Latest news with #Unpacked
CNN
5 days ago
- CNN
I tested the $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a week, and I wish I loved it more
I've been a tech reviewer for more than a decade, and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the most surprising smartphone I've seen in that time. The seventh iteration of Samsung's foldable phones is that rare device that makes me stop in my tracks and wonder if I was wrong to write off an entire product category. For a while, folding smartphones seemed like they weren't really that innovative. Yes, bending displays hidden inside other displays are cool and make me feel like I'm in a science fiction movie, but previous foldables seemed too cumbersome. Samsung just changed that with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is so amazingly thin that I couldn't believe my eyes when I got it in my hands on it and the other Samsung Unpacked devices earlier this year. The Z Fold 7 basically hides in plain sight, looking like a normal phone at first glance. Once you see the little seam that runs down its side and exert a little effort to open it up, you get a small tablet. But with its massive price tag, the Z Fold 7 is definitely the kind of phone that warrants reading up on every inch of its design and specs before you invest. So, let's dive right into this review where I can give you a tour of Samsung's magically slender foldable. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 delivered long battery life in our testing, and its interior 8-inch AMOLED display enables a lot of video and multitasking. Its wild, thinner design is also lighter than ever I've seen a lot of tech companies tout the smaller sizes of their latest hardware, so I didn't give much thought about Samsung calling the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the 'thinnest and lightest' version of the foldable yet at its launch event. 'Of course,' I thought, that's the direction tech has been going since as long as I can remember. But holding the Z Fold 7 in my hand, and keeping it in my pocket throughout the last week, made me think Samsung's underselling the Z Fold 7's surprisingly diminishing dimensions. Unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7's so thin that you might be shocked to see it can hold any ports in it at all, much less the USB-C connector required to charge it. While the Z Fold 6 looks like two regular phones stacked on top of each other, the Z Fold 7 is maybe a hair slimmer than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is much slimmer than the Z Fold 6. It makes me think of what an Oreo cookie would look like without any cream in the middle. The Z Fold 7 is also slimmer than the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which looks more like the Z Fold 6 in terms of thickness. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is stupefyingly thin, to the point where I'm always a little delighted by its shrinking size. Admittedly, that praise comes with some caveats, including a bulbous camera bump that feels more pronounced because of the phone's overall thinness. Also, I wish the Z Fold 7 was a tad easier to open, because it's gotten so slim it's almost hard to peel its sides apart. A small divot, like you get in many laptop lids, would go a long way. When it comes to ergonomics, I've been a bit harsh on Samsung lately, holding the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ to the fire for being too darn long to use comfortably. Fortunately, I never found the Z Fold 7 too awkward in any configuration. This might be due to how the device is lighter than ever, with its 215-gram weight being 10% less than that of the Z Fold 6 and 3 grams lighter than the S25 Ultra. Samsung also increased the width of the foldable by 0.2 inches, to make it easier to type on when folded. While I think the Z Fold 7 would be easier to type on were it a bit wider when folded, that's a tricky move to make, because you don't want it to get too ungainly when opened up. I can't talk about design without mentioning colors, as I tested the Blue Shadow design, which goes from bold blue to very dark blue depending on how the light hits it. There's also a Jetblack model and a Silver Shadow design, but none of those is my favorite. That would be the Mint green model that's sold exclusively at Samsung's website. An 8-inch screen in your pocket is a lovely thing to have While the Z Fold 7's slender design is its big, newsworthy feature, its interior 8-inch AMOLED screen is the true reason to consider spending two grand on this device. My favorite reason to have a phone that can transform into a tiny tablet is for video, so I can watch YouTube while I do something else in multitasking mode without resorting to picture-in-picture (PIP). Also, you might want to use split-screen mode when you watch video; otherwise, there will be noticeable big