Samsung: Introducing the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7, the latest additions to its thinnest and lightest foldable phones.

Thinner, lighter, but the price isn't dropping as expected. Samsung returns to the stage for Galaxy Unpacked to confirm its strategy for foldable devices and artificial intelligence. The timing isn't ideal: in the quarter ending in June, Samsung's profits fell for the first time since 2023, reflecting mounting market share losses that cloud the memory chipmaker's prospects in the AI ​​era.

In New York, they unveiled the new Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, a more affordable FE series model, and the Galaxy Watch8. In the foldable segment, which is expensive but offers high margins, the Korean company is aiming to further boost its mobile division, despite the uncertainties surrounding tariffs. But the strategy remains unchanged for now: thinner and lighter devices, system-level AI, and a particular focus on the premium segment, which is the most niche but offers higher margins. The market's demand was for devices that are more manageable and comfortable to carry in your pocket: this is seen as a key step towards attracting a wider audience. And on this point, the mission can be considered accomplished. Specifically, the Galaxy Fold7 loses its stylus but gains in millimeters. Now it truly looks like two Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultras stacked on top of each other.

Let's start with the Galaxy Z Fold7: the cheapest version, the 12GB + 256GB one, has a recommended price of €2,199. We'll start from there. However, let's assume it's the most advanced and advanced. It weighs just 215 grams and is 8.9 mm thick when closed. We "touched" it during a preview in Milan, and it truly feels like having a regular smartphone in your pocket. The internal Dynamic AMOLED 2X display grows to 8 inches, an 11% improvement over the previous version. The main hardware upgrade concerns the 200MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a first for a Galaxy Z, supported by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which increases AI performance by 41% compared to the previous version.

So, improve the hardware, but above all, the design. We're officially out of the prototype phase. At this point, Samsung truly has a foldable smartphone that no one else has. But the challenge is to transform foldables from an expensive niche to a revenue pillar, justifying the huge initial investments and maintaining adequate profit margins despite competitive pressure.

This is the segment with the most competition and the biggest market. Flip phones are phones that fold in half thanks to a hinge. They resemble clamshells, but when closed, they're tiny and fit anywhere. This is where their success lies. The Galaxy Z Flip7 follows Motorola's lead and increases the external display. It essentially retains the compact, pocketable form factor (13.7 mm when closed) but introduces the completely revamped 4.1-inch FlexWindow, now usable edge-to-edge.