I used the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Fold 4 in 2026

https://www.androidauthority.com/how-samsung-foldables-changed-three-years-3648323/

Publish Date: 2026-04-05 05:03:00

Brady Snyder / Android Authority

Smartphone innovation is dead, they said. It’s partly true — year-over-year changes are minimal in 2026, and it takes a few smartphone generations stacking up to form compelling value propositions. It’s easy to miss just how far we’ve come in a couple of short years between phone generations, especially with relatively new categories like foldables. I bought the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 on the release date in 2022, and after using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 intermittently for more than six months, it’s hard to believe these two phones are related.

If you’ve ever owned or used a Galaxy Z Fold 4, you know just how poorly that decision aged. That model was the last Galaxy Z Fold generation to feel like a prototype. The experience got a little better with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which folded completely shut for the first time. Then, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 added formal dust resistance with an IP48 rating. Finally, the current Galaxy Z Fold 7 tacked on a 200MP camera and a wider cover screen while making the chassis thinner and lighter.

Throw it all together, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a much bigger upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 4 after just three generations than you might expect. If you’re a Galaxy Z Fold 4 owner like me and haven’t upgraded yet, there’s not much else to wait for.

Is now a good time to invest in a large foldable?

8 votes

Yes, they are mature and refined

38%

No, they aren’t durable enough yet

38%

Yes, they finally got the cover screen right

No, they’re still too expensive

13%

Yes, they’re thin and light enough

Something else (comments)

13%

Foldable phones finally feel like a regular slab phone

Brady Snyder / Android Authority

I open the inner display of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 much more than I do while using the Galaxy Z Fold 7. That might sound counterintuitive, because the large folding display is the expensive part. However, it’s a testament to how much Samsung has refined the outer screen and overall form factor of the…

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