Technologies

I Accidentally Learned Just How Durable the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Is

Commentary: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 comes with a welcome overhaul to its design. And I can definitely vouch for the new phone’s sturdiness.

If you’re concerned about how durable Samsung’s foldable phones can be, I’m here to tell you not to worry. And that’s especially true when it comes to the new Galaxy Z Flip 7.

After less than six hours with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I accidentally performed my own informal drop test. At a catered affair in Brooklyn, I walked outside to get a view of the waterfront, and when I pulled the Z Flip 7 out of my pocket, I fumbled it. I watched helplessly as Samsung’s newest foldable phone fell to the ground. The noise it made when it clacked against the concrete caused everyone around to look at me with a knowing, sympathetic expression that said, «Aw, that’s a shame. Your phone is toast.»

Have you ever dropped your phone? There’s that Schrödinger’s cat-like moment before you pick it up when you’re anxious to see if the phone survived.

Fortunately, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 was fine. The 4.1-inch cover screen didn’t have any cracks or scuffs. The 6.9-inch inner display was unharmed because the phone was shut. The only tell that it kissed the ground was a tiny scuff on the bottom of the phone near the microphones. Samsung’s claim that its new «Armour Flex Hinge» is built to withstand impact is indeed true.

In the early days of foldable phones, one of the biggest unknowns was their durability. It’s amazing that about six years later, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can handle being dropped on concrete like it had landed on a velvet pillow. Now, I still wouldn’t take the Flip 7 (or any foldable phone) to the beach, as it can only withstand particles that are 1mm or larger. So going to a confetti factory would be fine, but a salt factory is a definite no-no.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s thin design

The star of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event was the Galaxy Z Fold 7. At 8.9mm thick when closed, the Fold 7 is ridiculously thin. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 looks like it also went on Ozempic, but it’s 13.7mm thick when closed. That’s slim, but not Fold 7 slim. Why couldn’t the Flip 7 be super slim like the Fold 7? I just keep imagining a Galaxy Z Flip 8 with the same thinness as the Fold 7.

For some perspective, here’s how the Flip 7 compares to its clamshell kinfolk:

Galaxy Z Flip 7 thickness vs. other flip phones

Phone	Closed	Open
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7	13.7mm	6.5mm
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6	14.9mm	6.9mm
Motorola Razr Plus	15.32mm	7.09mm
Motorola Razr Ultra	15.69mm	7.19mm
Motorola Razr (2025)	15.85mm	7.25mm

The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s big cover screen

The original Galaxy Z Flip had a tiny, 1.1-inch pill-shaped cover display. It was perfect for showing the time but pretty much useless for anything else. The defining feature on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is its 4.1-inch cover display. The screen looks incredible. I was checking my notifications on the screen under direct sunlight and was able to read everything. One of the hang-ups I had reviewing the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was switching from the inner screen to the cover display outdoors. There would be times on sunny days where I could barely make out what was on the cover display, despite having no issues with the main screen.

Samsung has increased the maximum brightness of the Flip 7’s cover screen to 2,600 nits, which is the same as the inner display. Both screens now top out at 120Hz, too, which should make for a much more consistent experience by having system animations, gameplay and scrolling through a social feed look super smooth.

The 6.9-inch inner screen is big, but it doesn’t feel unwieldy when I use it. The Flip 6 had a 6.7-inch display, but that extra 0.2 inches on the Flip 7’s screen makes it feel much bigger, which my middle-aged eyes are grateful for.

In terms of functionality, the cover screen’s natural state is widgets. And some, like Spotify’s widget, are all I need in lieu of using full apps. But I want apps on the home screen, so I need to enable this functionality in the Labs section of Settings and download the MultiStar app. It takes a couple of minutes to set up, but I do wish the interface supported apps by default.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cameras

The Flip 7 has three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel selfie camera (in the main 6.9-inch screen). The cameras are the same as those on the Flip 6 and Flip 7 FE. But the phones run on different processors, so differences or improvements in photos and videos (if any) will come from Samsung’s processing and machine learning.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the Galaxy Z Flip 7 so far:

Galaxy Z Flip 7 final thoughts for now

Samsung gave its foldable line a major overhaul. And while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like an entirely different phone from previous Folds, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 seems like a nice refinement. I will say that I’ve had only two days with the phone. And as enamored as I am with the larger cover screen, I’m excited to see how the battery life measures up.

