Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the only smart wallet you'll ever need

In a world where our pockets are becoming smaller and burdened by oversized phones, wallets and keys, Samsung's latest flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 arrives with a new proposition.

Their new device questions how we might transform our smartphone into a one-stop device for all our conveniences.

And it dares to suggest what the ultimate smart wallet might look like in a way that streamlines your daily life and frees up your pocket space.

The Z Flip 7 at a glance...

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How much does the Z Flip 7 cost?

Price: $1799 (256GB), $1999 (512GB)

Colourways: Blue Shadow, Jet Black, Coral Red and Mint (online exclusive)

Specs

Display: 6.9-inch 120Hz main display. The phone also features a 4.1-inch FlexWindow with the thinnest bezels ever for a Galaxy (1.25mm)

Durability: It's the thinnest and most durable model in the Flip series, with waterproofing in its circuitry, refined core components, and an Armor Flexhinge.

Weight: 188 grams

Performance: It comes with the latest Exynos 2500 processor

AI features: "Pocket Perfect AI" can be activated using the side button and directly through the FlexWindow. The FlexWindow also shows 'Now Bar' and 'Now Brief'

Battery: 4300mAh battery that promises 31 hours of video playback

Camera: 12MP ultra wide lens, a 50MP, and a 10MP front camera

Storage: 12GB memory with 256GB internal, 12GB memory with 512GB internal

Pros

Upgraded foldable design

Right out of the box, the Z Flip 7 features a full 4.1-inch FlexWidow that stretches out across the whole front display. When you unfold the device, I was surprised at the fact that you could barely see the crease – only from looking at the phone at an angle.

There's also something so satisfying about just snapping the phone into a fold. Don't be surprised to catch yourself opening and closing it just for fun. Also, who doesn't like hanging up phone calls by simply flipping the phone shut?

And the new fully usable FlexWindow proves to be a game changer, too (more on that soon). Finally, the pocket-friendly design is just that, freeing up much-needed pocket space.

FlexWindow arguably makes it a smart wallet

Now at 4.1 inches, you get to use the real estate of the whole cover screen. But the real magic is that in its compact form, it is the exact size of my wallet. Instead of juggling separate items like my debit cards and ID, I could access them all from the phone's cover screen.

That's right, there is some serious functionality to the cover. I initially used it like a convenient notification panel with the added bonus of a few useful widgets. The time, the date, the weather, a rotating photo gallery and the camera.

The real power of this cover screen comes when you install Good Lock and MultiStar and enable all apps to be accessible from the cover screen. I found myself pulling out the phone to not only conveniently pay for items with a simple swipe up from the cover screen but also to access transport timetables, respond to messages and change the music more intuitively on Spotify.

The phone lets you prop it up by itself, too, and I had a lot of fun taking photos using the FlexWindow. It's great for capturing stable selfies and engaging in video calls.

Now Brief

If you're unaware, Samsung's new devices have been introducing the 'Now Brief', which acts as a brief AI summary in real time.

It provides information on the weather, standout photos, reminders, wellbeing, and it can even recommend Spotify playlists and YouTube videos.

It's a bit gimmicky, and I don't have a particular strong need for this feature, but it's a nice-to-have.

It tends to give me a brief moment of reflection whenever it pops up during the day, and I like that.

Downsides to the Z Flip 7

Footprint when unfolded

While the device weighs about the same as an iPhone 15 Pro and sits very nicely folded up in my palm, the 6.9-inch main display, when fully open, felt too large for my small hands.

For me, I found single-handed operation particularly challenging in this aspect. You can't really open the phone with one hand either unless you spend extra effort fidgeting and pushing it open against the pressure of your own body.

Changed chip

Samsung's decision to switch the chip from Snapdragon to Exynos has sparked debate on the future of its Flip phones. This year, the Z Flip 7 has an Exyonos 2500, which comparatively, should perform better than the Flip 6's benchmarks, but unfortunately, it lags behind the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Fold 7 and other flagship Android phones. For typical smart wallet usage, this is unlikely to be a major concern, but any power users might see the difference with their phone heating up.

Dust, unchanged cameras, AI and other tidbits

Something about these foldable phones makes them collect dust like it's their job. The phone retains an IP48 rating, which means it's water-resistant but not dust-resistant. My home and my pockets aren't overly dusty, but the front screen cameras seemed to pick up a lot of dust.

The cameras themselves remain largely unchanged, still featuring a 50MP wide, a 12MP ultra wide and a 10MP main screen lens. The charging speed also remains at a 25W wired speed, which is a bit slow compared to other flagship phones.

Finally, a new feature of this generation of the Flip was its focus on AI. While I praise the 'Now Brief' and am excited for what more they will do with it, this year's Flip revealed the usage of Gemini on their front screen as a significant selling point.

The idea is to engage in live conversations with AI by allowing it to access a live view of your camera. For example, you can access Gemini to analyse your outfit and ask for suggestions. While I get the idea of this, I didn't find it natural to use, and it struggled to pick up my speech accurately.

Can it really be used as a wallet replacement?

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 with its compact design, now fully functional FlexWindow and its deep and prospective AI integration presents a compelling case for a replacement for your traditional wallet.

While it absolutely exceeds in a digital economy, its reliance on a cashless system means it can't fully replace your physical wallet if you prefer carrying cash or physical cards you can't digitise.

While it's not a complete one-to-one swap for every scenario, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is one of the most intelligent and convenient "smart wallets" you'll find, allowing you to carry far less while still having everything you need at your fingertips.

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