black bars above and below your show or movie. Mobile gamers should also think about the Galaxy Z Fold 7, as I've found titles like Persona 5: The Phantom X and Genshin Impact much more enjoyable because they fill the screen well and this larger panel makes their small in-game captions and menu fonts easier to read. I also found the bigger screen useful at the gym when I split my screen between reading an article about dating in the Brave browser and plotting out my day's work in Todoist. Rewatching a behind-the-scenes clip from 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' I noted that the yellows of the plane that Tom Cruise was hanging on to popped just as they should, and that his brown leather jacket also rendered accurately. I also saw a fair bit of detail with light bouncing off his hair as it flapped in the air, thanks to the display's smooth 120Hz refresh rate and sharp 1968 x 2184 resolution. Music sounds surprisingly good on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 too; the vocals and synths on the new Kesha album sounded correct, just like the drums and bass did on the Clipse record 'Let God Sort Em Out.' It's not the boldest speaker, but it's still capable and impressive. In broad daylight, the Z Fold 7's screen can seem a bit more glossy or prone to fingerprint smudging and glare than I'd like, but it's not the biggest problem. Those new to the foldable phone world may balk at the big crease that runs down the middle, but everyone who loves these phones say they've gotten used to it, like the notches on MacBooks and iPhones. I'm more frustrated with where Samsung put the interior selfie camera, because now it's a punch-hole camera instead of one that hides under the screen, and it can get in the way of watching video. My last note about this screen is a warning for the brave who might think the Z Fold 7 could be their next laptop, which isn't too far-fetched considering its $2,000 price tag. To do that, you'll need to make sure you have a proper monitor, USB-C hub, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use Samsung's DeX mode. Without that monitor, though, I found it lacking, because the Z Fold 7's 8-inch screen just isn't big enough for me to get a whole lot of work done. I am too used to being able to see two out of three of my main apps (Outlook, Slack and a word processor) at the same time, without any of them scrunched down to fit a smaller screen. If you're used to doing one thing at a time and want a truly portable device that uses cellular connections instead of needing Wi-Fi, I could see making it work. Phenomenal battery life and solid performance Whenever I test a folding phone, I am extra curious how long their interior screens will last on CNN Underscored's battery life test in which we loop a 4K video at 50% brightness. Imagine my surprise when the Z Fold 7's unfolded 8-inch screen turned in a time of 21 hours and 23 minutes, which is a lot for such a thin phone, and enough to practically guarantee a spot among the best smartphones. That's enough playback time to put the Z Fold 7 over every single iPhone 16 model by at least 43 minutes. It also outlasted the Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, though those were running on a similar but previous version of the battery test. The Z Fold 7 didn't beat the Samsung Galaxy S25+ or the Galaxy S25 Ultra, as both of those nearly hit 29 hours. Once you need to recharge, don't worry; the Z Fold 7 gained 52% of its charge after half an hour of being plugged into a 100W USB-C adapter at my desk. The Z Fold 7 isn't just a long-lasting phone, it's also pretty snappy, thanks to similar internals and the same Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor you'll find on the Galaxy S25 lineup. That chip's been fast enough for all the stock, preloaded software to work as smoothly as it should, including the generative AI tool that removed a bunch of people from a photo I took on the High Line in Manhattan. Admittedly, the resulting photo looked really creepy, but I figured I might as well test these features even if I don't see their value. On the Geekbench 6 benchmark, the Z Fold 7 actually traded wins with the iPhone 16 series. It beat all Apple's current phones on the multi-core test that measures performance on the more-demanding apps, while it lost on the single-core test that sees how fast it handles everyday apps like email and web browsing. