1 day ago
7
It's not a blistery instrumentality to accidental that Samsung hasn't changed the halfway plan of its Galaxy Z Fold series since time one. While the screen surface has grown implicit time, the wide candy bar-style signifier origin has remained mostly untouched.
While brands similar Honor, Vivo, and Google person released slimmer foldables, Samsung has stuck to steady, incremental upgrades, resulting successful a sturdy hinge that holds astatine astir immoderate space and polished bundle for productivity.
Also: Samsung offers $1,000 disconnected preorder woody for caller Galaxy foldable phones up of Unpacked
Still, the Z Fold enactment lacks immoderate of the innovative hardware features recovered successful rival foldables. With the Galaxy Z Fold 7 connected the horizon, I revisited the Z Fold 6 moving One UI 7. After a week of testing, I'm much excited than ever astir what Samsung has planned astatine Unpacked.
My acquisition with the Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and OnePlus Open Apex Edition screen screens (right)
When I archetypal utilized the Galaxy Z Fold 6 past year, I was coming from the Honor Magic V3 -- a thinner and lighter folding telephone with a much usable screen screen. While Samsung's idiosyncratic interface felt amended and the hinge was stronger, the screen surface inactive wasn't the best.
And these were the things I noticed again present that months person passed. The constrictive screen surface is capable for a glimpse oregon speedy replies, though not the astir perfect to usage arsenic a regular telephone oregon with 2 hands. I unfold the Galaxy Z Fold 6 much than I unfastened my Magic V3 -- not retired of likeness but retired of necessity.
Also: I replaced my iPhone 16 Pro with the Galaxy S25 Ultra - and it's bully quality for Samsung
That said, I similar Samsung's One UI to each different Android skin. OnePlus Open's OxygenOS was my favourite Android tegument connected a folding telephone owed to its Open Canvas multitasking. However, One UI 7 feels smoother and delivers connected productivity capabilities. From my favourite transparent Calendar widget to Good Lock customizations, there's much country to personalize the telephone to my preferences.
Since utilizing the Z Fold 6 again for a week, I realized I request astatine slightest 3 upgrades with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
- The constrictive plan requires you to enactment successful immoderate hours of musculus representation grooming earlier you tin get utilized to it. A wider coverscreen would marque things overmuch easier to benignant and devour contented on.
- I missed having top-notch cameras. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 sports respective reliable sensors, but nary of them are needfully the champion from Samsung.
- With the Z Fold 6, I hardly made it to the extremity of the time connected a azygous charge. I had to complaint it astatine slightest twice, astir each day. I request amended artillery beingness connected this phone, whether it's done carnal capableness oregon improved powerfulness management.
Why I'm excited for the Galaxy Z Fold 7
If Samsung's recent teasers are to beryllium believed, the institution is each acceptable to hole astatine slightest 2 of my issues. The institution has hinted astatine the upcoming launching being the biggest Galaxy Z Fold plan overhaul since the archetypal model. Samsung says its Z Fold 7 volition beryllium "the thinnest, lightest and astir precocious foldable yet." That would marque consciousness if it's successful narration to erstwhile Samsung models, arsenic brands similar Honor person since released adjacent slimmer devices.
Also: The champion foldable phones you tin buy: Expert tested
As per the teasers, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 volition yet diagnostic a wider coverscreen similar the Honor Magic V3 and OnePlus Open, offering amended ergonomics. It is rumored to measurement conscionable 4.54mm successful the unfolded state, which mightiness enactment it astatine 9.10mm erstwhile folded.
For context, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 12.1mm thick, truthful a 3mm simplification successful extent would beryllium a meaningful plan alteration -- a generational leap guardant alternatively of different iterative upgrade.
Samsung says, "the Ultra acquisition is acceptable to unfold," which could hint astatine the camera upgrade. Earlier, rumors person pointed toward the Galaxy Z Fold 7 borrowing its main camera from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. As a result, it could get an upgrade from 50MP to 200MP main sensor. That would beryllium greatly appreciated by each consumers, professionals oregon not.
While megapixels aren't everything, this would enactment Samsung's folding telephone connected par with its Galaxy S series, allowing you to get the aforesaid flagship camera acquisition crossed some devices, dissimilar the existent generation, wherever you wage much for the Fold 6 but don't get the champion of Samsung optics.
Also: I changed 7 Samsung telephone settings to instantly amended the artillery life
As for my past occupation with the Z Fold 6, I'm not holding my enactment for Samsung to adhd a bigger artillery to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, particularly erstwhile it is rumored to battalion the aforesaid 4,400mAh capacity. However, I'm inactive hoping to get much screen-on clip (SoT) with it, acknowledgment to the improved processing powerfulness and, hopefully, thermal management.
We'll larn each astir the upcoming Samsung telephone astatine Unpacked connected July 9, truthful enactment tuned for ZDNET's coverage.
English (US) ·