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‘Feeling Is Believing:’ Samsung Shares Exclusive Details About Its Super Slim Galaxy Z Fold 7

Ahead of Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung tells CNET what’s in store for its upcoming foldables — and why it’s making some key design changes.

Samsung is turning the page to a thinner, lighter chapter. The seventh generation of its book-style Galaxy Z Fold, which debuts at its Unpacked event on Wednesday, could redefine foldable phone design. Put aside your notions of a bulky gadget and get ready for a phone that Samsung says will feel closer to what you might already have in your pocket.

«More than ever, these devices will very much resemble that traditional form factor,» Drew Blackard, Samsung’s senior vice president of mobile product management, told CNET in an exclusive interview. «It’ll feel like a traditional bar-type smartphone, but it’ll have all of the benefits of a foldable.» 

Samsung has consistently been dropping hints about its upcoming phones, which are expected to include the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and the more budget-friendly Z Flip 7 FE (although Samsung has yet to confirm that last option). Much of its focus has seemingly been on the Fold. It first teased bringing «an Ultra-experience» to «a smaller and more portable form factor,» pointing to a more advanced camera and plenty of AI. It then noted that its «newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet.»

Long road to a thinner Fold

To give you an idea of what’s in store: Between the first generation of the Galaxy Z Fold, which debuted in 2019, and last year’s Z Fold 6, the phone became about 29% thinner and around 37 grams lighter, according to Samsung. Now, we can expect a similar leap between the Z Fold 6 and the Z Fold 7, Blackard says — over just one generation. 

Based on those numbers, it’s possible the Z Fold 7 could be about 0.34 inches thick when closed, give or take, and weigh just over 200 grams. We’ll have to wait and see what exactly Samsung has in store, but that could make the Z Fold 7 even thinner and lighter than the Oppo Find N5, and about the same weight as the iPhone 16 Pro.

One new Samsung phone already set the stage for this moment: the Galaxy S25 Edge, which debuted in May. That unveiling, along with general hype around thin phones, left a lot of people scratching their heads. What’s the point of a thinner phone, especially when you’re putting a case on it anyway? Now, as Samsung gears up to launch a foldable designed to feel as «normal» as possible, the pieces are starting to fall into place.  

The S25 Edge proved that a thin phone doesn’t have to compromise camera quality. That skinny phone boasts the same 200-megapixel main camera you’ll find on the not-so-thin S25 Ultra. Improved cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could help foldables break away from the hardware and design limitations that have held their cameras back for so long. That could allow the Z Fold 7 to stand apart from other skinny foldables like the Oppo Find N5. 

«There’s no longer that trade-off of, ‘Well, do I want a traditional bar-type smartphone, or a foldable?'» Blackard said. «You’ll kind of get the best of both worlds.»

Responding to consumer feedback

Making the Z Fold 7 feel as close to a standard phone as possible (with the added perk of a spacious screen when you open it, of course) could help lure new customers who are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zone. 

«It’s a pretty big commitment for the average user to switch something they depend on so much,» said Ryan Reith, group vice president for IDC’s Worldwide Device Tracker. «Nobody wants a trade-off, especially when you’re going to make that big transition.»

It’s unclear if there will be battery compromises with a slimmer foldable, but judging from the S25 Edge, it’s possible. That phone lasts about a day on a full charge, which is just enough to get me through. Hopefully, the wider real estate on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 means battery life doesn’t take too much of a hit, because that’s one of consumers’ top priorities when shopping for a phone, according to a recent CNET survey. 

Samsung says the design changes coming to the Z Fold 7 are supported by customer feedback: 33% of Fold users told the company they want improved portability, while 28% wanted flagship cameras, according to Blackard.   

A major barrier for people wanting to make the leap to foldables is price. Last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 cost $1,900, while the Z Flip 6 was marked at $1,100. The rumored Z Flip 7 FE could tap into a strategy that seems to be working well for Motorola: release foldable phones at different pricing tiers, so customers don’t have to break the bank. It’s not clear if a more affordable Galaxy FE (Fan Edition) foldable could be priced as low as the $700 2025 Motorola Razr but that could potentially give Samsung a leg up.   

«The best way to get more traction is on price point at this stage,» Reith said, «even if that comes with a slight trade-off on camera.»

Selling the feel of thin

Phone enthusiasts and people willing to spend a pretty penny may not need as much convincing to buy a premium phone like the Galaxy Z Fold 7. But appealing to a wider audience can still be a challenge.  

«Of course, a better camera or slimmer design could help, but consumers do not always perceive the benefits of a thinner device,» said Thomas Husson, principal analyst at Forrester. 

That’s a challenge Samsung is ready to meet by promoting hands-on experience. With the release of the S25 Edge, the company worked with retail partners to adapt the phones’ security fixtures to adhesive brackets, so customers can actually pick up the phones and feel how light they are. Providing that same experience with a phone like the Z Fold 7 could help dubious consumers see what all the hype is about.

«It’s really going to be a ‘feeling is believing’ moment for consumers,» Blackard said. «They’ll have that ‘aha’ moment that this is now a mainstream form factor.»