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 lost to the S25 Ultra on both of those tests, but at least it beat the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold on each round. As for storage, the unit I'm testing has 256GB of space, but anyone who buys early from Samsung will get a free upgrade to 512GB, which normally costs $120 extra (a total of $2,120). There's also a 1TB model, which costs $2,270 now but will go up to $2,420 later. A good-enough camera array Prev Next Taking the Galaxy Z Fold 7 out on the town with me to the streets, I've come to the conclusion that this phone's camera set is pretty good. It's not what I'd call $2,000 good, but it's going to get the job done. Taking landscape shots around town, it didn't take much effort to get a great photo looking down 9th Avenue with the Z Fold 7's 200-megapixel main wide-angle lens. The shot features a relatively accurate blue sky, and offers good detail from the reflections in the adjacent buildings. Colors of slate buildings and the skies above looked similar in the photos I shot on the S25 Ultra, while the blues looked a little less saturated on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is what we expect when comparing Apple and Samsung cameras. Washington Square Park's gushing fountain also looked similar from afar in images captured on both the Z Fold 7 and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Prev Next The Z Fold 7's photo of pedestrians walking and lounging near a giant pigeon statue on The Highline looked similar to those shot on the S25 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, with the trees on the left appearing just a tad darker on the Z Fold 7, which also made the statue look a bit lighter. Prev Next You might be annoyed with how the Z Fold 7 maxes out at a 3x optical zoom, which is a notch below the 5x zooms in the S25 Ultra, Pixel 9 Pro Fold and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Surprisingly, the Z Fold 7's 5x digital zoom's photos looked OK when compared to those taken with the 5x optical zoom in those competitors when I was shooting signage from far away on Broadway. This may lead to more digital artifacts in action photography, though, so I'm still preferring phones with higher optical zoom. Prev Next Portrait mode using the Z Fold 7's 10MP selfie cam was a mixed bag, with points awarded for a pretty good capture of my skintone and shirt, as well as the stubble on my face and the browns and neon yellows of my hat. However, it also blurred out the hinges of my clear glasses and the corners of my hat, failing to get crisp lines. The S25 Ultra didn't have those problems, and neither did the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Prev Next The Z Fold 7 held its own when I took close-up shots of a bushel of Columbine flowers, with clarity on par with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, it captured a slightly more-yellow shade of green than I'd have preferred, as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and iPhone 16 Pro Max recorded a more-accurate and bolder green. Prev Next Unfortunately, that win didn't translate to all close-ups, as its images of a slice of pepperoni pizza didn't always amp up my appetite. The automatically-enabled focus enhancer mode gave the cheese a weird look that makes it practically congealing (tap that little flower icon to disable it). Once I turned that off, I got shots similar to those I captured on the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Prev Next Nighttime photography in Greenwich Village also proved to be a good demonstration for the Z Fold 7. I preferred how accurately its automatically-enabled night mode captured the dark sky and a nearby tree, especially as the iPhone 16 Pro Max over-brightened those parts of the shot, leading to a purplish sky. Turning off Night Mode, though, the iPhone clawed back into the fight with a redder traffic light, which got blown out in the Z Fold 7's shot. Android still needs some work on this bigger screen The Z Fold 7 makes fine use of Android, as anyone familiar with the operating system won't spend too much time getting used to this display. Splitting your screen may require watching a tutorial online, but once you go beyond the basics, you may start to see things that need more tender love and care. Instagram is the one third-party app that needs to look great on every phone, and the Fold 7 just fails to adapt properly. For example, Reels videos in my main feed get cropped to a square to fill the screen, which doesn't look right. Instead of feeling like I have this big screen device, I'm seeing pixelated, over-zoomed in video that's missing the captions on the top and button of the screen. Other times, there's an awkward, inexplicable black bar at the top of the screen. The app seems to constantly be adjusting to this 8-inch screen, something I didn't expect to see in the 7th iteration of Samsung's foldable — though Android tablets have always had their issues with third-party apps. The issues go beyond Instagram, though, like when I open the Fold 7 to the L-shaped position to try and use it as a phone-with-a-kickstand. This seemed like a great idea on paper, but you can't use the exterior display when the Fold 7 is open, and the interior screen won't rotate when the device is locked. I also have to wait for the