Foldable phones have come a long way, but remember when Samsung first introduced them? It was a rocky start with durability issues and hinge malfunctions. After several iterations, Samsung finally perfected the design, yet other brands quickly jumped on the foldable bandwagon—everyone except Apple.
As we welcomed clamshell foldables into our lives, prices dropped, and the technology improved. However, Samsung seems to have hit a design wall, a consistent issue that frustrates Galaxy phone enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Motorola—Golden Gate’s other contender in the foldable space—faced similar challenges.
Recently, leaked images of Samsung’s forthcoming foldables—the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and a budget-friendly FE model—surfaced. The FE model closely resembles the current Galaxy Z Flip 6, while the Fold 7 aims to compete head-on with Motorola’s Razr 60 Ultra.
Take a look—you’ll see the Samsung and Motorola phones are nearly identical. The main difference? Motorola enjoys branding its rear shell, playing with materials like Alcantara and wood. Last year, they experimented with colorful vegan leather.
In contrast, Samsung sticks to glass and metal, with a monochromatic metallic side frame. Want to stand out? Your best bet is to choose from Samsung’s exclusive colors available only on their website.
On the surface, both companies strive to amplify their outer display—an essential goal. After countless attempts, they’ve landed on a similar approach. Think edge-to-edge screens with floating camera lenses and an LED flash module.
The similarity runs so deep that distinguishing between a Motorola Razr and a Galaxy Z Flip may become difficult. The same goes for the inner displays. In fact, many slab phones are adopting a similar look, regardless of the brand.
What’s Next for Foldable Phones?
The pressing question is whether these design choices truly benefit users. The answer hinges on how much you rely on the cover screens. Brands are continuously boasting about the “largest and smartest external displays”—Motorola even highlights this on its website.
In a few weeks, Samsung will be eager to claim the same bragging rights for its Galaxy Z Flip 7, which promises to deliver a sleek design with thinner bezels and sharper corners—essentially, an evolution in their ongoing quest for hardware excellence.
How much does a slight increase in the cover display size—from 3.4 inches to 4 inches—really change things? For simple tasks like navigation and reading messages, acceptable. However, typing on a compact touch QWERTY keyboard can feel cramped, requiring adjustments you might not want to make.
Ultimately, the ergonomics may not match your expectations either.
Chasing Practicality in Design
Scaling continues to pose a challenge. Apps often display awkwardly, especially social media platforms relying on vertical video formats. Is there a solution to this issue? Unfortunately, it’s unclear. Consumers love larger screens, even if the functionality sometimes falls short.
Yet, the trend toward edge-to-edge displays looks polished. Brands are racing to reach that ideal aesthetic. Interestingly, Oppo introduced a flip phone with a traditional candybar-style external display, which felt intuitive and seamless during app interactions.
Brands like Huawei and Vivo are also leveraging unique design concepts, with the Honor brand emphasizing that the cover display should complement the primary interaction screen. In these cases, phones exhibit more identity and playfulness in design.
However, some may not appreciate this shift, especially if they prioritize functionality over aesthetics. The presence of a flexible display that folds out may not be enough for those who expect more from their devices. We’ve reached a juncture where distinguishing features are becoming scarce.
As clamshell foldable phones continue to evolve, they may all start to sport similar looks. The silver lining? If you’re not overly concerned about aesthetics, you’ll find these devices more powerful, durable, and sometimes even more affordable.
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