Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7, are expected to be unveiled in July. Compared to their predecessors, they may not see any improvements in battery charging speeds.
On Thursday, leaked information from China’s Compulsory Certification (CCC) revealed details about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (model: SM-F7660) and Galaxy Z Fold 7 (model: SM-F9660).
Notably, both devices were tested with chargers supporting a maximum of 25W wired charging. While this may have been for testing purposes, and the final models could support faster charging, concerns are growing that Samsung might once again cap the charging speed at 25W.
The Z Fold series has maintained 25W charging since the Z Fold 2, while the Z Flip series has used the same speed as the Z Flip 4. If no upgrades are made, the Z Fold lineup will have gone five years without a charging speed increase. Samsung has taken a cautious approach to battery capacity and charging speeds since the Galaxy Note 7’s battery issues in 2016.
Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers are aggressively advancing in this area, offering silicon-carbon batteries with charging speeds exceeding 50W and battery capacities ranging from 5,500mAh to 7,000mAh.
For example, Oppo’s recently launched Find N5, a competitor resembling the Galaxy Z Flip series, boasts 80W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and a 5,600mAh battery.
Current rumors suggest the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will feature a 6.85-inch internal display and a 4-inch external screen, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to have an 8.2-inch internal display and a 6.5-inch external screen. Battery capacities are rumored to be 4,300mAh for the Z Flip 7 and 4,400mAh for the Z Fold 7.
Despite the Galaxy S24 series’ strong performance boosting Samsung’s smartphone division last year, the company’s global market share has declined. Sales of foldable phones, once seen as Samsung’s next growth driver, have also slowed.
Samsung Chairman Lee Jae Yong reportedly criticized executives for losing the company’s competitive edge, urging management to reflect deeply and adopt a “do-or-die” mindset to regain market leadership.
