It’s summer, and that means it’s time for Samsung’s newest foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. And the good news is that this year, the new phones don’t just offer small refinements over last year’s models. The devices have fewer compromises, feel less awkward in the hand, and the cameras are no longer playing catch-up with the mainline series. It’s clear Samsung’s folding phone lineup is finally maturing in the right direction.
That said, I can’t help but feel a little cautious since the new foldables haven’t received upgrades across the board. If you already own the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Flip 6, or even the slightly older 5 series, the decision to upgrade will depend heavily on the exact pain points you’d like to alleviate.
While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 offer a fantastic entry point for first-time buyers, is there enough to justify the cost of switching? I’m not entirely sure, and here’s why, starting with the largest foldable of the lineup.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: What’s new?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
If you’ve kept up with the Galaxy Z Fold series over the years, you may already know that Samsung has refused to significantly alter its book-style foldable for a while now. This steadfast design choice spanned three generations, from the Fold 4 to the Fold 6. While we did get slight reductions in thickness, little else changed. But I’m pleased to report that we’ve finally moved past that with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung has overhauled the cover display to make it less slender and more like a normal smartphone in terms of width. This means the inner display has more real estate to offer too — it now spans 8 inches, a measurable upgrade from the 7.6-inches of prior Z Fold phones. The crease is less visible than earlier versions too.
The Z Fold 7 now resembles the mainline Galaxy S lineup in more ways than one.
Thanks to the extra width and a new hinge, the new foldable is an impressive 26% thinner than the Fold 6. And to top it all off, Samsung has shaved off significant weight to make the Z Fold 7 lighter than the company’s best non-folding phone, the S25 Ultra. The difference in thickness and weight is astounding, to say the least, and eliminates two of the biggest deterrents for those in the market for a book-style foldable.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
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