The mobile phone industry is finally heating up. After several years of development, foldable screen phones have entered a mature stage this year, and major manufacturers are competing to launch foldable screen phones
The mobile phone industry has finally become lively. After several years of development, foldable screen phones have entered a mature stage this year, and major manufacturers are competing to launch foldable screen phones. Currently, the foldable phone market is mainly divided into two types: Flip and Fold. The former adopts a vertical folding method, while the latter uses horizontal folding to provide a larger screen area. In terms of practicality and market popularity, small foldable screens are mainstream. Therefore, major manufacturers are all striving to seize the market for small foldable screen phones, with a variety of styles that are dazzling.
This summer, Xiaomi released its first small foldable screen phone, MIX Flip; Huawei launched nova Flip; Honor introduced Magic V Flip; the "true foldable phone" pioneer Motorola released the razr 50 series before Samsung's event; and at the just-concluded Paris Olympics, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip6, which is used for "victory selfies" on the podium after each athlete's award ceremony, cleverly arranged. Does this arrangement mean that the Galaxy Z Flip6 will ultimately win? Let's take a look at the product strategies of various brands.
(Image Source: Samsung Official Website)
Super Large External Screen Camp
In the market, there are super large external screens such as Motorola razr 50 Ultra, Honor Magic V Flip, and Xiaomi MIX Flip. The "originator of foldable phones" Motorola razr 50 Ultra has increased its external screen from the original 3.6 inches to 4 inches, with a "full-screen" design that is quite impressive. It can directly use Google Gemini function without turning on the phone, improving convenience. It also has an IPX8 waterproof rating, increasing the durability of the phone. Of course, the super affordable price is a major selling point, allowing you to buy "Motorola + foldable phone" for over 5,000 RMB, bringing back retro memories, showing its clear brand strategy.
Similar to the design of Moto Razr 40 Ultra, placing the camera lens in the screen, there is also Honor Magic V Flip, the first 4-inch large external screen foldable phone on the market. The special feature is that the camera lens is located on the left side so that the fingers will not block the camera lens when using the phone in the folded state. Thanks to the Magic Window partition interactive function, the external screen of Honor Magic V Flip supports partition function, presenting the application area in a vertical 16:9 ratio, allowing many applications to be directly displayed on the external screen, overcoming the limited adaptation of vertical fold phone external screen applications. You can use the external screen of the phone to browse TikTok, read Xiaohongshu, watch movies, shop, play games, and more, making it convenient for those who like compact phones.
The "king of cost performance" Xiaomi is coming on strong this time, using a 4.01-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1392 x 1208, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate, compatible with most applications, and supporting a full-size keyboard. The top of the external screen is equipped with a receiver, allowing you to make or answer calls without opening the phone, which is quite practical
In terms of camera shooting capabilities, Xiaomi continues its deep collaboration with Leica, using the Xiaomi AISP large model with up to 60 TOPS of computing power to easily handle complex imaging scenarios. The rear camera features a 50-megapixel main lens and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens, both equipped with Leica Summilux optical lenses. Although the price of Xiaomi MIX Flip is not the lowest, such high-end configuration still deserves the title of "king of cost performance".
## **Exclusive Market for Women**
At this year's Pocket 2 launch event, Huawei specifically emphasized that foldable phones can restore delicate makeup when taking photos, can help with skincare by detecting UV rays through the external screen, and successfully positioned itself among female users. With overwhelming internet celebrity promotions, the new foldable nova Flip quickly caught the attention of ladies, targeting young women who enjoy freshness with playful color combinations and relatively low prices.
(Image Source: Samsung Official Website)
## **Focus on AI Lifestyle**
As a pioneer in small foldable phones, Samsung has dominated the market with innovative models such as dual screens and the Queen phone designed specifically for women over 20 years ago. Four years ago, Samsung continued its bold innovation by launching the first small foldable screen product, the Galaxy Z Flip. With this generation, the Galaxy Z Flip6, Samsung is not focusing on hardware improvements like mainstream manufacturers. The external screen continues to be 3.6 inches from the previous generation, and the body continues to support IP48 waterproofing. At first glance, there is not much difference from the previous generation. This time, Samsung's strategy focuses on AI, which has been popular in recent years, and cleverly applies AI to the nuances of daily life to solve small obstacles for the public.
AI Travel Scenario: Smart Instant Translation
When traveling abroad, language barriers often prevent people from eating what they want, visiting places they want to see, or having easy conversations with foreigners. This time, AI translation has added 3 new languages, supporting a total of up to 16 languages, so you don't have to worry about traveling around the world. In addition, the function of double-sided translation window has been added, maximizing the features of the foldable phone. With the Galaxy Z Fold 6, when initiating bidirectional translation, the internal page can select the language I speak. During the conversation, the internal page will instantly display what I say and translate it into the other person's language, displaying it on the external screen, enabling barrier-free conversation.
AI Lifestyle Scenario: Problem Solving with a Circle
In addition to image search, the search circle function on the Galaxy Z Flip6 can directly search for purchase points by taking pictures of beautiful clothes on others. New features include "circle scan QR code" and "mathematics calculation". Various QR codes on web pages no longer need to be screenshot, you can directly circle them to jump to the page. In addition, the math calculation function can even list out the solution steps directly, becoming a lifesaver for parents in a second.
AI Work Scenario: One-click Drawing and Editing
If you want to draw but don't know where to start, click on the AI drawing's doodle-to-image function. Circle what you just drew, and it will provide five styles including watercolor, illustration, doodle, pop art, and 3D cartoon style. Each style will even produce five different styles. Additionally, the editing function of AI is worth recommending. Just circle the part of the image you want to modify, and with one click, you can remove the unwanted part. AI will also fill in the missing parts, making your work more efficient, just like the original image.
Due to its small and lightweight design, most brands target the female market with the small folding phone. However, this size advantage is also very suitable to be the second phone for men. With the considerate feature of reverse charging provided by Samsung for the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it can transform into a power bank to alleviate the fear of low battery. In the details, it can be seen that Samsung is indeed making products in the market. Faced with the pressure from major brands and the rumor that the foldable iPhone equipped with artificial intelligence will join the battlefield in 2026, can Samsung's concept of putting people first and using technology to improve life successfully convince consumers to foot the bill?