Samsung gave the Flip 7 a 4,300-mAh battery (compared with the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s 4,000-mAh battery), but I wonder if the increased capacity will be offset by the power needed for its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and those larger, brighter displays.

I have a lot more testing to do. But as I work my way toward a full review, I’ll try not to drop the Flip 7 anymore.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 specs vs. Motorola Razr Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7	Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	4.1-inch AMOLED, 948×1,048p, 120Hz refresh rate	4-inch pOLED, 2,992×1,224p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate	3.4-inch AMOLED; 720×748 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate
Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	6.9-inch AMOLED, 2,520×1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate	7-inch AMOLED; 1,272×1,080p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate	6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,640×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	Cover: 342ppi. Internal: 397ppi	Cover: 417 ppi. Internal: 464 ppi	Cover: 306 ppi. Internal: 425 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	Open: 2.96×6.56×0.26 Closed: 2.96×3.37×0.26	Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.62	Open: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 Closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59
Dimensions (millimeters)	Open: 75.2×166.7×6.5 Closed: 75.2×85.5×13.7	Open: 73.99×171.48×7.19 Closed: 73.99×88.12×15.69	Open: 165.1×71.9×6.9 Closed: 85.1×71.9×14.9
Weight (grams, ounces)	188 g (6.63 oz)	199 g (7 oz)	187 g (6.6 oz)
Mobile software	Android 16	Android 15	Android 14
Cameras	50 megapixel (main), 12 megapixel (ultrawide)	50 megapixel (wide), 50 megapixel (ultrawide)	50 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide)
Internal screen camera	10 megapixel	50 megapixel	10 megapixel
Video capture	4K at 60fps	4K	TBD
Processor	Samsung Exynos 2500	Snapdragon 8 Elite	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM/storage	12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB	16GB + 512GB, 1TB	12GB + 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage	No	None	None
Battery	4,300 mAh	4,700 mAh	4,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Yes	Side	Side
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None
Special features	One UI 8, IP48 water resistance, 25-watt wired charging, Qi wireless charging, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Galaxy AI	IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover display, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 4,500 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G.	IP48 rating, 25-watt wired charging, wireless charging + powershare, 3x optical zoom (up to 10x digital and 30x Space Zoom with AI Super Resolution tech)
US price starts at	$1,100	$1,300	$1,100

Technologies

CNET Debates: Is Apple’s New Crossbody Strap a Great Idea or a Terrible One?

Does the crossbody strap make it more or less likely that you’ll have your iPhone stolen? We have conflicting opinions.

One thing you can be sure of during an Apple event is that it will generate immense quantities of discourse among CNET’s seasoned nerds — and no, we don’t always agree with one another.

Is the iPhone Air totally pointless and uncalled for, or the best design innovation since very thinly sliced bread? Both can be true, depending on whom you ask.

Among the many announcements on Tuesday that sparked conflicting opinions was a crossbody strap for the iPhone. After a back-and-forth in Slack, my colleague Zach McAuliffe and I have decided to put forth our respective viewpoints and allow you to be the judge.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Great idea: Katie Collins, Principal Writer

Have you ever been walking down the street to meet your friend, navigating using Google maps and texting your pal to let them know you’re running late, when all of sudden: bam! A dude on a moped has whizzed past at high speed and removed your phone from your hand before you’ve even had a chance to realize what’s happened?

In London, this style of phone theft is a daily occurrence, and while it’s never happened to me personally, every time I step foot on the streets of the British capital, I’m immediately wary and vigilant.