inside screen to rotate 90 degrees every time I unlock it. Lastly, there's the dock problem, as you better think twice while you load up that row of icons on the bottom of your screen. While I was happy to see that the dock in the Z Fold 7's interior screen can hold up to 8 apps, I was frustrated when I only saw five of those apps when I was using the Z Fold 7's front screen. I would have thought swiping between home screens would let you basically scroll through your docked apps, but foldable phone veterans likely won't be caught off guard. The phone's thinner screen only shows you the first five apps counting from the left side of the interior screen, and basically hides the apps you put on the right. This was especially annoying for me, as I always put my most important apps in the bottom right corner, so they'll be within closer reach of my thumb. This camera bump is too much Things got more awkward when I accepted that I wasn't going to use the Fold 7 as its own stand, and just tried to use it flat on tables. The three camera array on the back of this foldable creates an annoying instability whenever I tap the screen when the phone is lying down, as the phone begins to rock back and forth and sound like I'm communicating in Morse code to someone. This wobbly phone problem happens no matter if the Z Fold 7 is closed or open. I'm no engineer, but I think this means that the Z Fold's improbable thinness is less of a win than I thought it was in person. Additionally, when I put the folded Z Fold 7 and Z Fold 6 next to each other on my office desk, the camera bump makes the newer, thinner model stick so far up it doesn't really look that much better. The fact that the Z Fold 7 rocks back and forth on surfaces doesn't make it unusable, but you deserve better if you're spending $2,000. Too expensive for such an inferior face unlock At this price, I believe the Z Fold 7 should be a slice of perfection, or very close to it. That, unfortunately, is not the case when it comes to something incredibly basic that the iPhone handles just fine. One thing that keeps me from feeling at home on Android phones is that their facial recognition is often inferior to the iPhone's Face ID. Not only does it feel slower, but it's less reliable and requires more-focused eye contact. It also doesn't work if you're wearing a face mask, and that still feels like a whole team was asleep from 2020 to 2021. This isn't really a new or huge problem for seasoned Android veterans, but I feel a need to bring it up since the Z Fold 7 costs $2,000. Fortunately, the Z Fold 7 does include fingerprint scanning on its power button, though that sliver of the phone is so thin and small I sometimes have a hard time finding it. So, as you might have guessed, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not my next smartphone. I truly appreciate what Samsung's done with what I can only assume are magical shrinking machines back at its labs, but you're still giving up too much (including money, first and foremost) to enter this wild, foldable ride. As someone who really cares about his camera kit, there's slightly more compromise here than I'd like, especially at that price, and I just want the Z Fold 7 to do more in that 90-degree folded mode. If you're willing to work through any Android app awkwardness, and you don't worry about capturing the perfect shots with your phone, you might love the Galaxy Z Fold 7. I would just think twice about buying a phone case to reduce that camera bump wobble, because increasing the Z Fold 7's size would make it just like any other phone. How much will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 cost? How much will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 cost? The Z Fold 7 starts at $2,000 for the 256GB configuration, but Samsung's official website started off sales with a 512GB model with the same price. That model will cost $2,120 after the initial sale is over, and the 1TB model started at $2,270, and will go up in price to $2,420 later. Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 have AI features? Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 have AI features? Yes, the Z Fold 7 has the standard suite of generative AI tools we see these days, such as Google Gemini and the suggestive erase feature to remove people you don't want in images. Does the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 come with an S Pen? Does the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 come with an S Pen? The Z Fold 7 does not include an S-Pen, nor does it support the Samsung stylus. CNN Underscored comprises a team of writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. Electronics writer Henry T. Casey has been testing gadgets for in-depth product reviews for more than a decade, and focusing on the latest and greatest phones during the nearly two years he's been at CNN Underscored.
Engadget
5 days ago
- Engadget
How to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 series
Sam Rutherford for Engadget The third Samsung Galaxy Unpacked of 2025 fell right after the July 4 holiday in the US and smack in the middle of Amazon's Prime Day week. With all that was going on, you might have missed not only the new around the hardware launch, but also the opportunity to consider buying them. At Unpacked, Samsung announced three new wearables: the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the Galaxy Watch 8 and an updated Galaxy Watch Ultra. It also revealed a trio of new foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. However, despite rumors, Samsung did not roll out a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra model. All of the devices announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked have been available to pre-order since Galaxy Unpacked on July 9. Starting today (July 25), though, they are generally available for sale. With that in mind, we've rounded up all the products to look out for, including their specs and any good deals to consider. We've also been able to review the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Watch 8 series, as well as the Galaxy Z Flip 7. While we await units of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, based on what we know it doesn't differ much from the Z Flip 6, so you can refer to our review of that older device for an idea of what to expect. That said, here are all the devices Samsung announced at Unpacked listed in one place so you can easily go over their specs and prices. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 features several notable upgrades over its predecessor. For starters, at 8.9mm, it's almost as thin as the S25 Ultra's 8.2mm and 26 percent thinner than the Fold 6. It also has some updates to its image quality, including a jump from a 50MP to a 200MP main camera. It also offers a 10MP 3X optical zoom camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP cover screen selfie camera. Plus, the screen is a smidge bigger at 8 inches, up from 7.6 inches. The Fold 7 also features multimodal AI, which assists with tasks such as optimizing the main screen's layout and dragging AI creations between apps. However, it does offer the same 4,400 mAh battery as its predecessor, although Samsung claims it should still provide slightly better battery life. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. The new smartphone comes in three colors: Blue Shadow, Jet Black and Silver Shadow. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 also come in Mint exclusively on Samsung's website. Plus, there's a range of storage options, like 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. $2,000 at Samsung The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has the thinnest bezel of any Galaxy smartphone at 1.25mm. It also has a larger 4.1-inch external display than the 3.4-inch one on the Flip 6. It has quite a few updates from the Flip 6, including a 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600 nit peak brightness, up from 60Hz and 1,600 nits. The Flip 7's main screen has increased in size from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches, and its cover display has expanded from 3.4 inches to 4.1 inches. Plus, Gemini, the Now bar and Now Brief all work on the Flex Window. Its battery did improve, increasing from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh. Unlike the Fold 7, its processor is the Exynos 2500. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 comes in Coral Red, Blue Shadow and Jet Black. Then there's also the online exclusive color, Mint. Unlike the Fold, it's only available in 256GB or 512GB options for a starting price of $1,100. $1,100 at Samsung Samsung skipped the Classic model last year, releasing just the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra. This means the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a two-generation jump, so it comes with high expectations. It has the hallmark rotating bezel of the company's Classic smartwatch line, and runs Wear OS 6 with Gemini support out of the box. Let's look at the basics. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic comes in two standard colors, white and black. It's available in a single 46mm size with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for $500 and with LTE for $550. That's a significant price hike from 2023's Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, which started at $400. $500 at Samsung Like the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the Galaxy Watch 8 also comes with a price hike, albeit a smaller one. The 40mm Wi-Fi model starts at $350, compared to the $300 of the previous two models. The Galaxy Watch 8 is also available as a 44mm Bluetooth and Wi-Fi model for $380. The LTE versions go for $400 for the 40mm or $430 for the 44mm. The watch comes in Granite or Silver, arguably just a sleeker Black or White. This version of the Galaxy Watch 8 is the slimmest yet, and comes with a new "dynamic lug" strap swapping system. Your old watch bands won't be compatible, so you might need to invest in some if you buy the Watch 8. In exchange, you'll get new features like an antioxidant index test that uses the heart rate sensor on the Galaxy Watch 8, plus Wear OS 6, Gemini support, running guidance, sleep coaching and vascular load insights. The Watch 8's display is also brighter than the Watch 7, with a bigger battery, too. $350 at Samsung The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, or fan edition, is Samsung's first foldable FE phone. It's the cheapest of the three foldables launched today, starting at $900 for the entry-level 128GB model. It's also a more classic look, coming only in black or white. It's basically last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6, down to its dimensions, cameras, screen and battery size, except with an Exynos 2400 processor. And it's $200 cheaper at launch. While the Z Flip 6 is available on sale, it's a better deal than the Z Flip 7 FE. But when you consider that the Flip 7 FE may go for much less when Samsung offers discounts, it does seem to be a budget-friendlier option for those looking to wade into the foldable pool. $900 at Samsung The 2024 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event saw the company introduce its own Ultra Watch, blatantly taking the name and certain features from Apple. At Unpacked 2025, Samsung quietly released a new version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. It's not much different from the original, and is largely the same other than coming in a Titanium Blue color option and offering expanded storage of up to 64GB. It also uses the new "dynamic lug" strap system that Samsung introduced with the Watch 8 series this year. $650 at Samsung Update, July 25 2025, 9:00AM ET: This story has been updated to reflect that Samsung's devices are now available for sale, as well as to include links to our reviews.
