Early leaks and rumors about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 that suggested that Samsung was making significant improvements to the phone’s display proved accurate.
However, while we recognized that bigger was better when it came to the cover screen, there was little indication that Samsung was attempting to solve the biggest problems that have plagued the Z Flip series for years.
Now that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is available to pre-order, I’m happy to confirm that Samsung has given it the best display on its flip phones yet.
However, I’m disappointed that little effort has been made to revamp the phone’s software.
As Motorola showed us, software is everything when it comes to a flip phone’s outer display. Samsung has missed the mark again.
Related
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on: It’s not perfect, but I still want it in my pocket
Samsung understood the assignment
Size matters for a flip phone’s outer display
But it’s how you use it that matters
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 sports a 4.1-inch, 1048 x 948, Super AMOLED display that can reach a peak brightness of 2,600.
It’s a massive upgrade over the Z Flip 6’s 3.4-inch, 720 x 748 screen. An inch is a significant upgrade on a phone screen, and on a device where screen real estate is at a premium, it’s an upgrade you’ll notice every time you use it.
There are a few caveats. The camera lenses take up a noticeable chunk of the display. It’s easy to see how UI elements and information will be hidden behind these cameras.
It’s too early to make a final judgment, but I think that this isn’t a significant caveat.
The Motorola Razr 2025 has an identical display format (albeit with significantly bigger bezels), and we didn’t find the cameras to be a problem.
Speaking of the Motorola Razr 2025, let’s examine a line from my AP colleague, Stephen Radochio, in an editorial he wrote about the early leaks of the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
If you asked me to choose between the two systems, I’d select Motorola every time.
The difference highlighted here is not the size of the screen but the software. Display size is important, but it pales in comparison to the user experience. Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t concern itself with software for the Z Flip 7
Samsung still doesn’t understand why we buy clamshell foldables
Hint: it’s not the screen size
The outer screen experience on a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip phone is more akin to a smartwatch than a smartphone. You can check the time, record voice memos, open a calculator, read a weather report, see your step count, and more.
It’s an easy way to check important information, but it’s difficult to step outside the safety guidelines that Samsung imposes on you.
Samsung limits the apps on the Z Flip 7’s cover display to a few pre-selected apps. These are designed to work with the display, so you shouldn’t have problems with the camera lenses obscuring information.
You can dive into Good Lock to use more apps on the outer display, but this is an inconvenient method that occasionally results in an uneven software experience.
Compared to the Motorola Razr 2025, the Z Flip 7’s outer display is lacking. You don’t need to install additional apps or work around the manufacturer’s limitations. You can start using the outer display like a regular display right out of the box.
This approach comes with downsides. Not all apps are compatible with the Motorola Razr’s outer display; some apps are impractical to use. Nevertheless, it’s a much better experience than the Z Flip 7.
Android phones are about customizing them to suit our preferences, and Samsung’s guidelines are a frustrating departure from that idea.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is prioritizing the wrong features
We aren’t looking for AI on flip phones
Head to the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s landing page on Samsung’s website, and you’ll be greeted with the sentence: “Pocket-perfect AI.” Scroll down, and Samsung extolls the virtues of the Z Flip 7’s larger display, but advertising the phone’s AI capabilities first feels wrong.
Buying a phone for its AI capabilities isn’t strange. Nothing’s Phone 3 offers the most refined AI features we’ve seen yet, while Google’s Pixel 9 packs AI into places you never thought it would fit.
Portability, reduced distractions, fun, and convenience are all key selling points of a clamshell foldable. AI? Not so much.
Why buy the Galaxy Z Flip 7?
Just because Samsung makes you jump through hoops to unlock the full power of its phones doesn’t mean you should write off the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
It sports a battery upgrade, Samsung DeX, the aforementioned large display, and subtle upgrades to the frame and hinge. It’s a beautiful phone through and through.
Yet it’s bizarre that Samsung is deaf to our cries. It could (and should!) outshine Motorola’s inconsistent phones regularly, but instead, we miss out on the features we actually want.
Even its attempt to create an affordable flip phone leaves us scratching our heads at the company’s poor decision-making.
Related
How the Moto Razr 2025 quietly fixes what other foldables still get wrong
The Razr 2025 marries simplicity with style
