Survey Summary and Foldable Smartphone Usage
TOPICS 1: General Smartphone Dissatisfaction and Horizontal Foldable Smartphone Purchase Intent
Many users express dissatisfaction with conventional bar-type smartphones, with “battery life” (46.0%), “heavy device weight” (21.9%), and “difficult operation” (16.9%) being the top concerns. Furthermore, 52.2% of respondents stated they would “definitely choose” or “consider as an option” a horizontal foldable smartphone for their next purchase, indicating that one in two people is considering a foldable device.
However, concerns about horizontal foldable smartphones include “battery” (40.0%), “thickness” (37.1%), and “weight” (34.8%).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 addresses these concerns. It features a large-capacity 4,400mAh battery, providing approximately 24 hours of video viewing. The device achieves an ultra-thin design, measuring approximately 8.9mm when folded and 4.2mm when unfolded, and weighs about 215g. This makes it the thinnest and lightest horizontal foldable smartphone released in Japan as of July 1, 2025, based on Samsung’s research. When unfolded, it offers an approximately 8.0-inch large screen, ensuring excellent operability. The Galaxy Z Fold7 aims to resolve common smartphone frustrations related to battery, portability, and usability.
According to Yasuhira Yamane, a mobile phone journalist with over seven years of experience using Samsung Galaxy foldable smartphones, the latest horizontal foldable models are now as thin and light as conventional smartphones. This allows for a familiar carrying experience. Camera performance has also improved, supporting a wide range of scenes from daily snapshots to travel photography. Device strength, including drop resistance and screen durability, has significantly increased. Yamane notes that the “two-way” usage style, where the device acts as a regular smartphone when closed and a large-screen device when opened, offers great flexibility.
TOPICS 2: Expectations and Usage Scenarios for Horizontal Foldable Smartphones
The most attractive feature of horizontal foldable smartphones for respondents was the “large screen” (25.8%), followed by “slimness for easy storage in bags or pockets” (12.0%) and “ability to use a large screen when needed while being compact for everyday carrying” (8.8%). This indicates high expectations for both large screen utility and portability.
When asked what activities they would like to do with a large screen, “video viewing” was the highest (52.1%), followed by “gaming on a large screen” (37.3%), “camera photography” (26.9%), “reading e-books” (25.2%), and “online meetings/classes” (18.9%). This shows a strong desire for enhanced entertainment experiences.
Furthermore, respondents believe that owning a horizontal foldable smartphone could make other devices redundant, such as “laptops” (31.5%), “tablets” (27.8%), and “e-book readers” (22.2%), highlighting a potential for a single device to fulfill multiple roles.
The large screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 offers numerous usage possibilities, providing a comfortable experience for various content consumption scenarios, from video viewing and gaming to reading manga, all while maintaining pocket-sized portability.
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Video Viewing (e.g., YouTube): Watch compactly on the cover screen in crowded places, or unfold for a large screen when relaxing. The unfolded screen displays up to six thumbnails compared to three when closed, allowing for more efficient video discovery. Viewing comments while watching videos is also more comfortable with a larger video display and more comments visible.
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Gaming Experience: Equipped with Samsung’s display technology and ray tracing capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 provides an immersive gaming experience with clear visuals and detailed rendering. It supports simultaneous display of up to three apps, allowing users to play games while viewing strategy guides or videos without switching apps. The “Circle to Search” feature enables instant web searches for in-game items or characters by simply circling them, streamlining the gaming experience.
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Manga/Magazine Reading: The main display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, when unfolded, measures 15.1cm vertically and 13.6cm horizontally, closely matching the size of a typical comic book (17.4cm x 13.6cm). Text can be easily magnified or reduced with pinch gestures. It can also display about half the size of a typical magazine page (28.4cm x 21cm), making for comfortable reading. This eliminates the need to carry a separate e-reader.
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Shopping Comparison: Survey results show that reasons for using laptops or tablets include “comparing products during online shopping” (50.4%) and “gathering information while watching videos” (39.6%). The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 allows these tasks to be performed comfortably on a single foldable smartphone. For instance, two different shopping sites can be displayed side-by-side to compare prices and specifications instantly. The “Circle to Search” feature can also be used to search for products seen in videos without manual text input.
