The inflection point of foldable screens begins with the "0.1mm" war.
The foldable screen market has entered an era of "a hundred flowers blooming." When the form innovation of smartphones broke through the limitations of the old ceiling, mainstream mobile phone manufacturers have successively invested in the foldable screen market, initiating a "millimeter war" about the future.
Since 2025, the entire market has been evolving towards the ultimate goal of "lighter, thinner, and larger" at an unprecedented speed. This is proof of the arrival of the Foldable Screen 2.0 era, and the competition lies in the "0.1mm" that is almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
Every reduction in the hinge thickness, every narrowing of the bezel, and every decrease in weight are the results of the combined efforts of new materials, new hinges, and new designs. It has also successfully reduced the average weight of flagship models in the industry to 230g and the average thickness to less than 9mm.
In early July this year, Samsung launched its seventh - generation foldable screen products, the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7. Among them, the Z Fold7, with a weight of 215 grams and a thickness of 8.9mm when folded, has become one of the most eye - catching new products in Samsung's product line this year and has completed the biggest upgrade in the history of this product series.
As an epoch - making foldable product, its improvements in aspects such as portability, battery life, and imaging have transformed the foldable screen from just a phone into a "super device".
Light and Right, the Technological Limit under the "Portability Philosophy"
Anyone who sees the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 will first be amazed by its thinness. Compared with its predecessor, not only has its body thickness been further compressed to the level of a straight - bar phone, but it is even lighter than Samsung's own straight - bar flagship, the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Currently, the average thickness of folded phones in the industry generally exceeds 9mm, and the unfolded thickness is between 4.1 - 4.8mm. Among the large - fold products launched by other manufacturers, many models with a total weight of less than 220g can only achieve this with specific versions, and the regular versions generally weigh more than 220g. The 215 - gram body weight of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is consistent across all parameters, regardless of the configuration or color.
From the parameters, it can be seen that in the R & D of next - generation products, Samsung has chosen a more difficult and challenging path, and has fully utilized the key advantages of innovation in materials and structural systems and precision manufacturing processes. It is not simply achieved by reducing configuration or making compromises. Just like the design concept of this generation of products - Thin and Light, Make it right. It's not just about pursuing portability, but "portable and complete".
In terms of structure, the Z Fold7 has redesigned the shape of the water - drop hinge, allowing more than 140 components to be arranged and combined to achieve the highest - density internal stacking in Samsung's history. The thickness of the Rotate part of the product has been compressed to 1.2mm, achieving a 23% reduction in thickness, and the Arm part has a 39% reduction in thickness. These optimizations have made the inner screen almost "crease - free" when viewed from the front.
Behind this is Samsung's precision manufacturing ability. The tolerance of many key components needs to be controlled within ±5μm, reaching the assembly standards of some precision instruments. This level of process accuracy also means that the threshold of the foldable phone industry chain has been raised again.
In terms of the screen structure, Samsung has broken the stereotype of "thin means brittle" through a key innovation. Under the self - developed UTG inner screen, Samsung has introduced a titanium alloy foil as a stress - dispersing skeleton for the first time. This material layer is vacuum - pressed between the screen and the middle frame and solidified with a high - temperature colloid at about 120°C, increasing its anti - bending and anti - cracking strength while maintaining flexibility.
The upgraded new structure has passed the 200,000 - fold test and the temperature difference cycle test from - 20°C to 60°C, verifying its physical stability in extreme environments. Finally, the inner screen of the Z Fold7 is not only thinner than the previous generation but also has a shallower crease, while significantly enhancing its rigidity and impact resistance.
This iteration of the material system is not just a story of improving the performance of a single device. It also means that Samsung's maturity in the systematic engineering of materials science and industrial design has widened the gap with most domestic manufacturers.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold7 continues to use the Advanced Armor Aluminum material commonly used in Samsung's foldable screens, achieving a 10% increase in strength. The outer screen is the only one in the industry to use Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, which has the impact resistance to withstand multiple drops from a height of 1 meter onto a simulated concrete floor without damage.
