In a strategic move to reclaim lost ground in the premium smartphone market, Samsung Electronics has officially launched its next-generation foldable smartphones — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 — during a high-profile event held in New York on Wednesday. The devices are thinner, lighter, and more AI-integrated than ever before, as Samsung aims to fend off rising competition from Chinese tech giants like Huawei and Honor, while carving a distinct identity in the AI-powered smartphone segment.

Foldables Get Lighter and Smarter: A Leap Toward AI Integration

Samsung’s mobile division president and COO, Choi Won-joon, who took over in March 2025, emphasized that his top priority is making Samsung a global leader in AI-enabled mobile technology. Speaking to the media for the first time since his appointment, Choi said, “Foldable phones integrated with generative AI are no longer futuristic — they’re ready to become mainstream by delivering unique, differentiated user experiences.”

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are Samsung’s lightest and slimmest foldable devices to date. The Fold 7 is 10% lighter and 26% thinner than its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Despite these design upgrades, Samsung has chosen to remove the S-Pen slot from the Fold 7, signaling a shift in focus from stylus-based input to AI-driven interactions.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7: Specs and Pricing

Samsung continues to focus on the ultra-premium segment, increasing the U.S. launch price of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 by 5%, now retailing at $1,999. However, the tech giant also introduced a more affordable variant — the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, priced at $899, making foldables slightly more accessible for consumers looking to enter the category without paying top dollar.

Key specifications include:

• Galaxy Z Fold 7: Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, with a sleek, lightweight body and enhanced multitasking features.

• Galaxy Z Flip 7: Runs on Samsung’s in-house Exynos processor, emphasizing compactness and portability.

Both phones feature improved hinge durability, brighter screens, and enhanced battery life — all aimed at addressing the long-standing concerns around foldable technology.

Smartwatch Upgrade: Gemini AI Comes to Wearables

Alongside the foldables, Samsung also unveiled its first set of smartwatches integrated with Google’s Gemini AI assistant. These wearables go beyond standard fitness tracking, offering smart recommendations like the best routes for a run based on current weather and location, showcasing Samsung’s increasing commitment to AI-driven ecosystems.

Samsung vs. Chinese Competition: A High-Stakes Market Battle

Once the global leader in smartphone shipments, Samsung lost its top spot to Apple in 2023, and now faces intensifying pressure from Chinese brands. Companies like Huawei and Honor have been making strong gains in the foldable segment, especially in the Chinese domestic market, eroding Samsung’s dominance.

According to Canalys, Samsung’s foldable phone shipments peaked in 2022, and are projected to either plateau or slightly decline in 2025. The firm reports that while foldables account for just 1.5% of the total global smartphone market, they make up 16% of all smartphones priced above $800.

Samsung’s own foldables represent only 4% of its total phone sales, but the company continues to bet heavily on the segment to drive brand perception and profitability in the premium tier.

Geographic Focus and Supply Chain Strategy

Samsung’s unveiling in New York underscores its intent to prioritize the U.S., Europe, and South Korea as the key markets for foldable sales. With U.S. tariffs on the horizon, Samsung has accelerated smartphone shipments bound for America to avoid potential cost increases.

Choi confirmed that Samsung is ramping up production in Vietnam — which accounts for over half of its total output — and maintaining steady operations in India and South Korea to ensure global supply chain resilience.

In response to China’s recent export restrictions on rare earth materials, which are critical for electronic components, Samsung has taken proactive steps to diversify suppliers and stockpile inventory of rare earth magnets and related parts, aiming to minimize any production disruptions.

AI: The New Battleground in Smartphones

Samsung’s strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence integration comes at a time when Apple is facing delays in deploying key generative AI features. Samsung, by contrast, is choosing to collaborate closely with external partners like Google, allowing it to stay nimble and introduce AI functionality faster.

The company aims to lead in on-device AI, with features like real-time translation, smart photography, task automation, and AI-powered personalization becoming central to the user experience.

Samsung believes that AI-infused foldables could be the next breakthrough product category — bridging the gap between smartphones and productivity devices, especially for power users, creators, and professionals.

What’s Next: Tri-Fold Phones in the Pipeline

Perhaps the most intriguing revelation from Choi’s remarks was Samsung’s active development of tri-fold smartphones — devices that could fold in three sections, offering a larger tablet-like experience in a compact form factor. While no timeline was given, insiders suggest that Samsung may unveil prototypes as early as 2026.

If successful, tri-fold phones could position Samsung ahead of its rivals in design innovation, providing the company with a first-mover advantage in yet another niche within the premium smartphone category.

Challenges Remain Despite Innovation

While the tech and innovation are impressive, analysts caution that foldables are still a niche market, largely due to high price points, limited use cases, and perceived fragility. According to IDC, foldable devices constitute a very small portion of global smartphone sales and may continue to do so in the near future.

Still, by addressing design concerns, integrating AI, and launching multiple price points, Samsung is making a strong case for foldables to become mainstream — or at least gain broader acceptance among premium buyers.

With the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and AI-enabled smartwatches, Samsung is doubling down on premium innovation, responding not only to consumer demands but also to global market dynamics and geopolitical risks. The company’s focus on thinner design, smarter software, and wider ecosystem integration reflects a clear shift toward building an AI-first, foldable-centric future.