Earlier this year, the Guardian reported that survey data from American insurance company SquareTrade showed that 39% of all European phone theft take place in the UK, and that 42% of British phone thefts occur in London. So common is it for your phone to be snatched by someone on a bike or moped that London’s Metropolitan Police issue special prevention guidance, featuring advice such as: «[when using your phone,] stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you.»

I get that a crossbody is not a failsafe method to prevent iPhone theft. I would never advise someone to walk around a city in a state of blissful ignorance while their phone flaps hands-free against their body. But I do endorse it as a way to fend off opportunists on two wheels.

I can see other times the crossbody strap would come in handy, too. Frequently on my travels, I find myself on a boat, clutching the railing and taking pictures on my phone as the world passes me by. Always in these situations I’m concerned that just one clumsy slip could see my precious phone go the way of the Heart of the Ocean in Titanic. A crossbody strap would provide peace of mind in such moments to protect me against my own idiocy.

As a clumsy person who dreads having their phone stolen, I will be investing in one of Apple’s crossbody iPhone straps the moment they become available. I personally can only see the benefit in having my phone glued to my body as well as my hand.

Terrible idea: Zach McAuliffe, Staff Writer

When I saw Apple’s new crossbody strap for the iPhone, my first thought was, «I bet someone could cut that real easily and steal someone’s iPhone.»

But surely Apple thought of that and chose a cut-resistant strap made with something like Dyneema, right? Nope. According to Apple, the strap is made of recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) yarns. If you’re unfamiliar with this kind of yarn, it’s a synthetic fiber made from recycled plastic bottles.

If you had a razor or something similarly sharp, you could cut through the strap like a hot knife through butter. Then there’s nothing stopping you from taking the iPhone. The decision to dangle a thousand-dollar device off a strip of non-cut-resistant plastic gives me so much anxiety.

Some people on Reddit said they’ve had their crossbody bags and purses stolen because someone cut the straps and ran or rode off, so it does happen. Granted, so does someone snatching a phone from your hand. But if I’m wearing my iPhone as a bag, I’m advertising that I have an iPhone and all you have to do is follow me for a second in order to cut the straps and take off with it.

Plus, if I’m my iPhone is tethered to me by a strap, I might be more cavalier with how I handle it. The strap and corresponding case are meant to keep the device safe, so I might take for granted things that could damage it out in the world. What if a car kicks a rock up and hits it, or I bump into a metal railing a little too hard or any number of things happen and my iPhone gets a new scratch or breaks?

No, I’d much rather grip my iPhone like my life depends on it when the device is in my hand. And then I’ll slip my iPhone into my pocket for safe keeping like Bilbo Baggins after he finds the One Ring.

The crossbody strap is a bad idea. I know people have things taken all the time, but the strap is like wearing a sign around your neck that you have an iPhone and with a quick snip it could be yours! Hopefully Apple will make a cut-resistant strap in the future.

For more from Apple’s event, check out all the announcements and our hands-on with the ultra-thin iPhone Air.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 10, #352

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Sept. 10, No. 352

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. But if you’re a shoe junkie, you might ace the blue category. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Baseball grouping.

Green group hint: You might do this to a door.

Blue group hint: Just do it.

Purple group hint: Not real coaches, but…

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: NL East teams.

Green group: Synonyms of slam, in basketball.

Blue group: Nike shoes.

Purple group: Actors who played football coaches.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is NL East teams. The four answers are Atlanta, Miami, New York and Philadelphia.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is synonyms of slam, in basketball. The four answers are drunk, flush, jam and stuff.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Nike shoes. The four answers are Blazer, Cortez, Pegasus and Shox.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is actors who played football coaches. The four answers are Pacino, Thornton, Washington and Winkler.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 10

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Sept. 10, No. 556

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle has a fun, timely theme. Once you figure out the topic, the answers come easily. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Keep it classy.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: School days.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

HOLE, DOLE, SCENE, SCENES, CURE, CURES, SLIM, SLIME, SLIMED, NICE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: