Samsung is preparing to unveil its seventh generation of foldable smartphones, and a two-faceted strategy is emerging. On the one hand, a bold marketing campaign promising devices that are "thinner, lighter, and more advanced than ever". On the other, internal signals of caution, with lowered production targets, betray a more complex reality. Between fierce competition, particularly from China, and a market struggling to take off, Samsung is playing a complex role to maintain its crown in 2025. While waiting for the official announcement, here's what the highly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 have in store for us, as well as the likely surprise: the Z Flip7 FE.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7: The Quest for the "Ultra" Experience
The watchword for the Z Fold7 will be the same as that of the Galaxy S25 Edge: thinness. In direct response to competitors like Honor and Oppo, who have snatched the title of thinnest foldable, Samsung has radically slimmed down its flagship model. Rumors suggest an unfolded thickness of between 3.9 and 4.5 mm, compared to 5.6 mm for its predecessor. This slimming down is said to be made possible by a new hinge and the use of titanium.
On the back of the foldable smartphone, we expect a 200 MP main camera sensor inherited from the S Ultra range. This is a giant leap from the 50 MP of the Z Fold6, a strategic decision aimed at silencing criticism of the Fold's inferior photography capabilities and unifying the "Ultra" brand image. However, fitting such a sensor into such a thin chassis will be no easy feat, and the module could protrude from the body of the device. The other sensors, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle and a 10MP telephoto lens, would remain unchanged.
In order to offer a thinner smartphone, Samsung would compromise on the battery. This would remain at 4400 mAh, a figure unchanged since 2022, while the competition exceeds 5000 mAh. Samsung is banking on the energy efficiency of the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which should equip all models worldwide, to compensate for this unimpressive capacity.
For the screens, the news is excellent with an external screen that would grow to 6.5 inches while the internal screen would be close to 8 inches. More importantly, the central crease, a recurring criticism, should be significantly less visible thanks to a new type of ultra-thin glass.
Finally, a mystery persists and concerns the famous S Pen stylus from the South Korean manufacturer. To refine the device, Samsung could remove the digitizing layer from the screen, which would make older styluses incompatible. The solution would be a new active, self-powered, and rechargeable S Pen, like the Apple Pencil, which would work without this hardware layer.
Price-wise, the Z Fold 7 should maintain its very high-end positioning, around 1899 euros, with a possible increase of 100 euros in certain European markets.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7: The Pragmatic Evolution
If the Fold7 is a technological demonstration, the Z Flip7 is a direct response to the market. Its most visible and most anticipated improvement is the enlargement of its external screen, which would go from 3.4 inches to 4.0 inches, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It is a necessary response to competitors like Motorola, who had taken the lead in this area. The screen, which would now extend across the entire width, aims to make the phone much more functional when closed.
To address the main user criticism, battery life, the battery is also said to be upgraded, going from 4000 to 4300 mAh. However, the camera hardware is said to remain the same as the Z Flip6, with a 50 MP main sensor and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle camera. The photographic improvements will therefore come entirely from software and AI.
The most controversial decision would concern the processor of Samsung's clamshell smartphone. For the first time on its foldables, the brand would opt for a two-chip strategy. The Snapdragon 8 Elite would arrive in some markets (likely the United States) and Samsung's in-house processor, the Exynos 2500, in others. This measure, likely intended to reduce costs, could create performance disparities, as Exynos chips have historically been slightly behind. It's a risky bet for a device whose price should remain stable, around 1099 euros.
Other new features to look forward to: the Z Flip 7 FE and AI at the heart of the system
The big news for 2025 would be the introduction of the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE (Fan Edition). This would be Samsung's attempt to democratize the foldable format with a more affordable model, whose price could fall below 1000 euros. To achieve this, this model would compromise by using slightly older components like the Exynos 2400 chip or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and potentially taking over the chassis of the Z Flip6. We can expect an official announcement during the Unpacked event this summer, but its launch could be delayed to the last quarter of 2025.
On the software side, the new models will be among the first to feature One UI 8, based on Android 16. Artificial intelligence will be omnipresent, with a hybrid strategy. Samsung will highlight the integration of Google's Gemini Live, while continuing to develop its own "Galaxy AI" tools. These will focus on hardware-specific applications, such as the "ProVisual Engine" to optimize photos or the new health features of the Galaxy Watch 8.
A highly anticipated launch
This entire new lineup is expected to be unveiled at a Galaxy Unpacked event, which is rumored to be held in early or mid-July 2025, potentially on July 10, in New York.
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