Bracing for foldable competition from Apple

Despite the apparent success of the Galaxy Z line, foldables remain a niche market. Around half of smartphone owners say they’re not interested in buying a foldable phone, according to a CNET survey from August. One key player could help change that: Apple, which is rumored to be developing its own foldable iPhone (as well as a thin version of the iPhone 17).  

«Apple’s potential entry in the market later in 2026 could indeed help [with] legitimizing and democratizing the category,» Husson said. 

Samsung, for its part, doesn’t seem perturbed about the possibility of rising competition. 

«We definitely take pride in being the pioneer of the category,» Blackard said. «Competition will come, and we welcome that. I think it’ll only push us to be more innovative.»

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 29, #963

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 29 #963.

Looking for the most recent 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, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

What a fun NYT Connections puzzle today! There’s a favorite children’s story in one group, and four classic author surnames that, naturally, don’t show up in an «author surname» category. Read on for clues and all of today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

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

Yellow group hint: Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Green group hint: Too hot, too cold, just right.

Blue group hint: Raise a cup.

Purple group hint: They all sound like words with a similar meaning.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Makeup.

Green group: Featured in Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Blue group: Ending with drinking vessels.

Purple group: Homophones of words meaning «brutal.»

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

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is makeup. The four answers are bronzer, foundation, liner and stain.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is featured in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The four answers are bear, bed, Goldilocks and porridge.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending with drinking vessels. The four answers are fiberglass, Silverstein, smug and stumbler.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is homophones of words meaning «brutal.» The four answers are Gorey, Grimm, grizzly and Scarry.

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

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Jan. 29, #493

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Jan. 29, No. 493.

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 features some tricky terms. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle 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 appear in the NYT Games app, but it does 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: Checkmate!

Green group hint: Think Nadia Comăneci.

Blue group hint: Soccer stars.

Purple group hint: H2O.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Chess pieces.

Green group: Gymnastics terms.

Blue group: Premier League Golden Boot winners.

Purple group: Water ____.

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 chess pieces. The four answers are bishop, pawn, queen and rook.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is gymnastics terms. The four answers are handspring, round-off, salto and twist.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Premier League Golden Boot winners. The four answers are 

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is water ____. The four answers are bottle, boy, hazard and polo.

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

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Technologies

Google Gives Chrome an AI Side Panel and Lets Gemini Browse for You

The update also includes Nano Banana image tools and deeper integrations with Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Maps and Flights.

Google is turning Chrome into something closer to a digital copilot.

In the next wave of Gemini updates rolling out, Google on Wednesday revealed a set of new AI-powered features coming directly to its browser, aimed at reducing the frustrations of exploring the internet each day. Built on Gemini 3, the updates introduce an always-available side panel, deeper app integrations, creative image tools and a new browser agent called auto browse that can complete multistep tasks on your behalf. 

Essentially, Google wants Chrome to be like an AI wingman that browses, compares and multitasks for you. 

Read more: More AI Is Coming to Google Search, Including a Chatbot-Like Interface

Now you can automate browsing

To me, the standout new addition is auto browse, a browser agent designed to handle tedious and time-consuming chores. Instead of hopping between tabs, filling out forms or manually comparing prices of things like products or flights, you can ask Chrome to do the legwork. 

Auto browse can research flights and hotels across different dates, collect documents, schedule appointments, manage subscriptions and help with tasks like renewing a driver’s license or filing expense reports. 

In a live demo I saw, Product Lead Charmaine D’Silva used the new tools to plan a family vacation. Gemini compared destinations and prices across multiple travel sites, checked school calendars to see when her kids were off and lined up schedules to find workable travel windows. When it came time to book, though, D’Silva emphasized that the final decision and purchase were still hers, underscoring Google’s plan to keep humans in control for key tasks like booking and purchases. 

The feature is rolling out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US now, signaling Google’s broader push toward more agentic AI experiences. 

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

A new side panel experience

Another update rolling out now is a redesigned Gemini side panel in Chrome, available across MacOS, Windows and Chromebook Plus. Instead of opening a separate tab, Gemini now lives alongside whatever you’re working on, making it easier to multitask without breaking your flow. Testers have used it to summarize reviews across sites, compare shopping options and juggle packed calendars while keeping their main task front and center.

AI image editing with Nano Banana

Chrome is also trying to become more creative. Google is bringing Nano Banana, its AI image editing and generation tool, directly into the browser. You can now edit and reimagine images you find on the web without downloading files or switching apps — whether that’s mocking up a living room redesign or turning raw data into an infographic at work.

Chrome connects with other Google apps

Under the hood, Gemini in Chrome is becoming more connected to the rest of Google’s ecosystem. Integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube, Google Flights and Shopping will allow the assistant to pull in relevant context and take action across apps. Planning a trip, for example, could involve referencing an old email, checking flight options and drafting a follow-up email to your travel companions. Now all in one place. 

More to come

Looking ahead, Google says personal intelligence is coming to Chrome in the coming months. With user opt-in, Gemini will remember context from past interactions to deliver more tailored, proactive help across the web, while giving you control over what data is connected and when.

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