Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: What we want to see in Samsung's next flip phone

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is finally here, and it's a fairly iterative upgrade over its predecessor, bringing a new chipset, a refined design, and an updated camera system. But now, it's already time to start looking at the Galaxy Z Flip 7, especially for those who may want to wait another year before upgrading their phones. So, what can we expect from the next Samsung flip phone?

Since we don't expect the Galaxy Z Flip 7 to launch until the summer of 2025, it's too early for rumors and leaks. However, we can still speculate and discuss what we'd like to see based on current trends and what we think we know. So, while we continue testing the Galaxy Z Flip 6, here are the things we want to see on the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: What we know so far

While we may not know anything about the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 7, we may already know what chips will power it. Qualcomm is set to launch the next-generation Snapdragon chip later this year, which will be the first to feature the company's new Oryon cores. These are found in Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Elite chips, powering new Copilot Plus PCs and promise to bring incredible power and efficiency.

We don't know any specifics about the chip aside from the fact that Oryon will be present. However, we can guess that it will be a major leap in performance.

Meanwhile, Samsung is working on its own next-gen Exynos chip, which will likely be built on an improved 3nm process that could bring enhanced efficiency gains that may even outpace the next Snapdragon flagship processor. Samsung is also likely to lean heavily into AI processing to match offerings from both Qualcomm and Google.

Elsewhere, we can guess that 12GB of RAM will be standard since it's what's available on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and the battery will likely be at least 4,000mAh or higher.

We can't say for sure if Samsung will change the design, but the company has stuck with the rather square and angular design for the last few generations.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Everything we want to see

Here's Android Central's wishlist for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 based on the specs and our limited hands-on time with the Z Flip 6:

A larger, more functional cover screen

Samsung made waves when it introduced the much larger cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. This was the current trend, after all, with companies like Motorola and OPPO opting for larger external displays. However, compared to its closest competitors, like the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 and even last year's OPPO Find N3 Flip, the Z Flip 6 is still on the smaller side of flagship flip phones.

With the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I would love to see Samsung increase the size of the cover screen while also getting rid of the weird notch at the bottom.

But even beyond that, I would like to see Samsung provide a better cover screen experience out of the box. Unlike the Razr series, Samsung still makes users go through hoops to enable app use on the external display, with a limited number available via the Labs feature and more through accessible with a Good Lock module.

Samsung says it wants to focus on the widget experience by providing better functionality for quickly accessing certain apps without needing to dive into them, and that's fine, but we should be able to have it both ways.

Less edge, more curves

There's nothing wrong with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 design. Its flat frame and back panels give the phone a very clean look, and the addition of the color-matching camera sensors is a nice touch. However, holding phones like this can actually hurt.

I realized this while reviewing the Galaxy S24 Plus; the edge of the frame would dig into my fingers, making it very uncomfortable to hold the phone after some time. After my brief hands-on with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, I can tell this will likely be a problem here, too.

Motorola has taken a different approach with a curved frame, with back and cover panels that seamlessly curve into it. The result is a phone that's fairly comfortable to hold despite it being larger than the Z Flip 6. I'm not saying Samsung should go completely curvy, but maybe a major design re-do is in order after we have largely gotten the same thing for the past few generations.

Faster charging

I'm happy to see Samsung is finally giving the Galaxy Z Flip 6 a battery life boost with the new 4,000mAh battery. With the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, this should help users achieve all-day battery life. However, as the battery becomes larger, the charging time will become slower since Samsung has kept the same 25W speed.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 can take as much as an hour and a half to charge fully, and ain't nobody got time for that! Meanwhile, OPPO and Motorola's latest flip phones provide speeds of 44W and 45W, respectively, making it much less of a hassle to get a good amount of juice before heading out.

You've already got one-half of the equation, Samsung, but the others are showing you up in a category you popularized!

Bring back Bespoke

One of the best things about flip phones is that they just look so nice. Even with cheaper models, flip phones are just surprisingly stylish phones, so it's no wonder why they capture a certain audience. I feel like Samsung really had something going when it launched the Bespoke Edition Galaxy Z Flip 3, allowing users to mix and match different color options beyond the standard offering.

Even the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, which comes in some nice colors, hasn't been able to match this level of customizability.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 colors aren't exactly my favorite, as I'm not a fan of pastels, but being able to mix it up with different options for the bottom panel, the frame/hinge, and the camera sensors would make the buying process so much more interesting.

Galaxy Z Flip FE

Now that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs $100 more than its predecessors, Samsung needs to consider giving us a cheaper model to launch alongside the "flagship." Similar to other Fan Edition models, Samsung should offer a Galaxy Z Flip FE to appeal to consumers not willing to spend more and more on a new phone.

Motorola already does this by offering the Razr in Plus and non-Plus (lovingly called the Minus) models. In fact, the company upped its game by giving the cheaper model the same design as last year's flagship Razr Plus 2023, which is quite a feat.

Samsung could do something similar, by giving the Galaxy Z Flip 7 a larger cover screen and "borrowing" the cover screen design from the Flip 5 or even the Flip 4 for a cheaper foldable. And for good measure, Samsung should charge $799 for this phone, which is cheaper than a Pixel 8 Pro, but still more than a the non-Plus Razr.