Samsung’s own software just tipped off the biggest change coming to its next flip phone.
Hidden animation files inside a leaked One UI 8 build show the
Galaxy Z Flip 7 swapping last year’s tiny outer panel for a nearly edge-to-edge cover display that wraps around both rear cameras. If the artwork is accurate, Samsung is finally ready to meet, and maybe beat, the roomy front screens already found on rival clamshells.
Hints about a larger window
first surfaced months ago, but the new firmware icons give us the clearest look yet. Early chatter points to a panel of roughly four inches, up from the 3.4-inch rectangle on the Flip 6. That extra real estate could let you respond to messages, read emails, or check maps without unfolding. Right now, Samsung keeps most apps locked behind the hinge, leaving power users to rely on Good Lock tweaks to add more shortcuts. With One UI 8, the company may decide that a bigger screen deserves native support for full apps.
Animation files extracted from a leaked One UI 8 build showing outer display sizes for the Z Flip 5, 6, and 7. | Images credit — Android Authority
That said, it should be noted that competition among this form factor is pretty fierce. Motorola’s
Razr Plus already offers a 3.6-inch OLED that runs most Android apps, while Xiaomi’s Mix Flip flirts with a 4-inch edge-to-edge panel. Both brands market their cover screens as the main stage instead of a secondary peek-window. Samsung perfected the hinge and water resistance first, but its smaller display left a gap that others gladly filled.
As for the hardware, rumors suggest the
Flip 7 will feature a 6.85-inch Dynamic AMOLED main screen refreshing at 120 Hz and an approximately four-inch secondary AMOLED on the outside, likely capped at 60 Hz. Power is expected to come from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, though an Exynos 2500 may appear in certain regions, paired with 12 GB of RAM and either 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. Camera duties could be handled by a 50 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultrawide, and a 10 MP selfie unit, all kept alive by a 4,300 mAh battery that supports 25 W wired charging. The phone should arrive with One UI 8 on top of
Android 16, and launch timing is widely tipped for July 2025.
If you have never tried a flip phone, the cover screen is the feature you use every few minutes, whether you are checking the time or snapping selfies. On the Flip 6, it's been said that its tiny size often forced users to open the phone for routine tasks, which felt clumsy compared to the
Razr Plus. A four-inch front display paired with proper app support could change that experience overnight. If Samsung delivers, the
Flip 7 might finally feel complete even when it is snapped shut.
Read the latest from Johanna Romero
Things that are NOT allowed: