When the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Arrives, Will it Be a Decent Upgrade?
I’ve had it with my Z Flip 5. After a year and a half, I’ve reached my breaking point. My phone has never cracked, but it’s stopped lasting the day and starts waking me up at night. The battery is constantly dying faster than it should, and since the last software update, the sleep and do-not-disturb modes no longer block notification sounds. I can’t figure out either one, and the Flip’s unique benefits no longer feel good enough for me to deal with them anymore.
The Frustrations of the Cover Screen
My biggest gripe is the cover screen. I’ve seen this phone reach the 80 percent mark by 9 in the morning, and threaten to die by 9 PM. I practically don’t use my phone when I’m at work, and yet now I feel like it always needs to be plugged in. The only thing I ever want to do in the MyQ app is press the garage door button, but on the cover screen, I have to scroll past ads first.
The Agony of App Launching
Before you ask: yes, I downloaded Samsung’s Good Lock app and used its MultiStar sub-app to painstakingly load each of my most used Android apps onto that screen, one at a time, but it’s almost always more efficient to simply open up the phone because they’re harder to use and harder to launch. Most apps don’t scale properly, and it takes an extra swipe to start them; more than one if I swipe the wrong direction first.
The Samsung Pay Shortcut Conundrum
With the cover screen, Samsung inexplicably makes you swipe left instead of up for apps, and right instead of down for notifications. Even though the bar at the bottom looks like my app drawer handle, it’s actually a Samsung Pay shortcut instead, and it still trips me up to this day.
The Limited Usefulness of the Cover Screen
For many months, I forced myself to use the cover screen to sign my kids out of school, to pull up my 2FA authenticator codes, to watch for my Uber driver, to remotely open my garage door. But the only thing I can actually do better there is selfies, which let you point the good lens towards yourself while you frame your shot with the cover screen. Even so, I think I’ve gotten more use out of this Game Boy Advance party trick than all the cover apps I’ve used combined.
The Verdict: It’s Time to Move On
So, after CES in January, I started hunting for my next phone. I hoped maybe I could find a small phone again, but no luck. On Reddit, however, I saw a trend: many Galaxy Z Flip owners were discussing whether they should abandon folding phones, now that Samsung was suddenly offering $500 in trade-in credits towards a Galaxy S25 instead.
The New Phone: A Galaxy S25
After confirming that the vanilla Galaxy S25 is indeed the smallest high-end Android phone you can buy today, I was intrigued. After hearing good things about the battery life with this year’s model and its 15.16Wh pack, I decided to jump on the deal.
The Verdict: A Bigger Phone, But Better Battery Life
The S25 doesn’t feel like a small phone in my pocket, I’m afraid. It feels a little boring compared to my Flip, and maybe I’ll be complaining about Samsung’s latest software update a year from today! But I needed a new phone. So far, the camera’s much better, and the battery life seems great. As I write these words, it’s 5:40 PM, and my lightly used phone is at 80 percent. There’s plenty left in the tank.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 may be a decent upgrade, but I’m not waiting. I’ve had enough of my current phone’s limitations and frustrations. For now, I’m sticking with my new Galaxy S25, which offers better battery life and a more traditional phone experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the main issue with the cover screen?
A: The cover screen is frustrating to use, with apps launching slowly and the need to scroll past ads.
Q: Can you still use the Flip for certain tasks?
A: Yes, you can still use the cover screen for tasks like taking selfies and controlling your garage door.
Q: Why did you decide to switch to a non-folding phone?
A: I wanted a phone with better battery life and a more traditional phone experience.
Q: Is the Galaxy S25 the best option for you?
A: It’s a good option, but it’s not perfect. I’m still evaluating the pros and cons of my new phone.
