Latest news with #foldablephones
Android Authority
4 hours ago
- Android Authority
I've reviewed phones for 10 years. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be the first foldable I actually buy
Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority It's been just under six years since the first Galaxy Fold launched, and in the time since then, foldable phones have become among the most interesting in the Android world. I've personally tested and reviewed many of them, including models from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and others. But as much as I appreciate what foldables offer, and as someone who's been reviewing phones for 10 years, I've yet to actually purchase one for myself. Why? One of the main things that's kept me away is the hardware. Foldable phones have gotten significantly thinner and lighter since the first Galaxy Fold, but many of them are still bulkier than what I'm comfortable carrying every day. However, that may soon change. The latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 leak showcases a Samsung foldable that seems unbelievably thin. If the leak is accurate, the Fold 7 may be the first folding phone I finally spend my money on. Based on the leaks so far, do you plan on buying the Galaxy Z Fold 7? 0 votes Yes NaN % No NaN % Why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may push me over the edge Android Headlines Android Authority Multiple leaks have now suggested that Samsung is cooking up an ultra-thin design for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with Samsung itself even teasing the design in some recent press releases. But it wasn't until yesterday's leak from OnLeaks that we got our first good glimpse of what this thin design will look like — and it's nothing short of impressive. While the exact numbers are still up in the air, previous leaks have suggested that the Fold 7 could be as thin as 4.54mm or even 3.9mm when unfolded and approximately 9.0mm thick when folded shut. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 5.6mm when unfolded and 12.1mm when folded. Android Headlines Galaxy Z Fold 7 (top) and Galaxy Z Fold 6. Those numbers have been floating around for a while now, and while they certainly sound impressive, it's different to see with your eyes the difference those millimeters make. Looking at the Z Fold 7 next to the Z Fold 6, it's hard to believe this year's Samsung foldable may actually look like this. It looks like a phone I could carry every day without issue. One I could easily slip into my pocket, use one-handed, etc. I've not felt that way about any other US folding phone to date, and it's exciting to see Samsung might get there with the Fold 7. Of course, Samsung won't be the first company to release a super-thin folding phone. OPPO launched the Find N5 earlier this year with a shockingly thin body at just 4.21mm when unfolded. And last September, the HONOR Magic V3 debuted with an equally impressive 4.4mm unfolded design. Paul Jones / Android Authority OPPO Find N5 I admire what OPPO and HONOR have done with those phones, and I say that as someone who used (and fell in love with) the Magic V3 last year. But there's a big issue with both phones: they aren't suitable for the US market. Not only are the phones not sold here, but even if you go through the trouble of importing one, you'd still have to deal with lacking carrier bands, unoptimized software, no warranty support, and so on. OPPO and HONOR's hardware is exactly what I want out of a foldable, but neither one is a realistic purchase. The Z Fold 7 will be the first super-thin foldable that makes sense to buy if you live in the US. That's precisely why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is so exciting. It won't be the first foldable phone with a ridiculously thin design, but it will be the first one that makes sense to buy if you live in the US. It'll work with your carrier's 5G network, it'll have software that's fully optimized for the North American market, and should something go wrong, you'll have warranty and insurance options to get it fixed. Those are all things that other US foldables (like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold) already have going for them, but again, I come back to the hardware issue. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is shaping up to deliver the benefits of an established US folding phone while also offering the thin design I've been waiting for — and it may be a combination that's too powerful to ignore. Will 2025 be the year I finally buy a foldable? Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority A powerful combination indeed, but will it be enough to push me to buy my first folding phone? It's certainly getting close, though I'm not 100% sold quite yet. While Samsung's design for the Z Fold 7 seems like a surefire winner, some of the rumored specs still leave me uncertain. The new 200MP primary camera appears to be all but guaranteed, but it seems equally likely we'll be stuck with the same (and aging) 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto cameras. I'm also nervous about the battery, which is speculated to remain at just 4,400mAh. Even with the impressive hardware, will I be OK with middling secondary cameras and such a disappointing battery capacity? For a phone that's likely to cost $1,900? I'm not so sure. It's by no means a guarantee that I'll buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but this new look at its design does have me seriously thinking about it in a way I wasn't previously. I hope Samsung outfits the rest of the phone with the specs it deserves, because if so, 2025 may finally be the year I purchase my first foldable. Just don't tell my wallet.
