Galaxy Z Fold and Flip 7: Samsung shows Apple how to fold and unfold

Samsung is already introducing its seventh generation of smartphones with flexible displays. The Galaxy Z Fold, in particular, is significantly improved, but the Z Flip has also seen some major changes. There's also a foldable phone for just under €1,000 for the first time, as well as a new Galaxy Watch.

Many indications point to Apple introducing an " iPhone Fold " in 2026; the project is scheduled to launch this year. This may be why Samsung has gone to great lengths to present significantly improved seventh generations of its folding and clamshell smartphones—they want to make it as difficult as possible for its major competitor to catch up.

The South Koreans have made the most significant changes to the Galaxy Z Fold. The outer display has grown from 6.3 to 6.5 inches. The inner panel is now 8 inches instead of 7.6 inches and has a wider 21:9 aspect ratio. When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is significantly thinner than its predecessor (12.1 mm) at just 8.9 mm; when opened, it's even just 4.2 mm thick—1.4 mm less. At 215 g, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is also 24 g lighter than the Fold 6.

Samsung has also redesigned the hinge, making it more durable, although like the entire IP48-rated device, it's now slimmer. The frame is also said to be 10 percent stronger thanks to a new aluminum alloy.

The outer screen is now covered by more robust Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, the back by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The inner display is also said to be more durable, thanks in part to a 50 percent thicker glass layer and a titanium plate.

The Galaxy Z Fold is powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which can access either 12 or 16 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. The battery still has a capacity of 4400 milliampere hours (mAh), which is impressive considering the device is significantly thinner than its predecessor.

Samsung has upgraded the camera setup by giving the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the main camera of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which offers, among other things, a resolution of up to 200 megapixels (MP) and a bright f/1.7 aperture. On the back, there's also a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3x optical magnification. 10 MP selfie cameras are located inside and outside.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of flash storage costs just under €2,100, while the 512 GB version is available for €2,220. A model with 16 GB of RAM and 1 terabyte (TB) of flash storage is also available in the Samsung store for €2,520. Those who pre-order until July 24 will receive more flash storage for their money.

Galaxy Z Flip 7

The big new feature of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the outer screen, which now takes up the entire surface when folded, except for a 1.25 mm narrow bezel and the camera cutouts. On the Galaxy Z Flip 6, it was 3.4 inches; now it measures 4.1 inches.

Users can automatically create backgrounds from the gallery for the outer display and spice them up with customizable emojis or a stretched clock font. The larger screen is also useful for personalized information and briefings with Samsung's "Now Bar" and "Now Brief."

The internal screen has grown from 6.7 to 6.9 inches and now has a 21:9 aspect ratio. This makes it roughly equivalent to the display of the Samsung Galaxy S25+.

At 188 g, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 1 g heavier than its predecessor, but it's significantly thinner. When folded, the device measures 13.7 mm thick, making it 1.2 mm thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The device could still have better battery life than its predecessor, as its 4300 mAh battery capacity is 300 mAh higher.

Samsung's folding smartphone has also become more robust. The front and back are now protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The hinge, which has been reduced in size like the Fold 7, has a more stable construction, and a new aluminum alloy makes the casing more durable.

Inside is the company's own Exynos 2500 chip, which is paired with 12 GB of RAM. The flash storage is available in either 256 or 512 GB. The cameras haven't changed; on the outside, there's a 50 MP main camera (f/1.8) and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera (f/2.2). On the inside, there's a 10 MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 costs just under €1,200 with 256 GB of flash storage, and €1,320 with 512 GB. Pre-orderers will also receive a storage upgrade until July 24.

Galaxy Z Flip FE

Those looking to spend less money can opt for the Galaxy Z FE, which costs €999 with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash storage, making it officially Samsung's first foldable or clamshell smartphone under €1,000. With 256 GB of storage, it costs €1,060. In principle, however, the FE isn't really new, as it's largely identical to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The difference lies in the new Exynos 2400 chip.

Galaxy Watch 8

In addition to its new clamshell and folding smartphones, Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Watch 8. Among other things, it features a new design that makes it 11 percent thinner than its predecessor. Its display is said to be 50 percent brighter, and the battery, with the more powerful yet efficient Exynos W1000 chip, lasts up to 40 hours. Furthermore, positioning via dual GPS is said to be more precise, and the LTE version now supports Google's AI Gemini.

The Galaxy Watch 8 is available starting at around €380, the LTE version starting at just under €410. The Classic version starts at around €530.