The new Samsung foldable phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, is out and it’s such an evolution, compared to previous versions that it could be the best example of a foldable phone in the market yet.
The Fold7 is an impressive feat of design and engineering. Measuring 158 mm (height) by 143 mm (width) and only 4.2 thick, it’s lighter (215g) and thinner than the previous generation.
Some clever engineering helped move a lot of the water and dust protection to behind the screen, narrowing the bezel, resulting in larger screens, both internal and external. This is welcome because the Fold7 has a much better aspect, bringing it closer to what you expect from a non-foldable, when closed.
The external display has a 2520 x 1080 FHD+ resolution, while the main display has 2184 x 1968 QXGA+ resolution. Both support up to 16 million colours and have a variable refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz.
You will notice it now has sharper corners and a new flex mechanism. All this translates into a phone that is nice to touch and is very comfortable to hold.
The main camera has gone from 50-megapixel to 200-megapixel (F1.7, 85-degree FOV), the same as the S25 Ultra. Both the ultrawide (12-megapixel, F2.2, 120-degree FOV) and the telephoto (10-megapixel. F2.4, 36-degree FOV) camera still use the same sensor as the Fold6, but with small changes in the FOV and stabilisation. The only lacking thing here is the 3x optical zoom, with a total 30x zoom when sing the hybrid optical plus digital zoom technology.
The camera performance is still impressive though and it does a great job even in low light conditions. The only thing is that we can't bend some laws of physics, so the whole camera lens still sticks out from the back, sorely.
Using the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor (4.47 GHz), customised for Galaxy, means the Fold7 performance is improved over the previous Fold6 flagship. And because of this, applications fly. Opening an app or switching to a different one is a breeze.
Despite this powerful processor. The 4400 mAh battery excels and can easily last the day.
The dual-SIM phone supports multiple combinations of cards, including SIM 1 + SIM2, SIM1 + eSIM or dual eSIM. And it supports all the latest 4G and 5G mobile networks standards, being a no brainer in these times when 3G is slated for history.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is one of the first phones to come out with Android 16 out of the box and Samsung promises security updates will be provided until at least mid-2032.
Supporting all this is a set of updated AI tools, including the option for you to talk to an AI assistant using natural language, asking questions about thing you can see (by pointing the camera at a subject) and even following up with more questions or comments. I was particularly impressed when I asked some questions about our pet, and the app correctly identified a dog, wearing a winter coat. It asked for its name and even used it in follow-up questions.
The AI improvements don’t stop there. Photo Assist can easily move or erase background objects in your photos, and it does it faster than before too. Selecting objects can be easily done but just circling around someone or something and it will smartly select only the person or object, not the whole area.
Drawing Assist and Writing Assist are also faster and easier to use. They are also more fun as the results seem to be of better quality. They also make it easier to see the original and the new version side-by-side.
The only real downside here, is the price. Foldable devices in general cost more than other phones. So, if you want one, you should take advantage of any upgrades, rebates and discounts available. It’s important to check with your operator or other stores and compare prices because there’s always something to be used.
