I have always been an iPhone person. My journey started with the iPhone 5c, then came the 6, XS, 12 Pro Max, 14 Pro Max, and most recently the 16 Plus. Safe to say, my loyalty has always been with Apple. Even when innovation felt stagnant, I still ended up choosing an iPhone over an Android. It was a mix of habit, trust, the comfort of knowing exactly what I was getting, and how the Apple ecosystem just makes everything flow together effortlessly.
That changed in July when Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold7. I got the chance to review it, and to my own surprise, I am still using it today. I have not gone back to my iPhone since. Foldable phones have a unique appeal that you can only understand once you start using one in your everyday life. Here’s what stood out for me, what did not, and why I am convinced that this phone is something special.
The Best Bits
For the longest time, I thought foldables were just flashy toys for people who wanted attention. That belief disappeared the moment I started living with the Fold7. I also assumed the inner display was a gimmick, but it has turned into the feature I use most. At the gym during cardio sessions, I can watch a show without squinting. When I just want a quick break with Sudoku, the larger canvas makes it more enjoyable. In public, I still catch people staring when I unfold the screen, because foldables are still a novelty in India, but I have become comfortable with it.
The design is another area where the Fold7 really shines. It is the thinnest foldable Samsung has ever made, and the inner screen feels more expansive than before. That extra space genuinely changes how you use the device day to day. I compared it side by side with the Fold6, and the difference was shocking. The Fold7 feels polished in a way that the Fold6 simply did not. When closed, it behaves like a regular slab phone, which makes it far more practical than you might expect.
The cameras deserve credit as well. Samsung has done an excellent job of giving the Fold7 a reliable camera setup that captures sharp, detailed, and vibrant shots. The selfie camera is solid too, though I have to admit my bias here. As someone who has spent years with iPhones, I still prefer Apple's approach to selfies because of how natural they look. That said, the Fold7 proves that foldables no longer have to compromise on camera quality, and that is a big deal.
Battery life has been surprisingly dependable. Even when I rely heavily on the inner display, the phone comfortably lasts a full day. Coming from iPhones, where battery life has often been a hit or a miss, this felt like a real upgrade.
And then there is performance. The Fold7 runs like a flagship should. Both screens support a 120Hz refresh rate, and it makes a world of difference. Scrolling feels smoother, gaming is more responsive, and even basic tasks like switching between apps feel effortless. I used to think the iPhone 16 Plus was fine without 120Hz, but after using the Fold7, I realised how wrong I was. You do not know what you are missing until you experience it yourself.
The Not-So-Great Side
Of course, it is not perfect. The biggest frustration comes from app optimisation. This is less of a Samsung issue and more of a challenge across the Android ecosystem, but it does take away from the experience. Some apps simply do not take advantage of the big screen. CultFit, for example, leaves black bars on the sides, which feels half-baked. Streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube also do not stretch content to fill the entire inner display, which makes it feel like wasted space. It is disappointing because if I have such a large screen in front of me, I want to make the most of it.
End of the Fold (for Now)
The Galaxy Z Fold7 has completely changed the way I look at smartphones. I went in expecting to miss my iPhone, but I have not looked back once. The Fold7 is practical, powerful, and packed with features that genuinely enhance daily life. The inner screen, the polished design, the strong cameras, the smooth 120Hz experience, and the dependable battery all come together in a package that feels futuristic yet grounded.
Yes, app optimisation still needs work, and that remains the one area holding the foldable experience back. But even with that flaw, the Fold7 has won me over in a way I did not expect.
For someone who has lived in the Apple ecosystem for over a decade, admitting this feels strange. But the truth is simple. The Fold7 is the first phone that has truly pulled me away from my iPhone. And for me, that says it all.