The Verge
5 days ago
- Health
- The Verge
I ‘fooled' Samsung's new antioxidant feature with a Cheez-It
If I were to believe the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Normally, smartwatches don't make judgments about your nutritional intake. But this year, Samsung introduced a new experimental feature called Antioxidant Index. Using blue, yellow, and infrared LEDs, the watch's sensor can pick up carotenoid levels in your skin. (Carotenoids are a type of antioxidant that give fruits and veg their yellow, orange, or red hues.) You stick your thumb on the sensor, press, and in 10 seconds, you get an estimate of whether you're meeting the recommended amount of 400g of fruits and veggies per day. I wasn't expecting the Galaxy Watch 8 to say I was the Queen of Plants. I've been known to pooh-pooh a side salad in favor of fries with my burgers. But it was kind of rude when two weeks ago at Unpacked, I demoed the feature and got a dismal score of 37. This was after I'd just had a vegetarian July 4th, replete with zucchini, radishes, corn, cabbage, tomatoes, salad, and more peaches than I knew how to digest. It was even ruder when this morning; it said I had a 'very low' antioxidant score of 48. This, after eating my customary breakfast that includes a serving of fruit, coffee, and a green juice protein smoothie — all rich in antioxidants. The old me would've tossed the Galaxy Watch 8 with an indignant huff. The new, evolved me decided to test this sensor on as many brightly colored things as I could get my thumbs on. First was a tangerine peel. As expected, it got a score of 100. The same was true of a peach slice, a tangerine section, and a strawberry from my lunch and breakfast, respectively. I had less success with a blackberry. Despite having the highest carotenoid levels of any berry, the berry scored a dismal 37. At this point, I thought I was on to something. All the red, yellow, and orange fruits had passed with flying colors, yet a carotenoid-rich blackberry failed? Perhaps the Galaxy Watch 8 was more colorist than accurate. I colored my thumb with a yellow-orange marker. Wouldn't you know it? My Antioxidant Index shot up to 100. Next, I colored it with a blue marker. My score dropped to zero. Unfortunately, my color-based hypothesis was foiled by a piece of roasted broccoli. It, too, scored 100 and is, in fact, rich in carotenoids. Perhaps the blackberry had failed because, when pressed against the sensor, it exploded in a mess of purple juice that was subsequently difficult to clean from the watch. Perhaps I was deficient in my antioxidant consumption. Or so I thought, until the Cheez-It. If you've never had a Cheez-It, it is a delightfully cheesy, crispy cracker, and most importantly, it is orange. The Cheez-It scored a near-perfect 99. Surely, a CHEESE cracker is not a paragon of antioxidant content. A quick Google search humbled me. Cheddar, the predominant cheese in Cheez-Its, actually does contain carotenoids. That's actually why it's orange. Upon this discovery, I had to lie down and stare at my ceiling. I asked Samsung whether the sensor detects carotenoids based solely on pigments, or if there's some other factor at play. I haven't yet received an answer, but after some rest and reflection, the ghost of my common sense returned to me. It ultimately doesn't matter whether I meet Samsung's measure of 'enough' fruits and vegetables — even if it is informed by the World Health Organization's recommendations. What matters is that I make a concerted effort to include a variety of colorful fruits and veggies on my plate more often than not. If I'm deficient in a vitamin, it'll likely show up at my next doctor's appointment. Features like this aren't meant to make you spiral about whether you're meeting some arbitrary standard. Even if a bunch of science went into developing detection algorithms using high-tech sensors, there's always going to be errors and room for misinterpretation. This seems obvious, but it's easy to get sucked into the quantified rat race toward perfection. If tracking a specific metric makes you feel worse about yourself, you're allowed to take a break from it — or even decide it's not worth paying attention to. None of this is meant to be taken that seriously. Rather than obsess too hard over a new metric, the best takeaway from my time with the Antioxidant Index has been discovering that I enjoy peaches with waffles and tangerines as snacks. That, and Cheez-Its have antioxidants and from this day forth shall be considered a healthful part of my diet. Photography by Victoria Song / The Verge Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. 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News18
23-07-2025
- News18
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Is A Matured Foldable That Is Ready To Rumble