CNET
19 hours ago
- CNET
iPhone 'Flip': The Apple Foldable Is Still Rumored To Come in 2026
We're half a decade into foldable phones, with plenty of devices from Samsung, Google and Motorola (as well as others from Oppo, Huawei and more) for consumers to choose between. Yet among big phone makers, only Apple still lacks one in its lineup. The latest flexible-screen devices, like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Motorola Razr Plus reboot and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold show mature designs and robust bending displays, leaving the foldables niche handily dominated by Android devices. Recurring leaks and rumors suggest Apple is still developing its own folding device, which we'll refer to it as the iPhone Flip until a proper name is revealed. The iPhone 16 series launched in September 2024 with an AI camera button and AI features in iOS 18 that are still rolling out, and the more affordable iPhone 16E launched with Apple's first in-house modem. Still, we've yet to see any official word on a foldable iPhone. Apple's recent focus has been on Apple Intelligence, a suite of generative AI tools now in the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which is also coming to updates for Apple devices in other product families. Apple might be slowly tinkering away at a folding iPhone while software and AI have taken center stage during its product showcases. Some rumors have even suggested that Apple is working on foldable displays for its other portable devices, the iPad and MacBook, though the company may have encountered obstacles. In a post on X back in September, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said challenges with folding displays have pushed back mass production of either model to 2027 or even 2028. Since other rumors have suggested the iPhone Flip could come out as early as 2026, we could see an iPhone that folds before an iPad or a MacBook with a flexible display. It's unclear if or when Apple will switch focus from AI to bring an iPhone Flip to market, though the most recent rumors suggest progress continues. A report back in July, as covered by The Verge and first reported by The Information, suggests Apple has gone all-in on a clamshell-style foldable iPhone and moved it beyond the concept stage to give it a code name, supposedly internally referring to the device as "the V68." If all goes well, the iPhone Flip could get a release date as early as 2026, the report said. The newest rumor reaffirms the possible 2026 release window for the iPhone Flip, with noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posting on X production may kick off next year. Market rumors suggest Apple has placed orders for 15-20 million iPhones to be sold in 2026 and the following years, Kuo continued, though with many components like the hinge not yet being finalized and assembly supplier Foxconn not officially starting the project yet (they're expected to begin in the third or fourth quarter of this year), this timeline could shift. This follows Kuo's report in early March that Apple's device could launch at the end of next year and will have a 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and 5.5-inch outer display -- which would make it a book-style foldable like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 rather than a clamshell foldable, as other rumors have suggested Apple was focusing on. Accordingly, Kuo believes the price would match other similar folding devices at $2,000 to $2,500. Despite that high price tag, he says projected shipments are 3 to 5 million devices initially, which is a confident estimate given only 19.3 foldables were sold in 2024, market research firm IDC reported. Now Playing: iPhone Flip: What Apple's Foldable Future Could Look Like 05:01 This reaffirms previous rumors and news. A new patent granted to Apple last July, which was applied for years ago, shows how long the company has been working on a folding iPhone, although many reports have focused on the company's struggles to eliminate the crease within the internal folding display. Creases have haunted foldable phones since they started coming out in 2020, and although the most recent Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 have reduced the crease, you can still see and feel it. Previous rumors suggested Apple had been working on iPhone Flip models in two different sizes, though there have been difficulties in making the devices to Apple's demanding standards. The company may also be working on a folding tablet with a screen around the size of an iPad Mini. Then again, we may not see an iPhone Flip for years. By mid-2024, market analysts at TrendForce estimated that issues with the display crease might push back an Apple foldable until 2027, according to 9to5Mac. Prior rumors said Apple may not launch its own flexible screen device until 2025, and Samsung hasn't let phone fans forget it by releasing an app that will let Apple phone owners experience a Z Fold-esque experience by placing two iPhones side-by-side. At the very least, an investor note seen in August suggests Apple's foldable may not reach its 2025 schedule for mass production due to display issues, according to MacRumors. Years ago in 2017, folks predicted that a foldable iPhone could launch in the then-near future of 2020 -- which didn't happen. Analysts and leakers have been kicking the release date down the road ever since, and rumors and wish lists have hung around as phone fans keep their hopes up. Absent any confirmed details from Apple, here's everything we know so far about the company's