Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 expected to disappoint against many foldable flagships with surprising missed opportunity

Samsung is expected to make various improvements to its Galaxy Z Fold series this month with the release of the Galaxy Z Fold7. Based on recent leaks, the device will surpass the Galaxy Z Fold6 (curr. $999.99 - refurbished on Amazon) and even the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition with a significantly thinner and lighter housing than both devices. Other improvements like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and tweaked S Pen support are anticipated at this stage, too.

Conversely, leaker PandaFlashPro now expects Samsung to lag behind its peers in an area where it previously led. Namely, the leaker believes that the Galaxy Z Fold7 will launch as IP48 certified against dust and water resistance. For reference, the latter digit should ensure that the Galaxy Z Fold7 remains water resistant when immersed in at least one metre of water. Meanwhile, IP4 only ensures that the Galaxy Z Fold7 is resistant against solid particles measuring about 1 mm in diameter.

Ultimately, this rating means that the Galaxy Z Fold7 will offer superior dust resistance than the Find N5, which Oppo has not IP-certified in this regard. However, IP48 certification will see the Galaxy Z Fold7 fall short of the X Fold5, which Vivo claims is IP59 certified. Similarly, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is reputed to be the first IP68-certified foldable, which should eliminate any dust ingress altogether. The Galaxy Z Fold7 will join the Galaxy Watch8 series and two Galaxy Z Flip models on July 9 during Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event.