Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 expected to be as durable as Fold 7, but cold winters will shorten its lifespan by 88%

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7, like the Galaxy Z Flip6, is IP48 certified and thus waterproof. The frame is still made of Armor Aluminum, and Samsung didn't make any major promises regarding the robustness and durability of the hinge or display at launch. However, Samsung has now confirmed to Android Authority that the Galaxy Z Flip7 should have a similar lifespan to the Galaxy Z Fold7.

The flip phone is also designed to withstand 500,000 folds under ideal conditions, which would equate to a lifespan of almost seven years if the smartphone is opened and closed 200 times a day. The predecessor model was tested for "only" 200,000 folds. However, extreme temperatures can significantly impact its lifespan. At 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), the lifespan drops to a still impressive 300,000 folding cycles, but at -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit), Samsung Display estimates a lifespan of only 60,000 folds.

This corresponds to a lifespan of around ten months at 200 folds per day, meaning the foldable smartphones are only suitable for use in particularly cold regions to a limited extent. As usual, other environmental factors can also affect the lifespan, with sand and dust in the hinge posing a particular threat to the Galaxy Z Flip7 since the smartphone is not protected against the ingress of finer particles.