I like foldable phones, but I haven’t bought one yet. When I spend my own money I buy phones like the Galaxy S24Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I’ve never bought a foldable phone for myself, not even the OnePlus opened, my favorite foldable from last year. I’ve had reasons to hold on, but there are rumors that Samsung might make it Ultra-physical Galaxy Z Fold 6 makes me very curious – and maybe saving up for a new foldable one.
Why didn’t I buy a foldable phone? It’s not the high price tag – I don’t mind signing up with a carrier for a few years to pay off a phone if they give me a good deal. AT&T gave me $1,000 to trade a crappy old phone for my current Ultra. Once every two or three years I get an expensive phone this way, and if there’s a good deal on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra, I’ll consider it.
It is not a matter of sustainability. I take it easy on my phones, and sometimes I don’t even use a case. I don’t tend to drop my phones, and I don’t store them next to a large keychain in my pocket. I don’t worry about the durability of foldable phone hinges, and I can be gentle enough with that soft, internal display to avoid nasty scratches.
I’m not a fan of the way most foldables look, but it’s not my biggest problem. I think the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is, well… just wrong. The aspect of it is wrong; it is too narrow on the front display. I thought the Google Pixel Fold was better, with a stubby, wider screen on the front, but it’s still not perfect. The OnePlus Open was the Goldilocks that taught me that foldable phones can have a perfect aspect ratio, with a front display that looks like a normal smartphone, and an even larger interior display.
The one compromise every foldable phone makes
The big sticking point that keeps me from buying a foldable phone is the camera. No foldable camera has yet come with a great camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has cameras that are similar to the base model Galaxy S23and not the Galaxy S23Ultra. The latter was ours best camera phone until the Galaxy S24 Ultra replaced it.
The OnePlus Open uses Sony Lytia’s new stacked sensors to great effect, but the cameras aren’t the best. To achieve the thin, foldable design, phone makers make compromises every time, and the compromise every foldable phone makes is on the camera.
The reason is depth. A great camera system needs space. You need room for the sensor, the lens and ideally some space in between for depth. And that’s just the main camera. If you want to zoom, you’ll need even more space.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is 6.1mm thick, which isn’t much room for a camera. For comparison: the Galaxy S24 Ultra is 2.5 mm thicker, namely 8.6 mm. That’s a lot more room for camera technology. The Galaxy S24 is 7.6mm thick and the camera specifications are almost identical to those of the Z Fold 5.
If the rumors are true, an upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra could use a large new sensor, possibly the 200MP sensor found on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. That would be big news. OnePlus managed to achieve better photography with the OnePlus Open, but the camera module sticks out considerably. If Samsung can keep its current design and add a massive new camera sensor, I’d be very impressed.
Titanium too, but about that camera…
In addition to the new camera specs, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra could get a titanium frame, which would be really cool and would definitely make the Fold feel more durable. I also hope to see a different aspect ratio, similar to that of the OnePlus Open, and of course a screen without a visible crease.
But it’s the camera I’m most excited about. A foldable phone, especially a tablet-sized foldable one, needs a great camera. The foldable design lends itself to great photography.
You can position the camera in new ways and preview it on the screen while you’re shooting. The main camera is also the selfie camera thanks to the dual displays. Photography is simply more fun with a foldable, but there is no foldable yet that excels at photography.
Honestly, I don’t really care about zoom or a better ultrawide sensor, not when I can get a great main sensor. I care about portraits, selfies, group photos and night scenes. These are all photos that look better with a large, high-resolution camera. If the Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra is the real deal and delivers Ultra-level photography, I’d say foldables finally deserve their time in the spotlight, and I’ll take a step further to take a closer look.