갤럭시 Z Fold7

Consumers want both a portable phone and a large-screen tablet. Existing foldable phones have partially addressed this, but there have been compromises in thickness, weight, screen crease (crease line), and camera performance. In addition, the software experience, such as multitasking, is not perfect, limiting it to a niche group of enthusiasts.

The Galaxy Z Fold7 recognizes these issues and aims to improve the shortcomings of foldable phones with a thinner, lighter, and nearly crease-free display and top-of-the-line camera. It also aims to provide an experience that even general users can use smoothly through AI software integration.

The Z Fold7 features a thinner and lighter form factor compared to its predecessor, achieving a slim thickness like a regular smartphone when folded. In particular, the improved hinge structureapplies a "creaseless OLED" where screen creases are barely visible,and is evaluated as resolving the biggest weakness of foldable phones.

While providing a 7-inch large screen when unfolded, it also features the first 200MP ultra-high-resolution camera in the Fold series, raising photo quality to flagship bar-type phone levels or higher. In addition, Samsung's next-generation ProVisual Engine and AI Photo Assist provide instant editing or shooting guides after shooting, enhancing productivity/multitasking using the large screen.

The all-day battery and enhanced folding durability (IPX8 water resistance) also differentiate it by increasing everyday usability. In summary, it aims to be a foldable phone without compromises, incorporating the highest specifications in terms of screen, camera, and AI.

Global consumers (B2C)are the target audience. In particular, premium smartphone demanders, business users who value multitasking and productivity, and early adopters of the latest devices are the key targets.

It will be sold first in markets with 5G infrastructure such as North America/Korea,and contract sales will also be made through telecommunication companies (B2B2C).For enterprise (B2B), it can be provided as a device for executives or for mobile work, but it is basically a flagship phone for individual consumers.

Although it is not related to B2G such as government procurement, there is room for review as a tablet replacement for special fields such as defense/medical care. Overall, the high-end general consumer market is the main focus.

The foldable phone market itself is growing, and as Samsung is a leader in this field, it will continue to evolve into future generation products. The folding OLED technology introduced in the Z Fold7 can be expanded to laptops and tablets in the future.

In addition, through the on-device AI assistant branded as Galaxy AI, it has great potential as a hub device for expanding the Samsung ecosystem, such as smart home and wearable integration. There are no special regulatory restrictions, but component supply (especially foldable displays) and price range are variables for popularization.

As competitors are also entering the foldable market, Samsung's strengthening of software optimization and the app ecosystem will be advantageous in expanding the overall market pie. As it is a new form factor, there is a possibility of integration with other form factors such as rollable in the long term.

The Z Fold7 won the CES Innovation Award, recognizing the improvement in the completeness of foldable devices. In particular, praises such as "the world's thinnest and lightest foldable", "sophisticated design through crease resolution"and "200MP camera means no compromises for foldable phones"were given.

At the CES site, the AI-integrated user experience (e.g., running multiple apps simultaneously using two screens, multitasking with AI assistance) was evaluated as impressive. Meanwhile, some reviews stated that"the scope of innovation is limited compared to the previous work,"suggesting that Fold phones are now entering a mature stage.

However, it is generally positive about the technological superiority compared to competitors and the improvements that faithfully reflect user feedback. TechRadar, etc. commented, "Samsung has won by completely solving the foldable crease problem," and mentioned the Z Fold7 as a watershed moment for the popularization of foldable phones.