More importantly, while maintaining the balance between weight and structure, Samsung has not sacrificed any of the configurations that a flagship should have. The Z Fold7 is equipped with a 200 - megapixel main camera for the first time, and through the redesign of the autofocus motor and OIS structure, the volume of the entire module has been reduced by 18%. This means that within the limited thickness space, the Z Fold7 can accommodate a large - sensor camera with a 200 - megapixel main camera, a 5 - layer display module, a precise hinge structure, and a complete heat dissipation/antenna system.
This not only solves the long - standing industry problem of conservative photography due to space limitations in foldable phones but also realizes the coexistence of a portable body and a large - sensor imaging system for the first time. Paired with an AI imaging processing algorithm, the Z Fold7 achieves full - link HDR optimization and pixel - level night - scene noise reduction capabilities, and can still output flagship - level photo details and dynamic range in complex lighting, night - scene backlit, and other scenarios.
In addition, the high - resolution ability of the 200 - megapixel camera also provides more algorithmic space for Samsung's AI zoom system, supporting longer - range cropping and framing, and more precise post - production composition. This enables the Z Fold7 to truly evolve from being able to take pictures, taking good pictures to being good at taking pictures. It not only fills the key shortcoming of large - foldable screen products in imaging but also further consolidates its position as an all - around "main device".
Going "Light" and Making a Comprehensive Leap for Small - Foldable Phones
Since entering the foldable screen industry, Samsung has always adhered to a "dual - flagship" layout. This time, the vertical - fold flagship Z Flip 7 also brings surprises. In the folded state, the 4.1 - inch right - angled narrow - bezel outer screen fills the entire field of vision. In the folded state, users can quickly reply to messages, check notifications, and even shoot videos.
On the software side, Samsung has comprehensively optimized the outer - screen interaction experience, adding a real - time window function. In the folded state, users can view key information such as the arrival time of a ride - hailing car, music progress, and flight dynamics. The newly updated instant briefing function can also learn users' daily habits through artificial intelligence and actively push schedules, weather, and health reminders, integrating the originally scattered fragmentary operations onto the outer screen and significantly improving efficiency.
Meanwhile, this screen is also the brightest outer screen in the history of the Galaxy Z Flip series. Like the internal main screen, it supports a peak brightness of 2600 nits and has a high refresh rate of 120Hz.
In terms of imaging, the Galaxy Z Flip7 transforms the device into a mini Vlog studio. The new phone's main camera is a 50 - megapixel wide - angle camera capable of shooting 10 - bit HDR videos. This encoding can present approximately 1.07 billion colors, making the color gradient of the sky at sunset and the light - and - dark transition of a person's face indoors more natural. The greater post - production color - adjustment space for the footage meets the high - quality requirements of social content creators.
This time, the outer - screen selfie function of the Z Flip 7 further liberates users' hands. Just double - click the power button and place the phone upright on the table to activate the professional - level shooting mode. Thanks to the precise hinge structure and AI dynamic zoom technology, the device can automatically complete multi - dimensional composition optimization and millisecond - level autofocus, allowing users to capture life inspiration gracefully and achieve stable image quality comparable to that of a tripod with the natural support of the foldable form.
In terms of algorithms, the Galaxy Z series doesn't just focus on clarity. Through AI scene recognition, it converts complex lighting conditions into computable parameters. For example, when shooting a night - scene portrait, the system can accurately distinguish the face from the background light source and automatically balance the facial brightness and the environmental atmosphere, avoiding the embarrassing situation of either an overly dark face or an over - exposed background on traditional phones.
This series of software and hardware upgrades make the Z Flip7 not only a more portable foldable phone but also an imaging and interaction platform for the future. While meeting the professional needs of social content creators and mobile photographers, Samsung has also deeply integrated AI capabilities into daily use scenarios, pushing the foldable screen from a foldable device to a new dimension of intelligent terminals. Just as the new trend presented by the Galaxy Z series shows - folding is just the starting point.
