How Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip Disappointed Me Without Actually Breaking.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is scheduled to likely launch in July, and it is shaping up to be a considerable improvement compared to the Z Flip 5 that I have. It is expected to feature a slightly larger battery than the Flip 6, which was already better than the Flip 5, in addition to a much wider external display. However, I can't wait several more months. After a year and a half of use, I've reached the limit of my patience.

It is worth mentioning that my phone has never broken or shown the well-known screen issues, such as green lines on the hinge. The factory screen protector did start to peel off, but that was resolved with a visit to uBreakiFix. The real problem began when the battery stopped lasting a full day, and I started getting woken up by notifications at night. The battery drains faster than normal, and since the last significant software update, the sleep and do not disturb modes no longer block notification sounds. I don't know how to fix this, and the unique benefits of the Flip are no longer enough to tolerate its inconveniences.

Throughout the morning, the phone would often reach 80 percent charge by 9 AM, and by 9 PM, it would be threatening to run out. I barely use the phone at work, and yet I always feel like I need to keep it plugged in. Although the Z Flip 5 is compact when folded, its performance falls short compared to the smaller Galaxy S23 that launched that same year, which has a capacity of 14.68Wh.

In the early days, my Flip easily made it to the charger every night, but over time, even limiting its use during the day or activating battery saver mode was not enough. During a trip to CES in January, I realized I couldn't rely on this phone at a professional event. I had to transfer all my accounts to a borrowed phone to be able to work. I suspect the decrease in battery life is due to Samsung's One UI 6.1 software update that came in April, and I’m not alone in this concern.

Despite Samsung's diagnostics saying the battery is "fine," I've had other phones with weaker batteries in the past. At one point, I carried spare batteries for my Motorola Droid 2, which was easy due to its removable cover. While I could consider replacing the batteries of my Z Flip 5, that would carry risks for such a delicate device.

It's not just the hinge or the fingerprint sensor, which often fails; it's also about how Samsung still hasn't fully explored the potential of the Flip and how impractical its external screen becomes once the novelty wears off. Its only indisputable advantage is the good-quality selfies.

When people ask me what I like about my Z Flip, I reply that it's because of how easily it fits in my pocket and the unique feeling of being able to fold it. However, it's not a small phone, and it's difficult to handle with one hand. After several fumbles, I stopped trying.

Generally, I open the phone almost every time I use it, as the external screen rarely provides a satisfactory experience. I can't even access the garage door opening option without scrolling through ads on the external screen. Although I downloaded Samsung's Good Lock app to integrate my most-used apps, accessing them is still more complicated than just opening the phone.

After forcing myself to use the external screen for months for routine tasks, I realized that I could only make the most of it when taking selfies. After my experience at CES, I began looking for a new phone. Even though I wanted a small one, I didn't find anything interesting, but I noticed on Reddit that many Galaxy Z Flip owners were talking about the possibility of switching to conventional models, now that Samsung is offering up to $500 in credits for a Galaxy S25.

After confirming that the Galaxy S25 is currently the smallest high-end Android phone available, I decided to take advantage of the offer. Although the S25 doesn’t feel as compact in my pocket, its performance is quite better. So far, the camera has exceeded my expectations and the battery life is remarkable. As I write this, my little-used phone is at 80 percent and seems to still have plenty of power left.