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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerSamsung Galaxy Z Flip6 vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Time to compare Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 with Apple iPhone 17 Air. We will cover the essentials so you can buy with confidence.
Ratings: 4.2★ vs 4.9★
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
★4.2
(115)•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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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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Comparison: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
★4.2(115)Amazon
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
| Criterion | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 | Apple iPhone 17 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.2(115)Amazon | ★4.9(13)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (SM8650-AC) | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Qualcomm Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB (UFS 4.0) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.7" Main (unfolded) + 3.4" Cover | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Main); Super AMOLED (Cover) | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | Main: 1080 x 2640 pixels (FHD+); Cover: 720 x 748 pixels | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | Main: 1–120Hz (Adaptive); Cover: 60Hz | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display |
Peak Brightness | 2,600 nits (Peak, Main) / 1,600 nits (Peak, Cover) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 50MP Wide (f/1.8, 85° FOV), Dual Pixel AF, OIS | 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 | 12MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.2, 123° FOV) | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) |
Telephoto Camera | N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens) | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | N/A (Enables 2x Optical Quality Zoom via 50MP sensor crop) | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x Digital Zoom | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps | 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 | 10MP Front (f/2.2, 85° FOV) | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 4,000 mAh (Typical, Dual-cell) | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | Up to 25W Super Fast Charging (Adapter sold separately) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub6/mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC | 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 Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP48 (Water resistant up to 1.5m; Protected against foreign objects >1mm, not dust tight); Armor Aluminum; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | 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 | Unfolded: 6.50" x 2.83" x 0.27" (165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm); Folded: 3.35" x 2.83" x 0.59" (85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm) | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) |
Weight | 6.60 oz (187 g) | 5.82 oz (165 g) |
Biometrics | Side-mounted Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition | Face ID |
Extras | Galaxy AI; FlexWindow with Widget support; Flex Mode; Samsung Knox | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
Rating:★4.2(115)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 (UFS 4.0)
Display Size:6.7" Main (unfolded) + 3.4" Cover
Screen Type:Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (Main); Super AMOLED (Cover)
Resolution:Main: 1080 x 2640 pixels (FHD+); Cover: 720 x 748 pixels
Refresh Rate:Main: 1–120Hz (Adaptive); Cover: 60Hz
Peak Brightness:2,600 nits (Peak, Main) / 1,600 nits (Peak, 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:N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens)
Optical Zoom:N/A (Enables 2x Optical Quality Zoom via 50MP sensor crop)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x Digital Zoom
Video Recording:4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps
Front Camera:10MP Front (f/2.2, 85° FOV)
Battery:4,000 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
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: 6.50" x 2.83" x 0.27" (165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm); Folded: 3.35" x 2.83" x 0.59" (85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm)
Weight:6.60 oz (187 g)
Biometrics:Side-mounted Fingerprint Sensor; Face Recognition
Extras:Galaxy AI; FlexWindow with Widget support; Flex Mode; Samsung Knox
✓ Pros:
- • Upgraded 50MP main camera provides significantly better detail and 2x crop zoom
- • Larger 4,000mAh battery and vapor chamber cooling improve longevity and performance
- • Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy offers top-tier speed and AI capabilities
- • Bright 2,600-nit main display matches the S24 Ultra's visibility
- • Compact form factor fits easily into small pockets or bags
✗ Cons:
- • Charging speed is still limited to 25W, slower than most premium competitors
- • Cover screen is locked to 60Hz and has limited widget functionality out of the box
- • No dedicated telephoto lens; zoom is limited to 10x digital
- • IP48 rating is still not dust-proof (vulnerable to sand/fine dust)
- • Samsung DeX support is missing (unlike the Fold6)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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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)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Apple iPhone 17 Air is stronger in overall satisfaction, but Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 could still be the better pick if you value its unique advantages.
Who should buy each?
Choose Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 if:
- You want Upgraded 50MP main camera provides significantly better detail and 2x crop zoom, Larger 4,000mAh battery and vapor chamber cooling improve longevity and performance
- Rating: 4.2★ (115 reviews)
Choose Apple iPhone 17 Air if:
- You prefer Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis, 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
- Rating: 4.9★ (13 reviews)
Conclusion
With the key differences outlined, the decision should be clearer. Both options deliver quality—choose the one that fits your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 excels if you value upgraded 50mp main camera provides significantly better detail and 2x crop zoom. Apple iPhone 17 Air is better if you prioritize thinnest iphone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium titanium chassis. 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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