Latest news with #flip phone
The Verge
30-07-2025
- The Verge
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review: more of a good thing
It's the flip phone paradox: if you want to be more mindful about your mobile device usage, you need more screen, not less. I know. But I swear it's true: with a bigger cover screen, you get more than just a new way to check notifications. You can actually get shit done. Things that are annoying or even impossible to do on a smartwatch, like sending a text or reading an email, are the perfect candidates for a larger-but-still-small screen. Best of all, you can avoid opening the phone altogether, which is a win for attention spans everywhere. That's what makes the $1,099.99 Flip 7 kind of a big deal. It finally offers a proper edge-to-edge screen on the cover. The previous two iterations offered a smaller screen with thick bezels that cut around the cameras, shaped like a file folder. Samsung finally took a cue from Motorola's all-screen approach, trimming down the bezels and just letting the screen flow around the camera cutouts. Now, the file folder is in the recycling bin where it belongs — at least on the main Flip model. You can still get the previous design for a little cheaper in the Z Flip 7 FE. But with more space for your daily tasks and the option to embrace chaos and run full apps on the cover screen — even at the risk of losing stuff behind the camera cutouts — the Flip 7 is a significant step forward for Samsung's foldable line. 8 Verge Score The cover screen is the biggest update on the Z Flip 7, so that's a good place to start. With the slimmer bezels and the full-panel display, it's gone up to 4.1 inches, from 3.4 on the Z Flip 6. By default, Samsung will keep cover screen content above the camera cutouts and use the space next to them to display things like live activities, navigation buttons, and a mostly useless AI summary of your day called the Now Brief. If you've opted for gesture navigation rather than three-button nav on the front panel, you'll see the time and date fill that spot as you swipe between panels. Even using the cover screen this way, which sort of approximates the file folder effect from earlier Flips, there's still more screen real estate to work with. Things get more interesting if you let the Z Flip 7 run full apps on the front screen. As it has in the past, Samsung makes you jump through a couple of hoops to do this. You can add an apps widget to the front panel by enabling it as an 'experimental' feature, but that only gets you access to a few preapproved apps, like Messages. As Flip phone realheads know, you need to download Good Lock and an extension called Multistar to let any app run on the cover screen. To its credit, Samsung added a shortcut to do this in the settings menu, but this still requires you to understand what 'Multistar' is. This is still far too much work, and I don't understand why Samsung keeps making this difficult when Motorola lets you run any old app on the cover screen without all this rigmarole. Once you've done all this, the real fun starts. I use the Flip 7's cover screen to glance at walking directions in Google Maps, start and end a bike ride in Strava, respond to texts that would otherwise languish in my notification tray, and punch in my coffee order as I'm running out the door. Doing all this stuff without having to come face to face with everything on my phone feels like a super power, and I always miss it when I switch from a flip phone to a regular one. Of course, a 4-inch screen isn't ideal for running modern apps — probably why Samsung makes it so difficult — and sometimes the thing you need to tap is hovering underneath the camera cutout. For these moments, Samsung provides a little icon at the bottom of the screen you can tap to cycle through three window sizes: full screen with content flowing behind the cutouts, everything above the camera lenses, and a teeny-tiny vertical window designed for ants. I was usually able to get to what I needed by tapping through these views, and in the worst-case scenarios I just opened the phone. A little awkwardness is worth it for the freedom of the full cover screen, if you ask me. Outside of the cover screen upgrade this is a mostly incremental update, aside from two big-ish changes: the switch to a bigger battery, and the inclusion of a Samsung Exynos processor rather than a Qualcomm one. Exynos chips aren't generally thought to be as powerful as their Snapdragon counterparts, but I didn't see any noticeable performance hiccups in daily use. I can take a dozen back-to-back portrait mode photos before there's a pause to clear the buffer. The phone warmed up with 20 minutes of Diablo Immortal gameplay at the highest graphics settings available, and I noticed a little jitter here and there, but nothing serious. The Z Flip 7 comes with a 4,300mAh battery compared to 4,000mAh in the Flip 6, and in this form factor every bit of capacity counts. It equates to battery performance I'd call a little worse