Last Updated: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 brings a new version of the foldable from the brand as it faces intense competition after all these years. Samsung unveiled the Z Fold 7 model at the Unpacked event earlier this month, getting people excited for the foldables once again. The brand has generally gone with a safe approach in the last few years, but with competition getting savvier, Samsung needs a strong reboot. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 does its best to give a device that has been overhauled from the ground up, sprinkling its AI tech and bringing some of the Ultra experience the company has been touting with its pre-launch teasers. With all these in the bag, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 now costs Rs 10,000 more than its predecessor but do these changes and the premium novelty make it a worthwhile upgrade? We tried out the new model to give you the answer. Samsung has finally made a checklist that makes sense. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has shed a lot of weight, and become much leaner. The improvement over the years with the Fold series has been evident but none more so than with the Fold 7. The brand finally has a premium device that can become an alternative for the regular candy bar phones. The dimensions have really come down. The unfolded state gives you 4.3mm with the Fold 7, and it now weighs 217 grams, a big cut from the Fold 6 that was hefty at 239 grams. Even the build quality has got a new coating and the hinge design has been reworked to now support more fold cycles. However, the sleek design means the camera module at the back protrudes aggressively which disrupts the balance of the device when placed facing the screen on the table. The Dual-Screen Mode The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a slightly bigger and more functional 6.5-inch cover AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 protection. You are unlikely to face any issues using the screen for taking calls, some doom scrolling, and even reading important messages. The dimensions now make it easy to hold and use without feeling the weight. And when you unfold the device, it has an 8-inch dynamic AMOLED display, also with support for adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and 2600 nits peak brightness. The inner display has improved with its quality and the lack of crease gives it the finesse we were hoping for from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 this year. The overall trimming of the device means the 6.5-inch cover display now feels like using a regular phone. Although we would like the bezels to be thinner which will give it more depth. The colours are bright, punchy and the 120Hz display gives you a fluid experience all across the Fold 7. Reliable Power In Store Samsung has gone with the latest available hardware for the Z Fold 7. You have the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with 12GB and 16GB RAM options with up to 1TB storage model available this year. The benchmark scores and real use experience tell you everything about this setup and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 benefits in the best way possible. Samsung has mostly delivered on the hardware front, and this year's Fold 7 shows its all-round improvements befitting its status. You can enjoy the multitasking nature of the foldable, and even make use of the cover screen for basic tasks like answering calls and catching up with the messages. Can the Fold handle gaming-related tasks? The hardware is surely tailored to support that but the form factor has some limitations that might not work for everyone. Android 16 Is Here Samsung has actually managed to beat Google by bringing Android 16 out of the box with the new Fold and Flip models. The Pixel 10 series is launching in August but Samsung has taken the cake for this big change. And with the One UI 8 version you get minimal changes compared to One UI 7 but the alterations mean you get a more stable and polished software running on a premium flagship device. The promise of 7 OS upgrades and security updates finally holds true because you get the latest version from day one. The premium UI experience is an understated equation and Samsung is clearly ahead of the pack in this aspect once again. The Ultra Camera Upgrade The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has got the Ultra treatment this year and by that we mean the use of the 200MP primary sensor for the first time on the fold series. You get it paired with the 10MP telephoto lens and a 12MP ultra-wide angle lens like the previous versions with some moderations. The main camera is the hero for this version and you finally have a camera matching its stature and the foldable segment. The shots captured in crisp daylight are detailed with colours looking natural unlike the heavy contrast touch of the previous Samsung cameras. The low light photos also have details and clarity that might be missing in devices from other brands due to processing issues. The tuning of One UI 8 plays a big part in the camera being able to use the shutter speed to good effect and deliver quick snaps. The front camera has got a moderate upgrade with a 10MP shooter which does well with the details in portrait but still not the best in the segment. Scope For Lot More Samsung has dropped the S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 model which somehow suggests