This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Foldable smartphones have been around for more than five years now, but their adoption is still slow. (Ownership of Foldable Smartphones accounts for just 1% of total smartphones—Kantar.). The reasons for this are complex, and today we won't be focusing on that, but rather look at the biggest player on the foldable market—Samsung.
According to the latest WorldPanel ComTech study, Samsung holds 90% of the foldable market in 2024, and a big part of this success can be attributed to the Galaxy Z Flip series (Flip devices—which fold in half, offering a smaller external display when closed—account for 67% of all Foldable Smartphones owned.)
The Flip 7 is the upcoming iteration of the popular flip foldable, but we think it will be under threat from one specific iconic rival. But before we reveal which one, let's quickly analyze the Galaxy Z Flip series recent history and how Samsung is… kind of dropping the ball with each generation, leaving itself vulnerable in a very aggressive and dynamic market.
Galaxy Z Flip series is starting to flop
Wait, are these different phones? | Image by PhoneArena
Pun aside, the last couple of Galaxy Z Flip generations have been slow to innovate. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, for example, features the same camera system as its predecessor. The inner display, the overall design, and the weight are also the same. Samsung didn't even bother to touch the battery size and charging speeds on this model.
The main differences between the Z Flip 4 and the Z Flip 5 are the chipset and the bigger outer display on the newer model. And I think with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung finally started feeling the pressure from other flip models offering bigger and more functional cover displays (Motorola Razr, Oppo Find).
Moving on to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, we find that Samsung again left most of the things unchanged, but there are actual upgrades with this one. The main wide camera features a new 50MP sensor, a slightly bigger battery (300 mAh more compared to the previous model), and a faster Snapdragon chipset.
Which would've been great if the competition wasn't already there and if Samsung had kept the price tag intact. Well, the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 also received an upgrade from $999 to $1,099 for the base version.
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One of these costs $699, and the other costs $1099 | Image by PhoneArena
Just for comparison purposes, the Motorola Razr (2024) launched with a 64MP main camera, a bigger 4,200 mAh battery, faster wired charging, and a very similar display, size, and performance for $699.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has to deliver
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 brought only incremental upgrades, so the next model has to deliver | Image by PhoneArena"
So, the pressure is on for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. We expect the flip foldable to launch sometime in the summer of 2025, probably in July or August, but there are numerous leaks for us to get an idea of what this model will offer.
According to the rumors, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will retain the camera system of its predecessor, along with the same RAM and storage configurations and overall design (to some extent). The expected upgrades include a redesigned cover screen, a new chipset (either the Exynos 2500 or Snapdragon 8 Elite), and a larger battery at 4,300 mAh.
The price is also expected to remain $1,099 for the base memory configuration. These seem like decent upgrades, but will they be enough to protect that sweet market share from the iconic rival we're just about to reveal? Let's see.
The Motorola Razr Plus (2025)
The Motorola Razr Plus (2024) was simply lovely, now we're waiting for the successor! | Image by PhoneArena"
Some of you might've guessed it by now, but the upcoming Razr Plus (2025) is shaping out to be a real flip monster. And it's coming for the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
The expected upgrades with the new Razr Plus look pretty substantial. For starters, the phone is expected to have a potent dual camera system, consisting of two 50MP sensors for the wide and ultra-wide cameras. There's another 50MP sensor under the selfie lens as well.
The chipset inside is believed to be the Snapdragon 8 Elite, top of the Qualcomm silicon at the moment. The same as the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but then again the Motorola is expected to be cheaper.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 next to the Razr Plus (2024) | Image by PhoneArena
Moving to the screen, Motorola could bring a 165Hz refresh rate to the 4-inch cover screen, which, while not groundbreaking or super-useful, might be a cool bonus. We also expect a slew of memory configurations with up to 18GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.
Last but not least, the battery capacity is expected to be around 4,500 mAh, making the upcoming Razr Plus the flip phone with one of the largest batteries on the market. Couple that with the expected 68W fast charging, and it looks like Motorola has the battery and charging fronts covered.
Final Words
The dark horse rises! Which flip phone will win? | Image by PhoneArena"
The smartphone market isn't always logical, and this is especially true when we talk about flip phones. It's easy to say that the Motorola Razr Plus will eat the Z Flip 7 for breakfast, based purely on stats and price, but that's not how this works.
Nevertheless, it really seems that other foldable manufacturers have now caught up with Samsung, and if the company doesn't react, this might translate to market share losses. What do you think about it?
Which upcoming flip phone are you excited about?
Motorola Razr Plus (2025)
53.8%
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
24.75%
None
19.8%
Other (leave a comment)
1.65%
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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