than your average slab-style phone, but not by much. With moderate use I was down between 40 and 50 percent most days, but you can easily push that into less comfortable territory by adding extended hotspot use or graphics-intensive mobile gaming. Overall, I didn't come across any unpleasant surprises using the Z Flip 7. The 6.9-inch inner screen is pleasant to use and the crease basically disappears when you look at the phone straight on. It's a little wider and taller than on previous Z Flip phones, and it feels spacious. Every once in a while it's a little too eager to turn the brightness down while I'm using it, but this hasn't been a major annoyance. With the main screen open, it's easy to forget you're using a folding phone — until it's time to stop what you're doing and snap it shut, which is oh-so satisfying. And let's not forget the Flip 7's greatest flex: seven years of OS and security updates, which means you'll more than likely be done with this phone before it's done with you, and that's how things should be. One thing that might bring your folding phone to its knees before it runs out of software updates? A grain of sand. Like other foldables, the Z Flip 7 comes with an IP48 rating and remains susceptible to dust damage; a teeny-tiny particle in the wrong place could spell doom for that folding screen. To its credit, Samsung has been working on beefing up its repair program to give foldable owners more peace of mind. Its highest-tier extended warranty plan, which costs $18 per month, fully covers broken screens — inner or outer — at no extra cost. Having a solid care policy in your back pocket takes some of the worry out of foldable ownership. The Flip 7's cameras are unchanged from the previous model; it's still a very good camera system. On the rear panel there's a 50-megapixel main camera that offers a 2x crop mode, plus a 12-megapixel ultrawide; on the inside there's a 10-megapixel selfie camera. Letting you take selfies with the superior rear camera is still one of the Z Flip's best tricks, and Samsung continues to deliver a stunning portrait mode when paired with the 2x zoom. Default image processing can be a little crunchy with Samsung's well-documented tendency to pump up saturation on reds and blues. But the added versatility of the form factor encouraged me to take more shots than I normally might, and you know what that one guy said about the shots you don't take. I'm embracing the camera's flex mode to take candid shots of my 3-year-old. I can keep the camera at a lower angle and still frame up the shot without having to lift the whole phone up in front of my face and give away what I'm doing. If you want to see a 3-year-old make the most unhinged expression imaginable, go ahead and try and take a picture of one with your phone. You'll see what I mean. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the best version of Samsung's flip phone to date. The cover screen is more useful than ever, it's guaranteed seven years of software updates, and it offers a reliable camera system. Whether you want to stare at your phone less or you're interested in the nostalgia factor, a bigger outer screen is undeniably better. I certainly found myself less likely to get sucked into an impromptu scrolling session when using the Flip. But there is something intangible that Motorola has tapped into with its Razr series that still eludes Samsung. The Razr makes it easier to take full advantage of the outer screen, lets you have more fun with your cover screen wallpaper, and it comes in a wood finish for Pete's sake. Samsung took the big cover screen cue from Motorola, finally, but it still needs to learn a few more lessons from its competitor. Samsung's been working hard to make the Z Flip 7 feel more like a regular phone, which it has in a number of ways. Battery life is better, the inner screen is a little bigger, and the improved extended warranty helps ease concerns over foldable durability. But I think Samsung could also work on making the Z Flip 7 a better flip phone. Let's have more fun with the cover screen! Let me run whatever app I want without giving me the runaround! It's about flipping time. Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It's impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit 'agree' to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don't read and definitely can't negotiate. To use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Z Flip 7, you must agree to: There are many optional agreements. If you use a carrier-specific version, there will be more of them. Here are just a few: There may be more. For example, Samsung's Weather app also has its own privacy policy that may include sharing information with Final tally: there are five mandatory agreements and at least 10 optional ones. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Allison Johnson Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Foldable Phones Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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Android Authority
