Samsung teases new foldable phones with advanced AI

Samsung Electronics Co. will empower its next Galaxy Z foldable smartphones with advanced artificial intelligence features as it seeks to extend its lead in the global foldable phone market.

The South Korean smartphone giant on Wednesday released a teaser video showcasing the sleeker design of the Galaxy Z Fold7 and highlighting new AI features drawn from its flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, the top of its flagship smartphone lineup.

Galaxy AI will power the next foldable phone features tailored for foldable use, such as a voice-controlled assistant capable of making restaurant reservations, sending messages and composing emails during commutes, Samsung said.

Additional AI-powered tools will make it even easier for web browsing and gaming on the go.

Samsung has also hinted at major camera upgrades for the upcoming foldable series, aligning its specifications with the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s high-end imaging system.

Some media outlets have reported that the Galaxy Z Fold7 will run on Google’s latest Android 16 operating system, while the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip7 will operate on the ONE UI 8, Samsung’s integrated software platform designed to help Galaxy devices.

In a strategic shift, Samsung Electronics is expected to equip the domestic versions of the Flip7 with its new in-house application processor (AP), the Exynos 2500, marking a push to revive its chip unit after years of setbacks.

Overseas models will use Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, while the Fold7 models are also projected to adopt Qualcomm’s processor, according to sources.

STRIVING TO HOLD ITS LEAD 

With the more powerful AI features, Samsung Electronics will strive to ward off fast-ascending challengers, especially Chinese rivals, in the global foldable phone market.

The foldable phone pioneer maintained its global lead in 2024, but its shipments fell 33% from the previous year, while Huawei Technologies Co.’s shipments surged 54% over the same year, according to Counterpoint.

After a contraction in 2025, the global foldable smartphone market is projected to rebound in 2026 on the back of technological advancements and broader consumer adoption, the global tech research company said.  

To stay competitive, Samsung is racing to make its foldables slimmer and lighter.

According to the industry, the Galaxy Z Fold7 will measure between 3.9 and 4.5 millimeters when folded, more than 9% thinner than its predecessor.

Samsung will unveil the detailed specifications of the new Z foldable smartphone series in New York in early July, which will mark the first in-person Unpacked event for its foldable phones in the US city since 2022.

Write to Jeong-Soo Hwang at hjs@hankyung.com

Sookyung Seo edited this article.