I finally have our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review unit. It was out of my hands for a day to get the model treatment from our video crew. I figured the best way to get acquainted immediately with what was new with the foldable was to focus on the device’s advertised software features, which seem to exist to entice you to pay for them one day.
Hopefully, abilities like the new PDF translator will help with my foreign language research. There’s also an improved image generator that will turn your scribbled drawing into a franchisable cartoon. Most of these features will likely find their way onto the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and some also exist on the Galaxy Z Flip series. It’s interesting to see what Samsung considers a value-add in AI. What’s also interesting to point out is that the features seem, at large, pretty basic—like things a pricey foldable should have been doing all this time.
Pre-order Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 on Amazon
PDF Overlay
I’m constantly trying to retain the language I spoke growing up by reading it, so I have a massive folder of foreign language PDFs. Most of them are publications I paid for through digital subscriptions or were free to download. With Samsung’s PDF Overlay tool, I can get some help translating some of them with the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The ability works through Samsung Notes. Open the PDF through the app, then tap the Galaxy AI sparkle icon to bring up the translation feature. The result overlays on top of whatever you’re reading, so if it’s a magazine (they still have those overseas), it’ll retain the layout so you can still get the whole experience.
I tried it with one of my Romanian-language pieces but forgot that the initial launch was limited in language offerings. Instead, I downloaded German-language literature from the public domain, and the Galaxy AI offered a thorough translation. It’s just a bummer that only the most popular languages are available, including Spanish, French, and Russian. Samsung, help an American-born Romanian girl out.
Composer
The Samsung Keyboard can now suggest words and phrases based on what you’re penning in an email or other supported social media apps. I’m not typically the first to use Samsung Keyboard because I appreciate how Gboard has learned that I’m a messy typer. But if you want to take advantage of some of the Samsung-only capabilities, you’ll have to run the Samsung-only app.
The updated version of Composer is interesting because it considers which app you’re operating in. I tried the feature on Instagram. It did a pretty good job of generating hashtags and livening up my sentence with emojis. But when I asked it to go hard on a political line, it flagged it as “inappropriate content.” Maybe don’t use Samsung’s Compose to drive the revolution.
Sketch to Image
Sketch to Image is exactly what it sounds like. You draw something, and then Samsung tries to bring your idea to life using the magic power of generative AI. The results aren’t always share-worthy, but I can appreciate how eager the AI is to please. My messy rendition of Eevee netted a similar-looking Pokemon in a watercolor-style portrait, albeit with what may be a severed limb. It’s disturbing. I also tried to draw Hello Kitty, but whatever came out looked like a clown kitty. The graphic is fitting for a rave. So, if you’re into setting out flyers for underground clubs, Samsung can help you make one without copyright infringement.
Pre-order Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 on Amazon
Swipe up for Gemini
Although I reverted to the Google Assistant on my smaller Pixel 8, my daily driver, I switched entirely to Gemini on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to see how the capabilities would literally unfold. A handy new shortcut for Z Fold 6 users lets you swipe up from the right corner of the inside or cover screens to summon Gemini. And, of course, the Circle to Search shortcut remains on Samsung’s foldables, which you can also use if you have an S Pen in tow.
Use Gemini in split-screen
Samsung highlighted a basic feature that the Galaxy Z Fold has already been capable of for several generations. The company’s book-like foldable continues to receive accolades because of how the software handles split-screen mode. Since Gemini is its own app now, you can use it alongside whatever you’re doing on the other side of the screen.
Write with your S Pen
Technically, you could have done this before, but it was a little trickier to get it to pop up because you’d have to use the Samsung Keyboard. Now, when you hover over a text box with the S Pen, you’ll see the cursor change so you can write it out instead of typing it out. Unfortunately, it still struggles to read my penmanship.
Real-time Interpreter
The last of the compelling features is the new Interpreter mode, which lets you prop up the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to translate a conversation in real-time. The languages are as limited as the PDF Overlay translation feature mentioned earlier. At the very least, the interpreter supports languages with regional differences, such as separating Spanish dialects between Latin America and Europe.
