Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
I’ve handled every foldable phone Samsung has ever launched. I have admired their engineering. I have watched with jealousy as people at airport lounges and hotel lobbies dramatically unfold their devices like they were unfolding a future I have purposely denied myself. But despite my curiosity and awe, I’ve stayed far, far away from foldables, especially book-style devices. Samsung’s flip phones still felt closer to home for someone like me who’s used only slab phones all their life, but larger foldables are where I inevitably drew the line for many reasons.
Early foldable models from Samsung had their fair share of red flags, be it peeling screen protectors, fragile hinges, a deep and distracting crease, and apps that behaved like they forgot what display size they were on. The phones also felt bulky and awkward, with their outer screens too cramped to be useful. But something changed with last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6. It was slimmer, lighter, and finally looked like it belonged in a regular person’s hand. Still, it wasn’t enough to make me want to cough up the kind of money that could buy a midrange phone and a holiday. Enter the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
I assumed I'd enjoy the novelty for a few days and then smoothly return to my trusty candy bars.
The new Fold 7 is the first book-style foldable I’ve used as my daily driver and primary phone. Like most of you, I’ve been firmly in the slab phone camp for years and am currently rotating between the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9a, and iPhone 16 Pro. And while I don’t mind splurging on a flagship that truly impresses me, a phone as expensive as a Samsung Fold has to seriously deliver to justify the price. So when Samsung handed me a Fold 7 to try out, I assumed I’d enjoy the novelty for a few days and then smoothly return to my trusty candy bars. But what happened next caught me completely off guard.
Folding old habits
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
After using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for over a week now, I’ve had to unlearn over a decade’s worth of slab-phone instincts. Nobody tells you just how much of a shift it is. For one, I initially found myself clinging to the familiar. I was defaulting more often to the outer screen and resisting the full experience. But within a day or so, the Fold 7 made it easier to let go of old habits.
I've had to unlearn over a decade's worth of slab-phone instincts.
The phone is incredibly skinny. At just 215 grams, it’s lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it, but I gladly wrapped both hands around it. Speaking of which, if you’re thinking of getting Samsung’s latest foldable phone and are new to the experience like me, get ready to have your hands occupied more often than not. Sure, One UI offers enough tricks to manage one-handed use, like seamless screen transitions, the new Now Bar, and a dead-simple one-handed mode, but you’ll still end up needing your other hand if you want to properly enjoy that beautiful 8-inch AMOLED display. It’s addictive in the best way. Just like reading a book, you’ll default to both hands most of the time, but you won’t mind it.
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