Yamane also comments that horizontal foldable smartphones allow users to watch videos on a large screen when unfolded, making it easier to browse video menus and find desired content. For business, tasks like reviewing PDF presentation materials or modifying spreadsheet values, which are cumbersome on conventional smartphone screens, can be handled easily on the large screen. The “DeX” function on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 enables a desktop mode for efficient work, effectively replacing a tablet and eliminating the need to carry two devices.
TOPICS 3: Solving Current Smartphone Frustrations with Horizontal Foldable Smartphones
Many users experience stress and burden from “app switching and task efficiency” in their daily smartphone operations. Top complaints include “effort required every time an app is switched” (33.4%), “screen freezing or slow operation” (31.3%), and “losing track of content after switching apps multiple times” (27.2%).
When confirming multiple pieces of information on a smartphone, common experiences include “postponing research due to the effort involved” (29.1%), “forgetting what was being researched while switching apps” (28.3%), and “taking longer than expected to find necessary information” (27.4%).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 facilitates comfortable multitasking without switching apps, thanks to its multiple app display capabilities.
- Multiple App Split Display: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 can display up to three apps simultaneously, and up to five pop-up windows can be overlaid, allowing for a total of eight apps to be active. For example, when planning a meal with friends, users can search for restaurants, check availability on a reservation site, and discuss with friends via SMS, all without switching apps. Other uses include comparing original and translated texts side-by-side, dragging and dropping images from the right screen to Samsung Notes or email, displaying past photos alongside a live camera view for similar compositions, or using Gemini Live’s screen sharing to ask questions about a website’s content and receive immediate, context-aware answers displayed alongside.
Yamane states that horizontal foldable smartphones allow users to run two apps side-by-side, enabling parallel task processing. Switching between apps displayed on the left and right screens is seamless. He personally uses this feature to compare flight ticket prices across different travel agency websites. With the increasing use of AI apps, displaying AI search results on an adjacent screen allows users to work while continuously viewing desired information.
Further Foldable Smartphone Usage Tips for More Enjoyable Daily Life
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Video Viewing at Your Preferred Angle: A key feature of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is its ability to be folded and held at any desired angle. This allows for comfortable video viewing in various postures. When folded, the lower screen displays large playback buttons and a seek bar, making operation easy. This eliminates the need for a phone stand or a case with a built-in stand.
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Translation While Folded: Using the translation function in Flex Mode allows translated text to be displayed on the outer cover screen, facilitating smooth communication at an appropriate distance.
Yamane points out that when closed, horizontal foldable smartphones are slightly narrower than conventional smartphones, making them easy to hold with one hand. A particularly convenient usage style is opening the device into an L-shape and placing it on a desk for photography, video calls, or viewing videos at an optimal angle, eliminating the need for a tripod. With up to three split screens and the option for pop-up apps like a calculator, these devices offer new functionalities not found in conventional smartphones. Yamane concludes that horizontal foldable smartphones are not merely a sum of “smartphone + tablet” but next-generation products that provide unique usage experiences.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Realizing the Horizontal Foldable Smartphone Experience
The survey reveals that half of those interested in horizontal foldable smartphones intend to purchase one next. While there is high anticipation for comfortable large-screen operation and multitasking, concerns about device weight, thickness, and app behavior during folding remain. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 aims to address these anxieties and concerns, proposing ways to make daily life more enjoyable with a foldable smartphone. Samsung is committed to expanding the possibilities of the horizontal foldable smartphone category by continuing to listen to user feedback.
Further details on the “Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7” can be found here: https://www.samsung.com/jp/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold7/
As of July 6, 2026, the Samsung online shop prices for the Galaxy Z Fold7 are:
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 (256 GB): 265,750 yen (incl. tax)
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 (512 GB): 295,750 yen (incl. tax)
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 (1 TB): 340,750 yen (incl. tax)
Mobile Phone Journalist Yasuhira Yamane Profile
Based in Hong Kong, Yasuhira Yamane is a mobile phone researcher who spends more than half the year on overseas assignments to gather the latest smartphone information. He has continuously used foldable smartphones, from the first “Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G” to the latest tri-fold smartphone “Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold.”
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“Samsung Galaxy” is a trademark or registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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Google, Android, and Gemini are trademarks of Google LLC.
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Other company names, product names, and service names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
