the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is definitely the only form factor that adds more value in terms of what foldable phones can offer over other smartphones. In that regard, the Z Fold 6 (and similar devices from Vivo and OnePlus) is the one to go for, provided you don’t mind the extra weight it brings to your pocket.