Samsung unveils thin $2000 Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable phone as it aims to catch up with Chinese rivals

Indian Express

09-07-2025

Samsung has announced the $2000 Galaxy Z Fold 7, its slimmest foldable smartphone yet, as it aims to carve out a market for ultra-high-end devices in a rapidly changing mobile phone landscape. The company chose Brooklyn, New York, to unveil its latest and most premium smartphone, which features hardware refinements and advanced AI features that contribute to its higher cost.
The $2000 Galaxy Z Fold 7, launching worldwide on July 25, opens like a book, and is noticeably thinner and lighter than its predecessor. The device measures 8.9 mm when folded shut, and weighs 215 gram, although the title of the world's thinnest foldable still belongs to the Honor Magic V5, which is just 8.8 mm thick.
'Foldables were a bold move by Samsung to leverage its expertise in flexible display technology and offer a highly differentiated product to compete with Apple,' Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told indianexpress.com on Wednesday.
Wood admits that the foldable phone category hasn't lived up to expectations. Consumers have questioned whether they actually need a foldable device and have expressed concerns about the durability of these phones.
However, Wood remains hopeful that the new products Samsung launched at its Unpacked summer showcase in New York will help reignite interest in foldables. 'With a slimmer, more competitive design, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could play an important role in driving renewed interest,' he said.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7, announced alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, flip-style foldables priced at $1,099.99 and $899.99, respectively, is part of Samsung's long-term vision to be a category leader in foldables. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 remains the company's boldest bet at pushing the smartphone form factor with an extremely thin foldable phone.
Folding phones, which either open like a book or have a screen that folds in half, gained recognition when Samsung launched its first foldable device in 2019. In recent years, Honor, Oppo, and other Chinese smartphone makers have used slim foldable designs as a key differentiating factor from Samsung. The competition is only increasing, putting pressure on Samsung, one of the world's largest smartphone manufacturers.
Samsung's new foldables feature improved designs, better durability, and a host of AI capabilities that could help the company reclaim its position as the leading foldable smartphone maker and boost sales. The entry-level Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, in particular, could open up a new market for foldables, as some analysts believe it may expand the consumer base in key markets, reaching those who had considered buying a foldable phone in the past but were deterred by the high price.
'Having a device that is the size and weight of a traditional smartphone, but with the added benefit of opening to reveal a large display the size of a mini-tablet, is very compelling,' Wood said, when asked how a phone like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers a differentiated experience to users.
'The challenge is that these devices remain extremely expensive, and consumers are still nervous about their durability over long-term use. There needs to be more education to convince consumers that these devices are indeed robust. Over time, they will undoubtedly move further down the price curve, which could make them more attractive to a wider audience.'
With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung is placing its bet on a form factor that has achieved the thinness of traditional smartphones, while offering a tablet-sized inner display for enhanced multitasking and more immersive video consumption.
That may be the biggest differentiating factor between regular smartphones and foldable devices. Samsung Electronics Co is trying to woo a new set of consumers with its foldable phones. Unlike a laptop or tablet, which can perform similar tasks, a foldable slips easily into any pocket that fits a smartphone.
The new foldables test Samsung's marketing muscle and design prowess in a challenging smartphone market, amid economic uncertainty and tariff headwinds. Samsung is charging an upfront premium for these devices, yielding higher profit margins, but there is still a long road ahead to prove that foldables are the devices people never knew they needed.
Foldables remain a small slice of the overall worldwide smartphone market, with some analysts predicting just a 2 per cent share this year. However, experts say the opportunity for Samsung is significant, particularly in expanding its market share in the premium smartphone segment in key markets like India.
Samsung is manufacturing its new foldables domestically in India. Apple, Samsung's biggest rival in the high-end smartphone market, has been notably absent from the foldables space but is rumoured to launch its first folding iPhone sometime next year.
(The writer is attending the Galaxy Unpacked in New York on the behalf of Samsung India)
Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at indianexpress.com who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin.
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