Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs iPhone 16 Pro: We compare the incomparable
Intro
At first glance, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the iPhone 16 Pro are incompatible, just like the theories of General Relativity and Quantum Field Theory in physics. These two might seem incomparable, but there's something hidden, just like a hidden variable in the collapse of the wave function.In the end, everything should lead us to a unified theory that should work in all cases and everywhere in the universe, and this applies to phones too. We're sure there are some people somewhere who will ponder whether to hop on the foldable train with a flip phone or play it safe and get the upcoming Apple Pro model.
So, today we will try to unify these two entities in a cohesive theory—we mean comparison. Bear in mind that the iPhone 16 Pro hasn't been released yet, so some of the information is based on leaks and rumors at the moment, so further empirical evidence and testing are needed and will soon be provided.Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs iPhone 16 Pro expected differences:
| Galaxy Z Flip 6 | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|
| It folds in half! | Can't fold in half (more than once, at least) |
| It has two screens, one bigger, and one smaller | It has only one screen |
| It uses a Qualcomm processor | It's Apple silicon in there |
| Dual 50MP/12MP camera system | Triple camera system with a bonus telephoto lens |
| Aluminum frame | It has titanium in it |
| Bigger when unfolded, more compact when folded | Rock-solid dimensions, still pretty compact |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Apples and… exotic lychee fruits?
The world is holding its breath, waiting for the moment when Apple will finally announce a foldable phone, but until then, iPhones are bound to stay as they are now, rectangular slabs of glass and metal. We don't expect a major change in design with the iPhone 16, so you know exactly what to expect.The Galaxy Z Fold 6 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, with minor tweaks and changes here and there. The dimensions are almost identical to its predecessor, but we have a redesigned hinge for better stability, and a slightly less prominent hinge.As far as colors are concerned, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is available in a wide range of hues - Blue, Mint, Silver Shadow, and Yellow, and we have Samsung.com exclusive: Crafter Black, Peach, and White, while the iPhone 16 Pro is expected in Black, White, Rose, and Grey.
Display Differences
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 features the same size for its main and cover screens as its predecessor, 6.7 inches and 3.9 inches, respectively. Those, of course, are AMOLED, and the main screen is capable of going up to 120Hz refresh rate and sports FHD+ resolution.The iPhone 16 Pro will most likely retain the 6.1-inch diagonal, the ProMotion 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate, and the resolution from its predecessor.
In terms of biometrics, we expect the status quo to remain unchanged; the iPhone 16 Pro will rely on FaceID, while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 uses the same side-mounted capacitive fingerprint scanner as the previous Z Flip model.
Performance and Software
New Apple silicon
Due to the specific launch cycle these two models have, their beating hearts, the chipsets inside, are a generation apart. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset onboard, while the iPhone 16 Pro will feature the newest Apple silicon, the A18 chip.In terms of RAM, due to the different ecosystems and the way Android and iOS handle apps and optimize them prior to putting them on their respective stores, differences in RAM don't always translate into a difference in performance. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has more RAM on paper, 12GB, while the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to have 8GB of RAM.
The software situation is an interesting one. We know that Samsung already has Galaxy AI to help people get onboard with the new reality, but Apple seems to be missing the party. We don't know whether or not the iPhone 16 Pro will feature a dedicated AI assistant or some kind of AI system.Software updates used to be Apple's forte in the past, but ever since Google decided to offer seven long years of software support, things have changed. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with seven years of major OS updates, while the iPhone 16 Pro will most likely offer "just" five.
Camera
Three is more than two, even in quantum physics
Even though we don't know the exact specs of the camera system on the iPhone 16 Pro, one thing we can say for sure. The Apple model will have an advantage in the form of an additional telephoto camera.The Galaxy Z Flip 6 features a dual camera system on the back, consisting of one upgraded 50MP main sensor, and one additional 12MP sensor for the ultrawide camera. We expect the iPhone 16 Pro to come with two 48MP main and ultrawide cameras, accompanied by a 12MP, 5x optical zoom camera with a focal length equivalent of 120mm.
The new 48MP ultrawide camera in the iPhone 16 Pro will definitely upgrade the quality of the photos, add detail, and make this camera more capable and flexible. The same goes for the telephoto; 5x optical zoom is a lot, and we expect great close-ups from the iPhone 16 Pro.
Audio Quality and Haptics
The stereo speakers inside the iPhone 16 Pro are mystery at the moment, so we can only make some educated guesses and assumptions about the audio quality. Apple traditionally puts high-quality speakers in its iPhones, so expect the loudness and quality to be on the same level as previous iPhone Pro models. The same holds true about the haptic feedback; Apple's Taptic Engine has proven to be one of the best in the business.The Galaxy Z Flip 6, on the other hand, sports a stereo setup where the earpiece doubles as a secondary loudspeaker, and there are no upgrades to the audio quality or loudness, compared to the previous model. The same goes for the haptic motor. They are decent but nothing to write home about. Neither of these two phones is expected to have a 3.5mm audio jack.Battery Life and Charging
Upgrades
The latest leaks and rumors point toward a battery capacity upgrade for the iPhone 16 Pro. It is expected to come with a 3,355mAh battery, a very slight upgrade compared to the 3,274mAh cell in its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Flip 6, on the other hand, features a substantial upgrade compared to its predecessor; we now have a 4,000mAh battery inside Samsung's latest flip phone, and that's a 300mAh bump compared to the Z Flip 5.Charging is another area where we can see improvement on the iPhone 16 Pro, as the new USB-C port Apple introduced with the 15 series, allows for much faster charging than the 27W we have on the current model. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 retains the 25W wired and 10W wireless charging speeds from the previous model.
Specs Comparison
| Galaxy Z Flip 6 | iPhone 16 Pro* | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm 187 g | 149.6 x 71.45 x 8.25 mm, |
| Screen | 6.7" Super AMOLED 3.9" cover screen 120Hz | 6.1" OLED 120Hz ProMotion |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 4nm | A18 3nm |
| RAM, Storage | 12/256GB 12/512GB LPDDR5x | 8/256GB 8/512GB LPDDR5x |
| Cameras | 50MP main 12MP ultra 10MP front | 48MP main 48MP ultra 12MP 5X zoom 12MP front |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 3,355 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 25W wired 10W wireless | USB-C 23W wired MagSafe |
*expected specs
Summary
It's very early to tell whether one of these two will be a better choice, all things considered. The only thing that makes these two comparable is the price, which is expected to be close. Samsung sells the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 for $1,099, and Apple could also bump the price of the iPhone 16 Pro to around that mark.The question is, do you want a flip phone for that kind of money, or do you want to play it safe and get an iPhone Pro. On the one hand, the iPhone 16 Pro is expected to have a better camera setup and a faster chipset. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a phone you can fold in half, and it has two screens, providing a completely different user experience.
We will update this comparison with tests once we get both phones, and hopefully that will help with your decision.
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