10-07-2025
- Android Authority
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE vs Motorola Razr (2025): I know which one I'd buy
If there's one thing I like, it's a flip phone. If there are two things I like, they're flip phones and good values. For a long time, only one device checked both boxes, and it was Motorola's base-level Razr. Now, though, there's a new competitor in town: Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. At a glance, it looks like everything that a Samsung fan on a slightly tighter budget might want, yet I can't see it pulling me away from the Razr that I already like so much. Here's why in a battle of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE vs Motorola Razr (2025), I'm picking the Razr every time. Which phone would you rather get? 0 votes Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE NaN % Motorola Razr (2025) NaN % Neither NaN % The simplest cover screen setup is always the best Ryan Haines / Android Authority I've never shied away from the fact that Samsung's Flex Window experience isn't my favorite. Sure, its collection of widgets is excellent — they're probably the most reliable way to check the weather, adjust my Spotify playlist, and keep up with my hectic calendar — but I only see widgets as half the battle. As soon as I need to go deeper on my cover screen, the Galaxy Z Flip tends to give up while the Razr keeps pushing forward. I mean, until Samsung gives up on Good Lock and gives me one unified app drawer experience on the Flex Window, I will always recommend the Razr's simple setup. Essentially, Motorola's approach to opening apps on its 3.6-inch cover screen is to let you opt into any apps and hope for the best. Usually, it works out pretty well. I've had no problems swiping through Instagram, dealing kudos on Strava, or placing a quick order on GrubHub. Maybe I have to adjust the window above or below the camera cutouts now and then, but I've yet to find an app that won't play ball. On the other hand, Samsung limits the apps optimized for its 3.4-inch Flex Window to little more than YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Messages. At least, I haven't found any others that work in the default app drawer, because I'm too quick to install Good Lock and set up a secondary drawer for everything I'll actually use. Granted, I appreciate not having to modify the window every time a button gets lost behind the cameras, but I'm not sure if that's enough to outweigh the odd folder-like shape. Also, Samsung's unlisted refresh rate lags behind the Razr's 120Hz cover screen, no doubt about it. Motorola's Razr design is far more fun Ryan Haines / Android Authority On top of looking for the best cover screen experience I can get, I've always subscribed to the idea that a flip phone should look as fun as it feels. If I pull a tiny, Klondike Bar-shaped phone out of my pocket, I want people to take notice. I want something fun and different that will get at least one or two people to turn their heads and ask a question, especially if they had an original Razr back in the day, if only because it allows me to talk about my favorite type of Android phone. As you might imagine, I think the Razr (2025) checks that box much better than the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Between its fun, Pantone-partnered colors and funky textures and materials, it's far more enjoyable to pull the Razr out of my pocket and turn it over in my hand. I wasn't sure that the nylon-inspired Gibraltar Sea version that I received for review would have enough grip on its back panel, but I was happy to be proven wrong, and I continue to display it on my desk right alongside the last few generations of Motorola flip phones. And, if nylon isn't your speed, Motorola has a pair of leather-inspired options in Parfait Pink and Spring Bud or an acetate-paneled Lightest Sky that might work instead. Samsung's mid-level flip phone, on the other hand, pulls directly from the previous Galaxy Z Flip 6, but it skips the one thing that made that design enjoyable: the colors. Samsung carried almost every last millimeter of its Galaxy Z Flip 5 into the Galaxy Z Flip 6, relying on new colors to spice up the overall style. Now, its first foldable Fan Edition is doing the same. It looks and feels identical, from the folder-shaped Flex Window to the flat-sided frame to the 6.7-inch internal AMOLED panel. The only problem is that the colors Samsung is counting on couldn't be more bland — you can get the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE in black, or you can get it in white. Even Henry Ford would probably get bored with these color options before long. Perhaps the most disappointing part of the limited color options for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is that it feels so unlike Samsung. I'm used to getting my choice of fun shades from the Fan Edition series, with the Galaxy S24 FE coming in options like Blue and Mint to break me out of the simple grays. On the bright side, though, Samsung's use of Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is just a bit tougher than the Razr's panel of original Gorilla Glass Victus. Both budget-minded flip phones pack IP48 ratings, which are plenty good against water, but you'll want to be careful about trips to the beach. Seven years of updates is great, but I like Hello UX better Hadlee Simons / Android Authority If there's one advantage I cannot hand to the Razr (2025), it's software support. Despite spending time owned by Google and running the far lighter, smoother Android skin, Motorola's commitment to keeping that software up to date lags far behind what Samsung has to offer. Its mere three years of Android updates and four years of security patches is only about half of what Samsung has to offer, and will leave the Razr watching from the sidelines by the time Android 18 rolls around. The Galaxy S24 FE, on the other hand, will get seven years of Android and security support, carrying it comfortably into the 2030s. My issues with Samsung's Flex Window probably tell you which Android skin I prefer overall. Although I'll have to upgrade my Razr (2025) a few years before my Galaxy Z Flip, I'd much rather have the light, Pixel-esque Hello UX in my pocket, jumping through its simple, organized app drawer and keeping myself from getting lost in its menus. Everything about exploring and customizing a Razr makes navigating the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE feel like a cumbersome mess of menus — and that's before you install Good Lock. Motorola's clean, simple Hello UX is as close to a Pixel-based flip phone as I'm going to get... for now. Motorola's clean, color-coordinated themes and reliance on the default Google apps make its overall software experience much cleaner and easier to recommend. Sure, there's usually still a bit of bloatware, but it's easier to purge one or two apps like Facebook and Netflix than to decide between Samsung's internet browser, in-house Gallery app, and Microsoft-based extras like OneDrive and Outlook. Of course, if you're willing to explore customization, you might find that Samsung's Good Lock modules are worth every penny. Clever twists like DIY Home allow you to make your home screen into just about any level of organized grid or absolute chaos that you desire, while several star-based modules (like MultiStar, RegiStar, QuickStar, and NaviStar) give you control over everything from your navigation buttons to the finer parts of your settings menu. I prefer to keep my Android experience as clean as possible, so I only really download MultiStar because I need it for better control over the Flex Window, but you might find that Samsung's extras are right up your alley. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE vs Motorola Razr (2025): There's only one flip phone for true fans Ryan Haines / Android Authority I get the idea of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE on paper — it's almost the same as the motivation behind Motorola's base Razr. However, in practice, I think it misses what makes the Razr (2025) so good. Where Motorola's entry-level flip phone feels like a distinct launch, offering its own design, its own cameras, and a meaningfully cheaper price, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE feels like a rebadged Galaxy Z Flip 6, but without as much power and not nearly as much of a discount off the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The base Razr starts at just $699, making it a pretty reasonable bet for anyone looking to upgrade to a flagship phone. It's more affordable than the Galaxy S25, the Pixel 9, or even the iPhone 16, which should convince at least a few prospective buyers to try something new. It's a full $300 cheaper than the mid-level Razr Plus and around $500 less expensive than the top-end Razr Ultra, but has enough of an identity to stand apart from either one. Motorola nailed the Razr's value, while Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is last year's phone without enough of a discount. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, on the other hand, starts at $899 — one of the toughest price points in flagships. It's more expensive than most base options, yet slightly more affordable than beasts like the Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S25 Plus, making it a way to save a little bit of money. However, by keeping that $100, you're downgrading your charging speed, ditching a third rear camera, risking a lower IP rating, and limiting yourself to simple color options like black and white. Maybe none of that is a dealbreaker to you, but it changes how I see Samsung's new offering. Where the Razr (2025) is a fun, colorful flip phone that could be a great way to get your foot in the door, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is a near-flagship with the wrong set of cuts. It's caught between two worlds, and I'd much rather pick the flip phone that knows where it stands.
