Samsung's latest folding phones show off the best of AI in a polished package

Buying a folding phone might seem like a throwback to a bygone era of telecommunications. But if it conjures up memories of the Motorola StarTAC, or the Nokia Communicator, you might be surprised at how far we've come.

Remarkably, it has been over five years since Samsung launched the first of a new generation of folding smartphones, the Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Flip. And we're now on the sixth iteration of Samsung's folding phones, following the recent launches of the Z Fold6 and the Z Flip6.

As with every new phone launch this year, the integration of AI has been one of the big talking points with these two newcomers, but it's great to see so many improvements in the hardware - marking out the folding phone niche as an established option for high-end users and businesses.

For example, the X Fold6 is now smaller and lighter than it has ever been. There's still a noticeable crease once it's opened, but the inner display is gorgeous, and the outer display has had improvements, too.

There's better camera software, the processor is faster, and the whole thing is generally more durable.

Meanwhile the Z Flip6 brings an improved hinge mechanism, IP48 water resistance, dust resistance and a 6.7-inch AMOLED display.

Both folding phones feature the clever Flex Mode, which lets you split the screen into two for multi-tasking, video calls, and taking notes or browsing documents.

The FlexWindow on the Z Flip6 works with the phone open or shut, which means you can perform most regular tasks without flipping the phone open.

Galaxy AI, Samsung's new artificial intelligence platform capitalises on the big, bright internal screens, making the most of the new productivity tools they bring.

For example, there's a new "Note Assist" feature, which can take a set of meeting notes and quickly translate, summarise or format them into a new document.

And then there's a transcript feature, which can tap into a voice recording or dictation and transcribe it, translate it, or produce a summary directly into the Notes app.

Texts in PDF files can be translated and overlaid, including text embedded in images and graphs and a new system called Composer7 can generate suggested text based on simple keywords for email and supported social media apps.

Social-media savvy businesses can harness a new tool that adopts a brand's tone by analysing previous posts and then it uses this identity to create posts, updates and even images. All at the press of a button.

Galaxy AI can also offer an AI interpreter service, capitalising on the Z Fold6's dual-screen layout. The new conversation mode enables two parties to watch live translations on the main and cover screens, and there is also a live translation system for phone calls.

Business users who are ready to make the switch to an AI-enabled handset can capitalise on the focused offers available on a Vodafone Evo contract. Not only will this give you a three-year battery refresh and lifetime warranty, but Vodafone will offer a trade-in guarantee to ensure your future upgrades will be worth considering.

Vodafone EVO offers flexible pricing and contract terms, allowing businesses to adapt to changing needs, and it was awarded the Best Network for Business at the Mobile News Awards 2024 for its innovation, flexibility, and benefits.

To find out more about the Evo plans for businesses, or the Galaxy Z series, click here.