Before the Foldable iPhone: Samsung’s Z Fold7 Pushes the Boundaries of Slimness

More than a year before the anticipated debut of Apple’s first foldable iPhone in September 2026, Samsung has unveiled its latest innovation, the Galaxy Z Fold7. This new foldable smartphone model boasts a remarkably slim design, which is a significant leap towards the aesthetics that Apple is reportedly targeting. While its predecessor, the Fold6, had a thickness of 12.1 mm, the new Fold7 has slimmed down to just 8.9 mm when closed and a mere 4.2 mm when opened.

The era of carrying a bulky device in your pocket is over, as the Fold7 offers the feel of a standard smartphone when folded. To put it into perspective, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max currently measure 8.25 mm in thickness. The Galaxy Z Fold7, with a 6.5” cover display and an 8” main display, weighs 215 grams, positioning itself between the 6.3” iPhone 16 Pro at 199 grams and the 6.9” iPhone 16 Pro Max at 227 grams.

Samsung introduced a new hinge technology dubbed the Armor FlexHinge, which is thinner and lighter. The device also features Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, which is also used in all iPhone models, and the company claims to have minimized the visibility of the central crease. However, as seen in a video by MacRumors, the crease remains noticeable, particularly at less than ideal viewing angles.

Additionally, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is equipped with a trio of external cameras and a webcam punch hole on each screen. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, has a 4,400 mAh battery, and charges exclusively via USB-C, as the thickness of the port appears to dictate the phone’s slim profile — the Fold7 does not support wireless charging. The starting price is $1,999 for a model with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, with promotions already reducing the price to 1,949€ in France.

One year prior to launching its foldable iPhone, Apple will introduce what it can achieve in terms of slimness with the iPhone 17 Air this September. This ultra-thin and lightweight smartphone is expected to replace the Plus model between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. Rumors suggest it could be as thin as 5.5 mm and as light as 145 grams, featuring a 6.6-inch screen. In 2026, Apple’s first foldable iPhone is likely to have a roughly 7.8-inch display manufactured by Samsung Display. Apple has reportedly placed high demands on the screen and glass to ensure the fold is invisible, and the expensive hinge might utilize LiquidMetal technology. The price is expected to be at least as high as Samsung’s offering.