Galaxy Z Fold7 Takes A Page Out of The S25 Edge's Playbook

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked / Galaxy Z Fold7 / Galaxy Z Flip7

Samsung unpacked its new lineup of foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, as well as Galaxy Watch 8 smartwatches. On Wednesday, Samsung returned to Brooklyn to showcase their latest offerings from the flagship foldable smartphone lineup. The premium offering, the Galaxy Z Fold7, provides users with a phone and tablet option, while the Galaxy Z Flip7 offers a traditional clamshell cellphone experience in its opening and closing mechanism. Let’s explore what makes these models distinct from their predecessors.

The Galaxy Z Fold7 Takes A Page Out of The S25 Edge’s Playbook

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked / Galaxy Z Fold7

In previous years, Samsung played it relatively safe with the Z Fold model, mainly because there wasn’t much competition in the foldable market for the Korean tech giant to worry about. For the Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung decided to take a page out of the recently released Galaxy S25 Edge’s playbook by making the Fold7 remarkably thin. Honor, which spun off from Chinese tech giant Huawei in 2020, recently launched its new ultra-thin Magic V5 folding phone. Earlier this year, Oppo launched its own slim foldable, the Find N5. It appears that Samsung is responding with its own thinner model of the Galaxy Z Fold7, which also features some significant upgrades, unlike previous models. The Galaxy Z Fold7, when closed, measures 8.9 millimeters (0.35 inches) and opens to 4.2 millimeters. It’s also significantly lighter than its predecessors, weighing 215 grams (7.62 ounces), which puts it on par with the Find N5 and Oppo.

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked

While the Z Fold7 is much thinner than the previous model, it’s also bigger than the Fold6, thanks to its 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch main display. Samsung has also addressed one of the biggest complaints about the Z Fold model: its camera. For years, they made a puzzling decision to release a super-expensive foldable smartphone with a pedestrian camera, but with the Z Fold7, that has officially come to an end.

The Z Fold7 features a 200-megapixel primary lens, along with a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and two 10-megapixel front cameras, one on the cover screen and the other on the main display.

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked

But, there is still a concern with the battery. The Galaxy Z Fold7 has a 4,400 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, which is significantly less than the competition. The Honor Magic V5 is powered by a 6,100 mAh battery, and the N5 has a 5,600 mAh battery. Samsung does promise the Galaxy Z Fold7 will provide users with 24 hours of video playback. The Galaxy Z Fold7 is now available for pre-order, starting at $1,899.99.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 Gets A Cheaper Model

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked / Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7

Like its big brother, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is also slimmer, measuring 6.5 millimeters when opened. The Flip7 also has a 4.1-inch cover screen and a 6.9-inch main display.

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked /Samsung Galaxy Flip7

The camera system on the back of the Flip7 features a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 10-megapixel lens on the main display.

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked / Galaxy Z Flip7

While the Z Fold7’s battery leaves much to the imagination, the Flip7 features a larger 4,300 mAh battery that Samsung claims can deliver 31 hours of video playback on a single charge. What’s new is that Samsung has introduced a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip7 FE model, which is slightly smaller and thicker than the premium offering.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 is also available for pre-order and will cost $1,099.99; the Flip7 FE will cost $899.99.

The Galaxy Watch8 Brings Gemini To Your Wrist

Source: Bernard Smalls / Samsung Galaxy Unpacked / Galaxy Watch8 Classic

Last but certainly not least, Samsung also unpacked its new lineup of Galaxy Watch8 smartwatches. On the design side, what immediately stands out is the round face combined with the square back, a feature from last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra model that has been carried over to all versions of the Watch8. On the wrist, it feels much lighter, and that’s because it is. Thanks to its new design, the watch now sits flatter on your wrist, according to Jeffrey Kim, Samsung’s senior product lead for smartwatches, allowing it to be 11 percent thinner while adding more space for a slightly bigger battery.

Most of the updates in the Galaxy Watch8 come in the form of software, primarily AI features. A new Running Coach feature will assess your running ability using a 12-minute running test and generate a custom training program tailored to your needs. Although this feature was designed with beginners and intermediate runners in mind, Samsung claims it can also help train you to run marathons. The sleep tools receive a boost with the new Bedtime Guidance feature, which measures your circadian rhythm to suggest an optimal bedtime for you. That’s not all that gets measured while you get your winks in; your watch can also monitor your Vascular Load, which measures your stress levels. The Galaxy Watch8 also brings Gemini, Google’s impressive AI tool, to your wrist, replacing the old Google Assistant. You can now save a series of command prompts to your smartwatch using your voice to utilize Gemini, and for the most part, it works pretty well. There is also a new Antioxidant Index, which allows the watch to determine if you’re eating enough fruits and veggies by sticking your thumb on the back of the phone’s sensor. This is groundbreaking because the test typically requires blood to be drawn, so for those who can’t stand the sight of needles or blood, this should be particularly helpful.

The Galaxy Watch8 is also a bit pricier than the previous model. We don’t know if that has anything to do with Trump’s tariffs. The base model is $50 more, starting at $349.99, while the Classic’s starting price is $499.99, excluding the LTE versions and larger models. The Watch8 Ultra remains $649. We are currently reviewing the Watch8 Classic and Z Fold7 and will share our thoughts on both devices in the coming days, so keep it locked on HipHopWired.