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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
If you're into cutting-edge foldable tech, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 delivers an impressive 7.6" display that transforms how you use your phone. In real-world use, the iPhone 17 Air's 3150mAh battery lasts up to 26 hours of video playback,. This means the Fold6 can easily handle a day's worth of heavy multitasking without a recharge, making it a great choice for power users.
📱 Display: 6.6" vs 7.6"🔋 Battery: 3150 mAh vs 4400 mAh⚖️ Weight: 5.82 oz vs 8.43 oz
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9
(13)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
★4.3
(535)•Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (SM8650-AC)
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
7.6" Main (unfolded) + 6.3" CoverWinner
Refresh Rate
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
1–120Hz Adaptive (Main and Cover)
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (SM8650-AC)
RAMKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
12GB LPDDR5X
Storage
Apple iPhone 17 Air
256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
50MP Wide (f/1.8, 85° FOV), Dual Pixel AF, OISWinner
Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple iPhone 17 Air
No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 123° FOV)
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
4,400 mAh (Typical, Dual-cell)Winner
Wireless Charging
Apple iPhone 17 Air
MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple iPhone 17 Air
5.82 oz (165 g)Winner
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
8.43 oz (239 g)
Dimensions
Apple iPhone 17 Air
6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Unfolded: 6.04" x 5.22" x 0.22" (153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6 mm); Folded: 6.04" x 2.68" x 0.48" (153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple iPhone 17 Air
iOS
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Android
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple iPhone 17 Air
5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
★4.3(535)Amazon
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 17 Air | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.9(13)Best Buy | ★4.3(535)Amazon |
Operating System | iOS | Android |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | 7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates |
Processor | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (SM8650-AC) |
Graphics | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) | Qualcomm Adreno 750 (1 GHz) |
RAM | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) | 12GB LPDDR5X |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0) |
Display Size | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 7.6" Main (unfolded) + 6.3" Cover |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Main); Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Cover) |
Resolution | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) | Main: 1856 x 2160 pixels (QXGA+); Cover: 968 x 2376 pixels (HD+) |
Refresh Rate | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display | 1–120Hz Adaptive (Main and Cover) |
Peak Brightness | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum | 2,600 nits (Peak, Main and Cover) |
Main Camera | 48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) | 50MP Wide (f/1.8, 85° FOV), Dual Pixel AF, OIS |
Ultra-Wide Camera | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) | 12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 123° FOV) |
Telephoto Camera | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS | 10MP Telephoto (3x optical, f/2.4); PDAF, OIS |
Optical Zoom | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) | 3x Optical Zoom |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 30x Space Zoom |
Video Recording | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps |
Front Camera | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | Cover: 10MP (f/2.2); Main Under-Display: 4MP (f/1.8) |
Battery | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) | 4,400 mAh (Typical, Dual-cell) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher | Up to 25W Super Fast Charging (Adapter sold separately) |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W | Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode | 5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB |
USB | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 |
Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back | IP48 (Water resistant up to 1.5m; Protected against foreign objects >1mm, not dust tight); Armor Aluminum; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
Dimensions | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) | Unfolded: 6.04" x 5.22" x 0.22" (153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6 mm); Folded: 6.04" x 2.68" x 0.48" (153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm) |
Weight | 5.82 oz (165 g) | 8.43 oz (239 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Side-mounted Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition |
Extras | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite | Galaxy AI; S Pen Support (Main screen only, sold separately); Samsung DeX |
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
Rating:★4.9(13)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back
Dimensions:6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm)
Weight:5.82 oz (165 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis
- • 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
- • Powered by the A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM for full Apple Intelligence support
- • Upgraded 24MP front camera for superior selfies and video calls
- • Excellent main camera performance with 2x lossless crop
✗ Cons:
- • High price for a single-camera system (no Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses)
- • Battery life is shorter than the 'Plus' model it replaces due to thinness
- • USB-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No mmWave 5G support (Sub-6 GHz only due to Apple modem restrictions)
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Rating:★4.3(535)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (SM8650-AC)
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
RAM:12GB LPDDR5X
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)
Display Size:7.6" Main (unfolded) + 6.3" Cover
Screen Type:Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Main); Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Cover)
Resolution:Main: 1856 x 2160 pixels (QXGA+); Cover: 968 x 2376 pixels (HD+)
Refresh Rate:1–120Hz Adaptive (Main and Cover)
Peak Brightness:2,600 nits (Peak, Main and Cover)
Main Camera:50MP Wide (f/1.8, 85° FOV), Dual Pixel AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 123° FOV)
Telephoto Camera:10MP Telephoto (3x optical, f/2.4); PDAF, OIS
Optical Zoom:3x Optical Zoom
Digital Zoom:Up to 30x Space Zoom
Video Recording:8K@30fps, 4K@60fps
Front Camera:Cover: 10MP (f/2.2); Main Under-Display: 4MP (f/1.8)
Battery:4,400 mAh (Typical, Dual-cell)
Wired Charging:Up to 25W Super Fast Charging (Adapter sold separately)
Wireless Charging:Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Connectivity:5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; UWB
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1
Durability:IP48 (Water resistant up to 1.5m; Protected against foreign objects >1mm, not dust tight); Armor Aluminum; Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Dimensions:Unfolded: 6.04" x 5.22" x 0.22" (153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6 mm); Folded: 6.04" x 2.68" x 0.48" (153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm)
Weight:8.43 oz (239 g)
Biometrics:Side-mounted Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition
Extras:Galaxy AI; S Pen Support (Main screen only, sold separately); Samsung DeX
✓ Pros:
- • Refined design is thinner, lighter, and easier to hold than predecessors
- • Both Main and Cover displays hit a massive 2,600 nits peak brightness
- • Galaxy AI features are deeply integrated for productivity and translation
- • Class-leading 7-year software update commitment
- • IP48 rating provides verified water resistance and limited solid object ingress protection
✗ Cons:
- • Charging speed remains capped at 25W wired / 15W wireless
- • Camera hardware is largely unchanged from previous generation
- • Under-display camera (4MP) quality is still noticeably inferior to standard selfies
- • No integrated slot for the S Pen
- • IP48 is not fully dust-tight (sand/fine dust can still damage the hinge)
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Which one is better?
Grab the iPhone 17 Air if you want a super-thin device with a premium build - it's 5.82oz compared to the Fold6's 8.43oz.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple iPhone 17 Air if: you want the thinnest iPhone at only 5.6mm, prefer a high-resolution 48MP camera for casual photography, or value the smooth 120Hz display for gaming.
Choose the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 if: you need a larger 7.6" display for productivity, want longer battery life with a 4400mAh battery, or shoot high-quality photos with a 50MP camera and 3x optical zoom.
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 17 Air excels if you value thinnest iphone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium titanium chassis. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is better if you prioritize refined design is thinner, lighter, and easier to hold than predecessors. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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