The Flip 7 faces the gauntlet, and indeed, its screens remain quite challenging to detach.
Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 has just undergone a gauntlet, showcasing the company’s hardware. Zach Nelson, the host of the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel, brought down his teardown hammer on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and the findings were striking. To start, the host attempts to detach the inner foldable display, first taking off the bezels, before carefully attempting to pry away that screen. Although there was a brief scare, the screen soon departed from the realm of functionality, as Nelson “forgot the ribbon cables” within.
Nelson then examined Samsung’s ultra-thin glass layer, which serves as a highly flexible glass layer essential for the display’s operation. However, quickly bending the display the wrong way shattered the glass. Nelson hopes Samsung could enhance its thickness, further extending its durability.
The cover display proved difficult to remove; nevertheless, it still operated while Nelson investigated the Flip 7’s OIS (optical image stabilization) features. The device’s OIS performed admirably, even while exposed on the operating table, exhibiting minimal jitter when shaken with the camera app active.
Delving into the Flip 7, it became clear that Samsung had continued to utilize its pull tabs for the battery and screws needed to remove much of its initial layer of components. As noted by the publication, this could enhance its repairability score in the future, though challenges remain in repairing foldables.
You can view Zach Nelson’s complete teardown of the Flip 7, where he discusses the new modifications to the phone’s hinge, its thermal specifications, and more.
Teardowns & Samsung’s Evolution
The Flip 7’s ultra-thin glass may sound recognizable if you recall Samsung explaining how it developed this device and the Fold 7. Interestingly, Samsung indicated that it made the UTG 50% thicker on the Fold 7, which would help minimize the visibility of the phone’s crease over time. It’s probably a comparable upgrade was implemented in the Flip 7 regarding its crease. The Flip 7’s standout feature was its full, edge-to-edge cover display, along with its narrower bezels that Zach Nelson quickly dismantled.
The Fold 7 underwent a teardown earlier in August, but that specific teardown truly focused on its repairability, which is extremely limited. A video from iFixit discussed the significant challenges one would face if trying to repair the Fold 7. It mentioned how the battery pull tabs are an “inferior” method, as they frequently break or require excessive force, potentially bending the battery, making it inoperable.
Additionally, if the camera of your Fold 7 has been damaged, someone would need to disassemble the device just to repair it.
