This Galaxy Z Fold 7 before-and-after photo editor really flexes the foldable form factor

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn’t just another folding phone. It’s the company’s latest attempt to refine the foldable formula, and with One UI 8 riding shotgun, it’s clear the Korean tech giant wants to do more than just slim things down.

Unveiled alongside the new Z Flip 7, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is among the first devices to ship with One UI 8, and Samsung is taking full advantage of its flexible canvas. The update brings a fresh polish to Galaxy AI’s Generative Edit tool, plus long-overdue enhancements to Capture View, making the Fold 7’s inner display more useful than ever (Source: Android Authority).

Compare your powerful photo editing skills

Helping Galaxy AI work better than ever

Comparing your AI photo edits on the Z Fold 7 while zoomed out to view the whole image, and zoomed in to inspect a specific portion. Screenshots courtesy of Mishaal Rahman via Android Authority.

First up (and most likely to supercharge your Z Fold 7 experience) is a relatively simple, but extremely useful glow-up for Generative Edit. That’s Samsung’s AI-powered photo-editing suite. Introduced with the Galaxy S24, it already lets you resize, remove, or move elements in your photos with uncanny ease. Now, it’s faster and smarter, thanks to new backend algorithm tweaks. The addition of Suggest Erases, which proactively identifies distractions in your photos, brings it closer to Pixel-level automation.

But the Fold 7-exclusive “Side-by-Side Editing” is what really makes the big display shine. This new mode lets you view the original and edited versions of an image simultaneously, taking full advantage of the expansive inner screen. You can even zoom in on a portion of the original and instantly compare the same area in the edit — something you simply can’t do on a slab phone.

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Plus redesigned split-screen shooting

Source: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority

The refreshed Capture Mode interface, which will ultimately make its way to additional Galaxy devices. Courtesy of Mishaal Rahman via Android Authority.

Over in the camera app, Samsung’s long-neglected Capture View is getting a minor but welcome rejuvenation. Originally introduced with the Fold 2, this split-screen mode lets you shoot on one half of the display while reviewing your last few shots on the other. In One UI 8, the interface is cleaner, and the UX is smarter: the most recent photo is now centered and enlarged, with older shots tucked below in a layered carousel. There’s also a persistent menu below each image, so you can now favorite, share, or delete with a single tap — no more digging through sub-menus.

While Capture View’s UI refresh is trickling down to older Galaxy phones of varying form factors once they get One UI 8, the Side-by-Side Editing mode remains exclusive to the Z Fold line. And that’s an important distinction.

Samsung knows that thinner foldables aren’t enough to stay on top. As competitors close the hardware gap, the Fold 7’s expansive display must do more, not just look good. Features like Side-by-Side Editing and a smarter Capture View demonstrate a shift towards meaningful multitasking and intelligent UI use — exactly what Samsung needs to keep the Fold line at the forefront once the wow factor of a slimmer design wears off.

And if you’re thinking of jumping in, various preorder deals for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are still live (and extremely popular), and worth checking out if you want to be first in line for the next era of foldables.

RAM

12GB

Storage

256GB

Battery

4,400mAh

Operating System

One UI 8

Weight

215g

IP Rating

IP48

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the thinnest and lightest in the series to date, integrating a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor for enhanced AI capabilities and a 200MP pro-grade camera. Built for enhanced durability with an Armor FlexHinge and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, the device features a wider 6.5-inch cover screen and unfolds into an expansive 8.0-inch main display for immersive viewing and productivity.