After daily driving the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I won’t buy the Flip 8 unless Samsung fixes this

I’ve been rocking the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 for a few weeks now after bidding farewell to my Xiaomi 15T.

While my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is still my primary daily driver, the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s compact folding hardware and fantastic One UI 8.5 make it hard to leave it for my Pixel.

Now, I’ve been testing it as my main phone, putting the Pixel on the sideline.

While it impresses me for the most part, there are lingering issues I want to see addressed in the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8.

The new clamshell smartphone is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 next month.

If Samsung is serious about making me upgrade, here are the fixes I want to see.

The ultrawide sensor needs to retire

A telephoto camera is the new premium feature

As a power user of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, I’ve relied on the camera for the most part.

I’ve taken over a thousand photos and hundreds of videos, to the point where my local storage reached its limit and I had to rely on Google One.

Among the three rear sensors, I’ve been using the telephoto sensor as much as the primary sensor. It gives me so much versatility in most of my photos and videos.

These perks include adding a natural depth effect that you can’t get from the main sensor, while retaining crisp detail in distant shots.

Truth be told, I took more architectural detail photographs using the telephoto than the primary. It’s undoubtedly fun and effective to use.

That’s why when I jumped to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I had to adapt to the measly dual-camera setup. I instantly missed the zoom camera of my Pixel 9 Pro XL.

While I would argue that this dual setup is enough for most people, it shouldn’t be the baseline for a flagship camera offering.

It simply falls short in today’s comparison with even its mid-range counterparts.

Worse, I’m paying over $1,000 and only getting a 12MP shooter as a secondary camera.

You can argue that the thin, folding form factor holds back Samsung from adding a proper telephoto.

But it’s already 2026, and they can surely fit a 12MP telephoto without adding much bulk to a clamshell.

I would gladly trade a couple of millimeters of added thickness on the Galaxy Z Flip 8 just for Samsung to replace the ultrawide with a telephoto.

Or better yet, fit three sensors even at the expense of adding bezels to the cover display.

With years of making foldable devices under its belt, Samsung should have realized that a telephoto lens is more important to have than an ultrawide snapper on a premium device.

So, if it really wants the Flip 8 to succeed, it knows what to do with the camera.

Cover screen limitations

Samsung should make the folded form fully functional

One of the reasons I avoided flip phones before was that I felt the cover display was a massive limitation.

That changed when I saw Motorola bring larger, full-screen cover displays to the table with its Razr series.

Even better, Moto offered full functionality right out of the box without the need to install a separate app or endure heavy tweaking, unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip.

Although the Galaxy Z Flip 7 arrived with a 4.1-inch outer screen, the One UI completely undermines the usability of the larger panel.

Users still need the Good Lock app and the MultiStar module to unlock full app access.

Even so, forcing all apps onto my cover screen doesn’t remove the bottleneck that the number of widgets is limited, and they don’t function similarly with the main display.

In my case, this actively reduces the productivity I can squeeze out of the expanded display of the Flip 7.

While it’s not expected that the Flip 8 will bring any meaningful hardware upgrades to the cover screen, I’m fine with that as long as Samsung lets me maximize the display as it was intended to be.

Considering this is a restriction purely dictated by software, I’m pretty sure Samsung doesn’t have a valid reason to hold back.

Faster charging

We need to move past 25 watts

I had an initial impression of mediocre battery life on the Galaxy Z Flip 7. But I was proven wrong.

My Flip stretches just as long as my Pixel 9 Pro XL in battery life endurance.

I can easily get through a whole day with a little juice left to spare in the tank before I need to find a wall outlet to recharge it.

But my main concern isn’t the battery capacity, though. It’s the sluggish charging speed.

The 25-watt limit isn’t enough to get a modestly fast refill anymore. While I can get 50% from a flat battery in 30 minutes, it is wildly inconsistent.

Plus, there are times when my Flip 7 won’t reach full charging speed at all.

It requires me to plug it in a couple of times to see the quick charging indicator pop up in the status bar.

I really don’t need superfast charging like on the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026), but it would be a big boost if we saw the Flip 8 boasting at least 45 watts or equivalent to it.

This would beautifully complement the improved battery life introduced in the Flip 7.

A larger fingerprint sensor

Thick cases don’t play nicely with the sensor

While it’s not a major gripe, the fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is entirely too thin.

I don’t have issues with the accuracy or speed, nor its location on the right side, but it’s too tiny even for my small thumb.

Throw a thick case into the mix, and it adds an annoying challenge to reach and fully place my thumb on the scanner.

You can tell me I can use face unlock, but I’m not a fan because of its lax security compared to a fingerprint or passcode.

With the extra real estate around the scanner, there’s still plenty of room for Samsung to incorporate a slightly wider component in the Flip 8.

Secondary earpiece on the cover screen

Calls should be kept private

I take several calls a day, through traditional phone lines or messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp.

I’m also using the Flip 7’s folded state more than ever, primarily because basic tasks like taking calls, checking notifications, and typing quick replies can be done without unfolding it.

But having only a single in-call earpiece on the inside adds friction every time I want to manage calls privately without relying on the speakerphone.

Although I can keep earbuds handy as a workaround, this is another arduous step to deal with.

Samsung could easily address this shortcoming, since it already uses a dual-speaker design on the Fold models, with the inner speakerphone serving as the earpiece.

Adding the same design to the Flip 8 would make it a much more practical foldable.

The Galaxy Flip 8 doesn’t need major upgrades

On the Galaxy Flip 8, Samsung only needs to polish the edges rather than bring breakthrough innovations.

More than a faster processor, thinner build, or a slightly larger battery capacity, I would love to see continued refinements to the user experience.

But let’s be real – asking Samsung to fix software limitations and camera bottlenecks that have lingered for generations might be a long shot.

However, if you consider the value proposition of paying $1,100 or more for a clamshell phone, it is only right that it should be matched by a better and premium experience.

8/10

SoC

Exynos 2500

RAM

12GB

Storage

256GB/12GB

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is an exciting upgrade, thanks to the bigger cover display and larger battery. It’s on sale right now.