future foray into foldables. Read more: I Visited Samsung's Home Turf to See if Foldable Phones Are Really the Future Two cross-sectional illustrations of potential displays that fold around a recess where a hinge would go, in Apple's patent (No. 12,041,738). USPTO What Apple's new patent says about the iPhone Flip After years of rumors that Apple was working on foldable phones, a patent was finally granted to the company that confirmed it's been working toward a folding iPhone. The 22-page patent (PDF), simply titled "Electronic Devices With Durable Folding Displays," was filed in November 2021 and granted on July 16, 2024. Sadly for folding iPhone hopefuls, the patent doesn't offer much illumination of what an iPhone Flip might look like. Most of the pages show figures depicting cross-sections of potential displays that fold about a hinge, but not the device they're folding around. There are some tidbits deeper into the text of the patent that hint at potential design choices Apple might make, like a hinge that holds the display flat when unfolded but which would let the display "slightly fold about the bend axis when the electronic device is jolted during the drop event" -- in other words, if dropped, the device would fold inward slightly so that it lands on its edges to protect the inner display. It's important to note that all evidence shows Apple working on a foldable iPhone, but the patent broadly applies to folding displays in general -- to wit, some figure schematics describe a device that "may be a cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, wrist-watch device or other wearable device, a television, a stand-alone computer display or other monitor" or screens as far-ranging as on vehicles, in kiosks, in media players or other electronic equipment. The rest of the patent describes what an Apple device with a folding display may have, and categorically lists things like batteries and wireless charging, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, LED or LCD displays, microphones and capacitive sensors, haptics and so on. There's explicit mention of a display folding 180 degrees, or fully flat, which follows most other foldables -- presumably, Apple isn't going to leapfrog the competition in following Samsung's concept displays we saw at CES that unfold nearly 360 degrees. Two foldable iPhone Flips? Foldable iPhone hopefuls will at least be encouraged that Apple seemingly continues to tinker with an iPhone Flip design. The company is said to be working on two sizes of folding iPhones: a book-style and a clamshell-style, according to an older report by The Information, although this may be countermanded by a newer report by the same site suggesting Apple had settled on the latter for a smaller device. This aligns with prior rumors hinting the iPhone Flip will be in the clamshell format like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series or Motorola Razr Plus. It sounds like Apple's been struggling to meet its high expectations: The company's design team wants the iPhone Flip to be half as thin as current iPhone models and to have displays on the outside that are visible when the device is folded shut, according to the report. Development on the iPhone Flip was halted around 2020, the older report noted, in order to focus on a new project, a folding iPad. This device would have an 8-inch display to be around the size of the iPad Mini. The foldable tablet supposedly had less strict durability and thickness requirements, as it wouldn't need to fit in pockets like an iPhone Flip. Apple was still working on ways to reduce the crease in the middle of the folding display and get the iPad to lie fully flat. Release date: The iPhone Flip launch could be in 2025... or 2027 The latest indications of an iPhone Flip release date came in June, when analyst Kuo suggested production could kick off in 2026 with phones coming out that year. This follows Kuo's earlier prediction in March that the company could release a crease-free foldable by the end of 2026. Furthermore, this would likely be a book-style foldable with a 7.8-inch internal display and 5.5-inch external screen, which is counter to other predictions anticipating a clamshell-style foldable. It's possible that these timeline predictions apply to one or the other, or due to the vague nature of rumors, even both -- that is, Apple could be working on both a book-style and clamshell style foldable, though it's less clear if release date expectations would be interchangeable or if Apple would stagger their release. It's been an open secret for years that Apple is working toward a foldable iPhone. The company has been registering patents for foldable technologies for almost a decade, and while there's no guarantee that one will come out even after all that research (remember AirPower?), there's still been buzz and possible release dates floated for years -- though still not one solid enough to get excited about. Early rumors pointed as far back as 2021 as a potential target date, but the year passed with no foldable iPhone in sight. A March 2021 report from longtime Kuo (via MacRumors) suggested 2023 might be more realistic (though that year has come and gone). According to Kuo, Apple still needs to figure out technology and mass production issues before bringing a device like this to market, hence the wait. Speculation later in 2021 from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman aligned with Kuo's predictions: In his Power On Newsletter, Gurman said that the foldable iPhone may not arrive for another two to three years. Since then, new