Samsung will add AI features to Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, and no one is surprised
Samsung is working on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 for a release later this summer, and it sounds like Galaxy AI will be along for the ride.
It's not necessarily surprising that AI features would be included the next foldables coming out of Samsung. Any flagship phone coming out these days is going to tout its artificial intelligence bona fides, and Samsung has been especially outspoken in its desire to boost the amount of AI baked into its devices.
But now Samsung's making it official, confirming not only that new foldables are on the way but that Galaxy AI will be very much part of the picture. In a blog posted today (June 7), Samsung head of mobile research and development Won-Joon Choi goes so far as to suggest that the AI included in the latest Fold and Flip models will take advantage of those phones' unique designs.
"To deliver a completely new and unique AI experience, we will further optimize the Galaxy AI experience for the upcoming foldable devices," Choi wrote. "Our foldables are the most versatile and flexible form factor in Samsung Galaxy and when combined with Galaxy AI, these two complementary technologies will together unlock all new possibilities."
Choi avoids naming specific models in his statement, but based on the rumors about development plans at the smartphone giant, it's pretty obvious he's referencing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. Samsung generally releases new foldables in the second half of the year, so the timing is right, and there's plenty of speculation out there that the next Galaxy Unpacked event could take place as soon as July 10, as Samsung reportedly wants to unveil its new phones prior to the Paris Olympics.
The more intriguing part of Choi's announcement centers around plans to "furher optimize" Galaxy AI for foldables. That's going to fire up speculation that the new AI capabilities Samsung shows off at the Galaxy Z Fold 6/Galaxy Z Flip 6 launch will be tailored specifically to devices with folding screens.
It's pretty clear that Samsung also favors on-device AI, much like Apple is reportedly aiming to provide with iOS 18, which is expected to get a preview next week. In his post, Choi talks up the privacy aspects of on-device AI, particularly when performing tasks like on-device translation "to experience barrier-free communication without worrying about privacy issues."
To that end, Choi also announced that the Live Translate AI feature introduced with the Galaxy S24 earlier this year will soon be available for third-party message apps that support voice calls. Live Translate is a real-time tool offering translations of conversations with people you're talking to over the phone.
