Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks outdated on the outside, and that’s fine by me

This year, Samsung will release the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, possibly alongside its upcoming tri-foldable smartphone. The Galaxy foldable phones have had their sales expectations lowered, but that hasn’t stopped tech enthusiasts from getting excited about new hardware upgrades.

A recently leaked image of the Fold 7 showed something that might be disappointing for many: the phone looks the same as its predecessor. This point stood out to me in particular because Samsung has been shaking things up this year.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra ditched the recognizable sharp edges in favor of a more traditional and grip-friendly design. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Galaxy tri-foldable will be a completely revolutionary new product category for Samsung: directly challenging the Huawei Mate XT.

And let’s not forget the new phone that Samsung has just released, the Galaxy S25 Edge. A competitor to the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, the Edge is yet another new change from the company after a few years of products that looked like clones of their predecessors.

So the decision to keep the highly-anticipated Fold 7 looking the same as the Fold 6 is a bit confusing. Especially when other foldables in the market are innovating in more ways than one. However, I think that this is a perfectly viable strategy.

Does the Fold 7 look outdated in 2025?

When I look at other foldable smartphones on the market today, I can’t help but think that Samsung is falling behind. The Oppo Find N5, for example, looks stunning in my opinion. It follows the current trend of flagship Chinese smartphones: a massive camera array on the back. Furthermore, it also comes in some very pretty (if not too spectacular) colors. The fact that it’s the world’s thinnest foldable phone only helps its case.

Galaxy Z Fold 7, on the other hand, is just more of the same. In the leaked image, its color doesn’t particularly stand out either. In fact, if you didn’t tell me that this was the Fold 7, I would’ve just thought it was the Fold 6 and moved on.

But I don’t think that that’s necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is looking like it’ll be one of the nicest foldables you can buy in 2025.

It’s what’s on the inside that matters

Samsung is taking things slow. Many, including myself, are bewildered by the fact that the company still hasn’t adopted better, high-density batteries. The charging speeds on Samsung’s flagships also remain incredibly sluggish compared to most competitors. And, perhaps worst of all, the Fold 7 is rumored to feature a 4,400 mAh battery, the same as its predecessor.

However, I really liked a comment under the leaked image that compared the Fold series with the Mazda MX-5. A Galaxy Fold phone is, simply put, a reliable and safe option for those who want a more exciting device that just works. Samsung’s software support is excellent, and the brand has made a name for itself as the king of Android phones in the U.S.

You get excellent displays, superb build quality, and quality-of-life features you don’t even realize you had until you switch to another phone. And it’s not like the Fold 7 is just the Fold 6 with a new name.

The Fold 7 will have a bigger display, and it will be much thinner as well. A direct comparison between the Fold 6 and the Fold 7 shows that the new phone will look and feel like an upgrade. There have also been leaks about the crease on the Fold 7’s display, which is said to be a big improvement over the Fold 6.

Multiple reports from inside the industry have also all but confirmed that the Fold 7 will be using the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset worldwide, something most will see as a major win.

You can’t go wrong with the Fold 7

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 might not be the exciting and revolutionary upgrade some may have been hoping for, but it’s still going to be an excellent device. Whether you’re new to foldables or a long-time adopter, the Fold 7 is a reliable and solid pick. And if you’re still not convinced, then you’ve got the tri-foldable to look forward to as well.

I think that the Fold 7 may be Samsung’s last foldable with this look. After the tri-foldable comes out and Apple ramps up work on a foldable iPhone, Samsung may begin thinking about shaking things up for its foldables next year too.

So if you’re a fan of the slightly outdated look of the Galaxy Z Fold series, then the Fold 7 is a love letter to you. Possibly the last one that Samsung will ever write.