Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
As we enter the last quarter of 2025, it’s safe to say that this has been a big year for folding phones. Motorola’s Razr lineup, and specifically the Razr Ultra, set a new standard for flip phone foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the most exciting Samsung foldable we’ve seen in years, while the Flip 7 introduced long-overdue cover screen upgrades. And with its industry-first IP68 rating and built-in magnets, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold made a statement, too.
When you consider that all of these phones were released in the United States, it makes you think that — finally — folding phones are not only becoming more mainstream in the country, but that the innovation for them hasn’t died either.
While that may be true, so is the fact that, despite how great a year 2025 was for US foldables, Americans are still missing out.
Are you happy with the state of US folding phones? 84 votes Yes 21 % No 79 %
The Samsung W26 is the latest reminder of the foldable inequality
Samsung
We got a clear reminder of this just yesterday when Samsung announced its newest folding phone: the Samsung W26. For all intents and purposes, the W26 is a souped-up version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and it’s only available in China.
The W26 has the same ultra-thin design as the Fold 7, but it upgrades it with two truly stunning colors, including black and red options with gold accents. The W26 also has satellite calling (something the Fold 7 lacks) and 16GB of RAM for both the 512GB and 1TB models. As a reminder, the 512GB Fold 7 only has 12GB of RAM.
In addition to the nicer design, expanded satellite connectivity, and boosted horsepower, the W26 also comes with more accessories. Where the Z Fold 7 includes nothing more than a USB-C cable in its retail box, the W26 gives you a charging cable, a 25W charging adapter, and a Kevlar case.
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