For years, I’ve been snickering at foldable telephones, the perpetual “subsequent large factor” that by no means fairly will get right here. And whereas I nonetheless assume Samsung is usually successful on this market by walkover, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 might need simply made Apple’s case for what a foldable iPhone may appear like. And I prefer it.
The double-stacked tradeoff was at all times a dealbreaker
Ever since its first version, Samsung’s flagship foldable has regarded to me like a cumbersome prototype that by some means escaped the lab. Certain, the corporate has iterated on the design and inner mechanics. Nonetheless, I by no means fairly acquired previous the truth that the Galaxy Z Fold felt like two telephones stacked on high of one another for the advantage of a second, bigger display that, in flip, was a 7-inch resolution in the hunt for an issue.
Which isn’t to say the Z Fold line hasn’t developed. It has, particularly in the previous couple of years, because it has managed to benefit from its closed and open footprints (correct app assist however).
Nonetheless, one will get the sense that all the class at all times banked on the cool issue of getting a cellphone that unfolds to a much bigger display, hoping that customers would trick themselves into believing that the thick, double-stacked tradeoff was definitely worth the problem and the worth tag.
In the meantime, the previous couple of years have had no scarcity of rumors about Apple’s intention to launch its personal foldable iPhone. And whereas with each Galaxy Z Fold era, my first response would at all times be “I don’t need the iPhone model of that”, this week’s announcement lastly acquired me considering “Oh! I may go for the iPhone model of that!”
Inconspicuosly skinny sufficient
To every their very own, after all. However with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung has lastly cracked what I feel is the one factor that’s stored this class from feeling really mainstream: thickness. That is the primary foldable that truly appears to be like inconspicuously like a daily cellphone when it’s closed, and trade-offlessly unfolds into a much bigger display.
The Fold 7 is simply 8.9mm skinny when closed, down from 12.1mm of final 12 months’s gadget. Open it up, and it’s a ridiculously slim 4.2mm. For reference, the iPhone 16 Professional is 8.2mm skinny, and the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be 5.5mm. Sure, the Fold has a lot extra inner area to unfold parts and battery round, however nonetheless.
After all, the worth nonetheless feels absurd, even for “tomorrow’s tech, right now!” territory. At $1,999.99 for the bottom mannequin, which is $100 bump from final 12 months, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is nearer than ever to the $2100–$2300 rumored worth vary of the foldable iPhone.
Would I pay two grand-plus for one? Most likely not. Am I saying Apple ought to simply copy Samsung outright? Nope. However for the primary time, it feels just like the tech is definitely right here to permit for a phone-looking foldable cellphone, slightly than a hinged gadget that was over-engineered into existence.
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