2024-07-13 20:03:44
Real-time communication with other people speaking different languages through internal and external screens… Ring-shaped ‘Galaxy Ring’ also released
“Galaxy AI meets Dual Screen.”
This is a one-word summary of the features of the new products, the ‘Galaxy Z Fold 6’ and the ‘Galaxy Z Flip 6’, that Samsung Electronics surprisingly unveiled at the ‘Galaxy Unpacked 2024’ event in Paris, France on July 10 (local time). Following the launch of the world’s first AI phone, the ‘Galaxy S24’ in January, Samsung Electronics introduced two types of foldable phones with AI functions for the first time in the world. The horizontally folding Fold 6 and the vertically folding Flip 6 have screens divided into a cover screen (outer) and a main screen (inner), and the biggest difference from the S24 is that the AI performance has been optimized for this dual screen.
Fold 6 ‘Sketch Conversion’, Flip 6 ‘Reply Recommendation’
On this day, Samsung Electronics released a video of ‘Conversation Mode’ in which Fold 6 and Flip 6 users use the Galaxy AI’s real-time translation function with dual screens. When the user in the video raises the screens at a 90-degree angle, the other person’s language appears on the cover screen and the user’s language appears on the main screen, allowing convenient communication on each screen. This is different from the S24, where two people had to speak in their own languages on a single screen, in that the real-time translation, which is considered a special feature of the Galaxy AI, has been upgraded to fit the design of the foldable phone.
“The Fold 6 and Flip 6 boast the ultimate in performance and perfection,” said Samsung Electronics MX Business Division President Noh Tae-moon, who took the podium to introduce the two products. “The further developed Galaxy AI and the optimized foldable form factor (product appearance) will present new possibilities to users.”
Other AI performance changes that users can feel include the expansion of real-time interpretation to the messaging application (app) and the addition of several options to ‘Note Assist’ in the Note app. In the past, real-time interpretation was only available in the basic phone app, but starting with the Fold 6 and Flip 6, it can be used in nine messaging apps, including KakaoTalk, Line, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Note Assist has been expanded to include ‘Voice Recording Text Conversion’, which converts voice files into scripts and translates and summarizes them, and ‘PDF Overlay Translation’, which translates PDF documents without formatting distortion. In addition, the Fold 6 has added a ‘Sketch Conversion’ function. This function allows AI to complete drawings with the S Pen on photos in the gallery or documents in the Note app into elaborate images. The Flip 6 includes a ‘Reply Recommendation’ function that allows you to easily send replies through the cover screen while the screen is folded on the move. The AI analyzes messages previously exchanged with the other party and suggests customized replies.
In addition to AI performance, there are changes in design and price. In terms of design, the Fold 6 has transformed significantly compared to the Flip 6 (see table). The wide display, which was an advantage, has been increased, but the new 22.1 to 9 ratio has been applied to realize a similar usability to a general bar-shaped smartphone. Compared to its predecessor, the Fold 5, the weight has been reduced by 14g to 239g, and the thickness has been reduced by 1.3mm to 12.1mm, making it lighter and thinner. As both the Fold 6 and Flip 6 have adopted the Qualcomm ‘Galaxy Snapdragon 8 3rd generation’ applied to the S24 Ultra model as the application processor (AP), performance has been improved, so they are more expensive by 85,800 to 244,200 won depending on capacity.
“Target sales volume, 10% more than previous work”
The market response to Samsung Electronics’ AI foldable phone has been generally positive. However, considering that Huawei surpassed Samsung Electronics to take first place in global foldable phone shipment statistics for the first quarter of this year and that Huawei is expected to release a new three-stage foldable phone with two folds within the year, it is difficult to say that Samsung Electronics’ position in the foldable phone market is solid. However, at a press conference held after the Galaxy Unpacked event that day, President Noh Tae-moon expressed confidence, saying, “As the market grows, competition naturally intensifies,” and “In preparing these new foldable products (Fold 6 and Flip 6), we prepared more complete functions than ever before, and we did our best to not neglect the camera, battery, and durability, so I believe that we will do well in the global market as well.” He set a sales target of more than 10% compared to the previous models (Fold 5 and Flip 5).
On this day, the Galaxy Unpacked event also received a great response, just like the AI foldable phone. The Galaxy Ring is an AI wearable device that Samsung Electronics surprisingly unveiled at the S24 launch event in January. When worn on the finger like a ring, it allows users to manage their health status 24 hours a day through an ultra-small sensor. The price is 499,400 won each. Samsung Electronics plans to install Galaxy AI in a total of 200 million Galaxy devices this year, including wearable devices like this one. The idea is to lock users into the ‘Samsung Electronics AI ecosystem’ by expanding the application of Galaxy AI to all product lines released since last year. All products unveiled at this Galaxy Unpacked event, including the Fold 6, Flip 6, and Galaxy Ring, will be available for pre-order from July 12th to 19th and will be officially released in Korea on the 24th.
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〈This article Weekly Donga Published in issue 1448
Lee Seul-ah, Weekly Donga Reporter [email protected]
2024-07-13 20:03:44