I’ve reviewed phones for 10 years. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be the first foldable I actually buy

It’s been just under six years since the first Galaxy Fold launched, and in the time since then, foldable phones have become among the most interesting in the Android world. I’ve personally tested and reviewed many of them, including models from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and others.

But as much as I appreciate what foldables offer, and as someone who’s been reviewing phones for 10 years, I’ve yet to actually purchase one for myself. Why? One of the main things that’s kept me away is the hardware. Foldable phones have gotten significantly thinner and lighter since the first Galaxy Fold, but many of them are still bulkier than what I’m comfortable carrying every day.

However, that may soon change. The latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 leak showcases a Samsung foldable that seems unbelievably thin. If the leak is accurate, the Fold 7 may be the first folding phone I finally spend my money on.

Multiple leaks have now suggested that Samsung is cooking up an ultra-thin design for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with Samsung itself even teasing the design in some recent press releases. But it wasn’t until yesterday’s leak from OnLeaks that we got our first good glimpse of what this thin design will look like — and it’s nothing short of impressive.

While the exact numbers are still up in the air, previous leaks have suggested that the Fold 7 could be as thin as 4.54mm or even 3.9mm when unfolded and approximately 9.0mm thick when folded shut. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 5.6mm when unfolded and 12.1mm when folded.

Those numbers have been floating around for a while now, and while they certainly sound impressive, it’s different to see with your eyes the difference those millimeters make.

Looking at the Z Fold 7 next to the Z Fold 6, it’s hard to believe this year’s Samsung foldable may actually look like this. It looks like a phone I could carry every day without issue. One I could easily slip into my pocket, use one-handed, etc. I’ve not felt that way about any other US folding phone to date, and it’s exciting to see Samsung might get there with the Fold 7.

Of course, Samsung won’t be the first company to release a super-thin folding phone. OPPO launched the Find N5 earlier this year with a shockingly thin body at just 4.21mm when unfolded. And last September, the HONOR Magic V3 debuted with an equally impressive 4.4mm unfolded design.

I admire what OPPO and HONOR have done with those phones, and I say that as someone who used (and fell in love with) the Magic V3 last year. But there’s a big issue with both phones: they aren’t suitable for the US market.

Not only are the phones not sold here, but even if you go through the trouble of importing one, you’d still have to deal with lacking carrier bands, unoptimized software, no warranty support, and so on. OPPO and HONOR’s hardware is exactly what I want out of a foldable, but neither one is a realistic purchase.

That’s precisely why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is so exciting. It won’t be the first foldable phone with a ridiculously thin design, but it will be the first one that makes sense to buy if you live in the US. It’ll work with your carrier’s 5G network, it’ll have software that’s fully optimized for the North American market, and should something go wrong, you’ll have warranty and insurance options to get it fixed.

Those are all things that other US foldables (like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold) already have going for them, but again, I come back to the hardware issue. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is shaping up to deliver the benefits of an established US folding phone while also offering the thin design I’ve been waiting for — and it may be a combination that’s too powerful to ignore.

A powerful combination indeed, but will it be enough to push me to buy my first folding phone? It’s certainly getting close, though I’m not 100% sold quite yet.

While Samsung’s design for the Z Fold 7 seems like a surefire winner, some of the rumored specs still leave me uncertain. The new 200MP primary camera appears to be all but guaranteed, but it seems equally likely we’ll be stuck with the same (and aging) 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto cameras. I’m also nervous about the battery, which is speculated to remain at just 4,400mAh. Even with the impressive hardware, will I be OK with middling secondary cameras and such a disappointing battery capacity? For a phone that’s likely to cost $1,900? I’m not so sure.

It’s by no means a guarantee that I’ll buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but this new look at its design does have me seriously thinking about it in a way I wasn’t previously. I hope Samsung outfits the rest of the phone with the specs it deserves, because if so, 2025 may finally be the year I purchase my first foldable. Just don’t tell my wallet.