the company is slowly moving away from the accessory altogether. The Fold 7 is a more mature platform for the stylus, more than the Ultra version, but the brand has decided to not offer or even support it this time. The Galaxy AI features give you a mix of Samsung and Google Gemini tools with the former giving you on-device privacy for data processing. However, with Galaxy AI now in version 3.0 we expect the platform to evolve and add more features into the ecosystem to tempt more users with its functional means. What you get with the Galaxy AI is good but we want more in the future versions. And finally, the sleekness of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be heavily credited to the use of a 4,400mAh battery which is the same as the Z Fold 6. The company clearly has some reservations about using the Silicon carbon tech which will enable them to fit a higher density unit on the foldables, something that other brands have shown is possible quite easily. Having said that, the Z Fold 7 battery does well to last for just about a day with moderate usage which is nothing to be lauded about as the efficiency could be because of the hardware and software doing its job. More so, even with a battery of this size, Samsung has played it safe by supporting a mere 25W charging speed which does not even fit into the fast charging category anymore. top videos View all Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 finally shows its mark in the matured foldable space and after all these years, the company has ticked most of the boxes with its new product. The size and dimension of the Fold 7 makes it easier to use than before, the screen sizes have been done right, and the flagship power handles the rest of the heavy loading. Getting Android 16 out of the box and 200MP primary camera are also worthy upgrades. But the 4,400mAh battery that gets 25W charging support is still the limiting factor that needs a definite boost. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping More News18 Tech delivers the latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements, and more. Stay informed with breaking tech news, expert insights, and trends from India and around the world. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Samsung Galaxy Z Fold view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 09:04 IST News tech Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Is A Matured Foldable That Is Ready To Rumble Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
17-07-2025
- India Today
Samsung tri-fold phone name spotted in trademark filing, launch details leaked
Samsung's long-rumoured tri-fold smartphone is once again in the headlines — this time because of a trademark filing that gives us a possible name and a better idea of when the device might actually launch. While the company has been tight-lipped about this foldable so far, recent developments are beginning to fill in the blanks. A trademark spotted in South Korea points to the name Galaxy Z TriFold, but there's reason to believe Samsung may not actually go with that name in the end. At the same time, a trusted source claims the tri-fold will hit shelves later this year — and possibly sooner than name comes via GalaxyClub, who spotted the Galaxy Z TriFold trademark filing in South Korea's database. It's an obvious choice on paper, but not necessarily one Samsung will stick with. The name doesn't quite fit the company's usual sleek branding. It's common practice for Samsung (and other brands) to register multiple potential names ahead of product launches, many of which never get the trademark gives us a possible name, tipster Ice Universe has shared what sounds like a more solid launch window. According to his post, Samsung is planning to release the tri-fold in October 2025, just ahead of the busy year-end shopping season. That also lines up with what Samsung's mobile head TM Roh reportedly told The Korea Times during the company's Unpacked event earlier this month. Roh said that Samsung was actively working on its tri-fold phone and was targeting a release 'later this year,' without offering a specific date. Though nothing's been confirmed publicly yet, previous leaks have hinted that the device could feature a 10-inch display that folds in two places, using Samsung's flexible OLED tech. Internally, it may be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, with a price tag that could exceed $2,900 (roughly Rs 2.5 lakh). However, early reports suggest Samsung might take a cautious approach with this new form factor — releasing it only in South Korea and China at first, and waiting for a global rollout until a second-gen version is this phone didn't appear at Samsung's recent Unpacked event, the company had plenty to show. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 made their debut with sleeker designs, brighter screens, and AI upgrades. A new Galaxy Flip 7 FE also joined the line-up as a more affordable option for foldable fans. And for those into wearables, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic, both featuring slimmer builds and on-device Gemini AI features.- Ends
