Apple has my heart (at least in terms of smartphone ownership), but if I were in the market for a new handset this year, Samsung provides some serious temptation.
My pink iPhone 16 is doing just fine, but plenty of folks out there will be left with a difficult choice in the latter half of this year: Which new phone should I get? Samsung has some exciting new foldables on the way in July, while Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup is sure to launch around September. Officially, we don’t know a ton about either device yet, but we know enough that I can say there are at least a couple of intriguing reasons to consider the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7 over the iPhone 17.
Let’s get into them.
Why I’d consider a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 over an iPhone 17 this year
For the sake of clarity, the Z Flip 7 is the smaller of the two Samsung foldables. It folds into a compact clamshell shape, and the Z Fold 7 turns into a mini-tablet.
The Z Flip 7 is just more fun
First order of business: A clamshell foldable is just more fun than a regular smartphone. This is indisputable. It’s ironclad logic.
Who doesn’t love folding and unfolding a little thing periodically throughout the day? Those of you who aren’t old enough to remember real flip phones may not understand, but there was an innate satisfaction in pulling one out of your pocket and almost violently flipping it open to answer a call. You felt like you were doing business.
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Samsung’s Z Flip series hasn’t quite delivered on that particular front (opening the phone has traditionally taken slightly more effort than old flip phones did), but the fact of the matter is that a Z Flip 7 will be a conversation starter. People might even think you’re more interesting for owning one. More importantly, your smartphone has an extra way to make you smile throughout the day, and foldables provide that in a way a regular iPhone wouldn’t.
It can do things an iPhone can’t
An iPhone can’t do this, at least not easily.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable
Probably the most salient argument one could make in favor of a foldable versus an iPhone is that there’s practical, everyday functionality built into the form factor that an iPhone can’t reproduce.
I’m more of a Z Fold guy in this respect, as the bigger unfolded display is great for things like reading and streaming videos. But the Z Flip is no slouch here, either. The foldable shape allows for some neat features. Split-screen multitasking is a big one, allowing users to have two apps open on the inner display at once. On the outside, the exterior display can tip you off to important notifications without asking you to open your phone, which is nice for people who would rather not be staring at their phones at all times.
Samsung’s Flip phones also offer increased versatility for photography, both of the regular and selfie varieties. You can partially unfold it, place the flat end on a table, and set the timer for self-shots, for example. Being able to set it down for photography also guarantees a level image…unless your table isn’t level. If that’s the case, that’s your problem, not mine.
It might offer elite performance
This last bit is speculative on my part, but it’s reasonable to expect high-quality performance out of the Z Flip 7 because of what Samsung has been doing with its high-end phones this year.
Every phone in the S25 line, including the Ultra and the Edge, is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset that provides incredible benchmarking scores on top of reliable everyday performance. We don’t know yet if either of Samsung’s new foldables will be powered by the same chipset, though rumors point to that being the case with the Z Fold 7. I would bet, if that’s the case, that the Z Flip 7 also has a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip inside.
Of course, the iPhone 17 will almost certainly perform well, too. It’s just nice to know that anyone who opts for the cute lil’ foldable might also get elite performance. A Samsung might also be better for those interested in T-Mobile’s new cellular Starlink service, where dozens of Androids are supported a bit easier than the iPhone.
In the meantime, if you’re also curious about the Samsung Z Flip 7, then I recommend tuning into the Samsung Unpacked event on July 9.