rumors have pointed to an even later release. Reliable display analyst Ross Young said in February 2024 that the foldable iPhone had been pushed back to 2025, and Kuo reaffirmed his predicted release window in a tweet in April 2022. "Apple may launch its first foldable product in 2025 at the earliest, which may be a foldable iPad or a hybrid of iPad and iPhone," Kuo wrote in the tweet. Another rumor, first noticed by MacRumors in February of 2024 by Weibo-based blogger Fixed Focus Digital, suggested that the foldable iPhone project is delayed for the foreseeable future. The problem? Apple, which is rumored to be using Samsung folding panels for its iPhone Flip's display, was dissatisfied with the screens' performance after they broke down a few days into testing. That's echoed by the most recent estimate by TrendForce market analysts, reported in 9to5Mac, which predicted that an Apple foldable might not be released until 2027 at the earliest. Why? Apple's strict requirements for reliability and the phone display's crease. But Kuo's more recent March 2025 predictions explicitly noted a crease-free foldable display, suggesting Apple might have moved past this roadblock -- if all these rumors are to be believed, of course. Read more: Top Foldable Phones for 2024 Watch this: Foldable Phones May Be the Future. In South Korea, They're the Present 04:40 Design: What will the foldable iPhone look like? A 2021 report from Bloomberg indicated Apple already had a working prototype of a foldable iPhone display. While it wasn't a working model, it was a step up from a patent -- which, until then, was all we had seen. This illustration, according to Apple's patent filing, shows a "device that bends along a flexible portion such as a flexible seam associated with a hinge." Apple/US Patent and Trademark Office Apple seems to have taken out every patent under the sun when it comes to foldable displays, including an origami-style folding display, a flip-up display and even a wraparound display. We don't know which one will make the final cut, but both Kuo and Bloomberg seem to agree that the current prototype is more of a traditional fold-out design. Unlike Microsoft's Surface Duo, which has hinges on the exterior, Apple's would have one continuous display with a hidden hinge mechanism like the Galaxy Fold. Apple leaker Jon Prosser reported in early 2021 that the iPhone Flip will likely use a clamshell design and come in several "fun colors." Between the bright pastels of the iPhone 15 and Plus and the sleeker deep blue of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, an array of fun colors for Apple's first foldable device is definitely a possibility. YouTuber ConceptsiPhone also gave us a glimpse into what the iPhone Flip could look with concept art of the foldable iPhone in the colors blue, red, gold and green. In March 2025, analyst Kuo had some very specific but non-clamshell predictions: that Apple would release a book-style foldable with a 5.5-inch outer screen that unfolded to have a 7.8-inch internal screen, and be 4.5-4.8mm when unfolded but 9-9.5mm thick. It would have the same high-density battery cells as the "ultra-thin iPhone 17" and a hinge with stainless steel and titanium alloy (a favorite material of Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2). Per Kuo's predictions, the foldable will have two rear cameras and a front-facing camera on both the external and internal displays. Most interestingly, Kuo also expects that Apple's book-style foldable will see the return of Touch ID as a side button, as Face ID might be left out due to space constraints -- presumably for the array of depth-of-field sensors and cameras needed for the tech. Roadblocks: What still stands in Apple's way? CNET Samsung and others have been testing the waters, but Apple has been learning from the pain points of their foldable devices and figuring out how they'd be used. One of these pain points is the crease. A lot of the current cover materials, including the glass and plastic mix that Samsung uses for the Z Fold and Z Flip, show a visible crease when folded out to full screen. To avoid it, Apple would likely have to wait for Corning, Apple's glass provider, to create some kind of bendable version of its Ceramic Shield screen. The company is already working on a bendable glass but hasn't announced a launch date for it. Kuo tweeted in April 2022 that Apple was testing a foldable OLED screen. Korean tech news site The Elec also reported that Apple was working with LG to develop a foldable OLED panel. Cost: Foldable phones don't come cheap Price is another major problem for these types of devices. Although Samsung still has the most affordable folding phone with the clamshell Z Flip 5 at $999, most others in the category are book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold, which are around twice the price of most flagship phones. We wouldn't expect a foldable iPhone to be cheaper than its rivals. Apple's foldable needs to be in line with current foldable and nonfoldable models to be able to compete against other brands and entice iPhone users to ditch their single-screen devices and pay more for a foldable. A report last year found that half of American consumers are interested in buying a foldable phone, though Apple customers are slightly less willing to make the leap than Samsung or LG users. Perhaps the "Apple effect" will change those stats if and when a foldable iPhone ever becomes a reality. For more, check out all of the models in the iPhone 15 line. You can also see the most exciting phones to look out for in 2024.
Android Authority
a day ago
- Android Authority
Samsung's next foldables look crazy thin in this new leak
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR New 'official' images of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 have leaked. The images show both foldables in two different colorways. These colorways are said to be called Blue Shadow and Jet Black. Samsung is gearing up to launch the next generation of its foldable phones. As we inch closer to the eventual announcement, predictably, leaks have been ramping up. Previously, we've seen CAD renders of both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Now, a new leak claims to give us a look at 'official' renders of both handsets. Courtesy of Android Headlines, we have a new collection of renders for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 to check out. These 'official' renders present both foldables in two colorways, which are reportedly called Blue Shadow and Jet Black. More colorways are expected to be available, but these are the only two included in this report. According to earlier leaks, Samsung has made both foldables fairly thinner than previous iterations. The Fold 7, in particular, is rumored to be about 4.54mm thin when unfolded, which would be only slightly thicker than the OPPO Find N5 (4.21mm). In the images above, we can see the Flip 7 and the Fold 7 compared to their predecessors. While the Flip has never been overly thick, it's clear Samsung has found a way to cut off some of the fat. However, the difference in size is even more noticeable between the Fold 7 and Fold 6. Both devices are also expected to get larger cover displays. For the Flip 7, Samsung is ditching the manila folder-like design and is opting to use the entire cover. Meanwhile, the cover display on the Fold 7 is expected to grow from 6.3 inches to 6.5 inches. This will also result in a bigger inner screen, which is said to be 8.2 inches. Rumors are pointing to June 9 as the date for Samsung's next Unpacked event. If true, that means we'll only have to wait a few more weeks for the launch. In addition to these foldables, it's expected that Samsung's next smartwatches will appear at the show. We could possibly even get a teaser for Project Moohan. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Galaxy Z Flip 7 looks worse next to rivals – and its tiny battery isn't the worst part
A leaked render of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. | Image by AndroidHeadlines As a general rule of thumb, those who want a foldable, just go and get themselves a Galaxy Z phone: be it a clamshell (that's the Flip models) or a book style that opens into a mini-tablet (that's the Fold models).You, my dearest reader– yes, you, on the other hand, have a superior knowledge of phones. You know very well that numerous foldables available beyond the Samsung realm exist, phones that are extremely capable and Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the biggest clamshell on the horizon right now: and by "biggest" I mean "most popular" (since it's Samsung we're talking about here), certainly not "best" or "the most amazing". Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (and with it – the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and some cool smartwatches as well) on July 9, possibly at a New York City event, per the latest reports. But are Samsung's remarkable marketing skills and intergalactic popularity enough to grant the Galaxy Z Flip 7 the crown in the flip phones' kingdom? I don't think so: and here's why. Teaser for the Mix Flip 2. | Image by Xiaomi Meet the same-sized opponent, wearing orange shorts: the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2. I'm not saying this one will come with an orange-colored rear panel, it's just that orange is Xiaomi's brand color. The more you know. So, both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 are rumored to feature 6.85-inch internal displays. That's a plus for the Flip model, since the Galaxy Z Flip 6 featured a 6.7-inch display. Plus, the Samsung clamshell could get extra thin bezels and a slightly bigger 4-inch outer screen (up from the 3.4-inch one on the predecessor) for easier phone operations while folded. The Mix Flip 2 will also offer a 4-inch top display, inheriting it from the original Mix Flip. For the Far East rival, we'll get things confirmed earlier: in late June, if recent rumors hold true. That means the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 could be officially presented a week (or two) before the Z Flip 7 – but that's an exclusive Chinese premiere we're talking about here. The Mix Flip 2 could see a global release at a later point in time. It's obvious why Xiaomi has decided to present its upcoming clamshell in late June – obviously, they want it to compete with the upcoming Flip model (a memory refresher: this one could materialize on July 9).And compete it does. Let's dive deeper, talking about three super important (for almost anybody out there_ features of any phone – the chipset, the battery and the camera. Image by AndroidHeadlines Currently, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 rumors swing both ways and claim different things when it comes to the chipset that Samsung will use: Snapdragon 8 Elite Exynos 2500 Or, you know, Samsung could go with… both. I mean, some markets could get the Z Flip 7 with Snapdragon 8 Elite inside (probably the US), while users in other countries (like in Europe) could get the same phone, but with the Exynos 2500 a move is not unlike Samsung at all, so don't act surprised come July 9. Early Geekbench 6 scores of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 were rather disappointing, with just 2,012 points in the single-core test and 7,563 in the multi-core benchmark. For reference, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 – a phone with the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – scored 2,251 and 7,131 in the same tests. So the Exynos 2500 might not be the brightest star in the sky. The Snapdragon 8 Elite, on the other hand, is a superior chipset and a clear upgrade over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 . Image by AndroidHeadlines Here, we have a clear victory for the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2, unless Samsung's Z Flip 7 doesn't come up with a sorcery of some kind in the form of severe software optimizations and heat management: Mix Flip 2: large 5,100 mAh capacity battery, 67W wired charging speeds and 50W wireless large 5,100 mAh capacity battery, 67W wired charging speeds and 50W wireless Galaxy Z Flip 7 : uninspiring 4,200 mAh capacity battery, 25W wired charging speeds and 15W wireless That's almost a thousand mAh difference – and I'm sure this will be felt right away in real life usage. When you take into account the charging speeds supremacy of Xiaomi's phone, it doesn't look good for Samsung at all. Both phones are expected to feature a dual rear camera setup, consisting of a 50-megapixel main snapper and an ultra-wide. The Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 apparently loses the dedicated telephoto camera from its predecessor, but at least the ultra-wide will use a 50MP sensor. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could use a 12MP sensor for the ultra-wide snapper. It's 2025, Samsung, what do you mean a "twelve megapixels" camera?! Not to mention that it's a premium device we're dealing with here, have some dignity! There's more to it: true, Samsung could drop some clever AI enhancements for the Z Flip 7 , but Xiaomi's Mix Flip 2 camera is apparently (once again) developed by Leica. And this matters. On a 2024 trip to Singapore, I took just an old Xiaomi 13 Ultra (well, "old" is not very flattering, but at the time, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra was already available) and I can't express how satisfied I am with those Leica colors. Samsung will have a really tough time trying to match or surpass this. The way rumors have been shaping up, it's clear that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (and Z Fold 7 , for that matter) will not be the revolutionary foldables from Samsung – nope, not in 2025. Rather, their next-gen devices look like another minor touch-up, although cool and useful feats are expected here and best thing about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is probably its popularity and availability. Certain Far East phones don't get to see a global release – and people across the US (and the West as a whole) are stuck with Samsung (or Apple).I guess many are afraid to get an expensive gadget from a bit more exotic brand – although Xiaomi is super popular across the world – and just stick with Samsung down the beaten path. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 doesn't look like a "bad" or "weak" phone. Nope, not at all. Just don't let it play with rivals on the playground, because it kind of loses its magic. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
This Galaxy Z Fold 7 challenger slims down but levels up in battery
The vivo X Fold 5 is going official on June 25 and ahead of the reveal, the company is already talking numbers. Turns out, the new model will be thinner, lighter and pack a bigger battery – all at once. The vivo X Fold 5 is coming next week and vivo's product manager, Han Boxiao, has shared some early details to stir the hype. According to Boxiao, the X Fold 5 will be about 2mm thinner and 20g lighter than the current X Fold 3 Pro. That translates to a closed thickness of 9.2mm and a weight of just 216g. When opened, it will dip below the 5mm mark – although the exact number still depends on how the hinge is built. More impressively, vivo isn't trading off battery life for thinness. The X Fold 5 will pack a 6,000mAh battery, up from 5,700mAh on the previous model. That bump is made possible thanks to what vivo claims is the industry's first fourth-gen silicon anode tech. The battery has 2.5x more silicon content, boosting density by 13%. There is more – the battery also uses second-gen semi-solid electrolytes, which means it'll keep working in extreme cold, even down to -30°C (-22°F). – Han Boxiao, vivo's product manager, June 2025 The upcoming phone's battery will be super thin. | Image credit – vivo vivo's approach of going thinner while cramming in a bigger battery gives it a solid head start. But Honor isn't just watching from the sidelines – it is reportedly gunning for the "world's thinnest foldable" title with the Magic V5, hoping to reclaim it from the Oppo Find N5. So yeah, battery life and design might not be Samsung's winning cards this year – but global availability still works heavily in its favor. That alone could make a big difference when you walk into a store. Looking like a solid upgrade – but still room for improvement Plus, it is expected to support high-frequency PWM dimming to ease eye strain and carry IPX8/IPX9 protection. Not great, but still welcome. Why do I say this? Because, of course, we still wish vivo stepped up its game on durability. The previous model had IPX8, but adding at least some dust resistance like Samsung's IP48 wouldn't hurt. A full IP68 rating may be asking too much for a foldable, but small wins matter. Also hoping for an upgrade to the audio since the current model doesn't exactly impress there – though that is a common weakness in foldables. Either way, once the X Fold 5 drops, we will be ready with a full review breaking down all the pros and cons so you can decide if it is worth your money. Until then, why not explore what the current gen and its rivals are all about? Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