Super Terminal, Infused with the "Soul" of AI
Behind the continuous improvement of the Galaxy Z series in the foldable screen market is Samsung's profound prediction of the form of the next - generation intelligent device. This time, the Z series has infused stronger AI capabilities into its portable body, rather than just a simple upgrade of parameters. With the artificial - intelligence voice assistant Bixby as the carrier, Samsung has taken the lead in achieving a multi - modal AI productivity revolution.
In actual use, Bixby is more like an all - around digital partner that actively understands the scene and participates in decision - making in real - time. The newly added music generation function can generate exclusive BGM according to users' creative needs, and the mind - map generation function can organize scattered information into a clear framework like a personal secretary.
The "Voice Chat Vision" function enables the phone not only to understand what users say but also to "see" the surrounding environment, creating an interactive experience with better context understanding and perception capabilities. The most practical one is the upgraded "Select and Search". When users encounter a difficult problem, they can take a photo to view the solution steps. They can also scan and translate a foreign - language menu by taking a photo. These seamless AI experiences have transformed AI from just an option in the function list into an unconscious dependence in users' lives.
On the productivity tool front, this intelligent large screen has become an efficient tool rather than just an entertainment device with the support of AI. The photo assistant provides real - time preview and one - click passer - by removal functions, and the audio eraser can eliminate environmental noise to make recordings clearer. Gamers can also experience real - time AI search and a floating guide window and directly drag the content into notes, truly achieving seamless collaboration between multiple tasks.
During the game, users can select content through instant search to obtain game guides. The AI search results can be presented in various forms such as floating windows and support direct dragging of content into applications such as Samsung Notes, realizing truly seamless cross - application collaboration.
The Galaxy Z Fold7, hailed as an epoch - making new product, is not just about being light or thin. It is an integrated evolution of computing power, intelligent services, and multi - scenario integration, indicating that the foldable screen is moving from a hardware - parameter competition to a new paradigm of intelligent terminals. Behind the evolution of numerous technologies and interactions, what is more worthy of attention is the fundamental change in the competition logic of the foldable screen industry.
In the past few years, foldable phones have gone through a long exploration period from concept phones to market verification. Now, the focus of competition in the entire industry has quietly shifted. The market has reached a consensus that after 2025, keywords such as portability, durability, and large screens will no longer be selling points for foldable screens but will become consumers' basic expectations.
The key to success in the next - generation foldable screens is no longer "whether it can be folded" but "whether it can make users forget about the folding state". The next battlefield for foldable screens is no longer a competition of parameters but an elegant balance of experience.
The breakthrough evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 in the foldable screen category has achieved the triple unity of portability, a portable body, and a large - screen experience for the first time. When the parameter competition is approaching the ceiling, Samsung has used the triple evolution of a large - screen ecosystem, portability engineering, and multi - modal AI to transform the foldable screen from a physical form innovation to an experience - scenario revolution, truly turning the smartphone into a computer that can fit in a pocket.
Behind the elegant experience is absolute technological "dominance". Globally, Samsung is still the only giant in the industry that controls the complete industrial chain of key foldable - screen materials, core components, screen manufacturing, and complete - machine assembly. Samsung's upstream - downstream collaboration ability and technological accumulation also enable it to outperform competing brands that rely more on outsourcing and partially imported materials in terms of mass - production stability and quality of foldable screens. Whether in terms of sales or technology, the foldable screen market has formed a pattern of "one super - power and multiple strong - powers" with Samsung at the forefront.
The birth of the Fold 7 has completely overturned the "impossible triangle" in the foldable screen industry. This milestone technological leap marks that foldable devices have officially completed their transformation from "novelty devices" to "mature main devices".
As the inflection point arrives, Samsung, with its full - chain control ability and forward - looking technological layout, is leading the industry into a new era of elegant balance of experience. Brands that cannot keep up with this trend may gradually fall behind in this "0.1mm war".
* When you buy the Z Fold7 now, you can get a free upgrade from 256GB to 512GB.
Reference Articles
[1]https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insight/post-insight-galaxy-z-fold7