Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 leak sounds like terrible news

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 features on outer cover display
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Samsung may be making a huge change to next year's follow-up to the Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable flip phone, with a new report claiming the Korean company plans to move away from Qualcomm chipset used in the current model in favor of its own Exynos silicon.

Up to now, Samsung has only used high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs in its foldable phones worldwide. However, the Korean publication Chosun (via 9to5 Google) claims that Samsung will turn to the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip FE. The latter device would be a lower-cost addition to Samsung's lineup of foldable phones.

Contrast that with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 that came out earlier this year. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, currently Qualcomm's top-of-the-line silicon.

We've heard a number of reports all year that Samsung has struggled to make enough of its next-generation Exynos chip. The Chosun report claims the company has finally figured out 3nm processing and succeeded in "stabilizing the 3nm manufacturing yield" at its chip-making facilities

"It is true that we have had difficulties in mass production since we first applied the gate-all-around (GAA) process in the second-generation 3nm foundry process,” an unnamed Samsung official told Chosun. “Now that the process has stabilized, it is only a matter of time before we begin mass production.”

They added that there was some thought to put the Exynos 2500 chip in the Galaxy S25 series, which is rumored to be arriving next month. But it sounds from the report that the quantity of Exynos chips won't be sufficient in time for the early 2025 launch. But that "it will be possible" to put in the premium models of the Z Flip, which tends to appear in the latter half of the year.

Samsung has been fighting to fix its foundry business this year, and we presume that desire to get Exynos chips out is to reduce the company's reliance on Qualcomm chips. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip that will power next year's Galaxy S25 lineup is supposed to be between 20% and 30% more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 system-on-chip.

The Chosun report does not indicate if this Exynos setup is for the entire globe or just in certain regions. In previous years Samsung has put the Snapdragon chip in phones released in some parts of the world, while Exynos-powered phones arrived elsewhere. In fact, this is exactly what happened with the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus earlier this year.

We've heard rumors that Samsung may raises the prices of its flagship Galaxy S25 line in its home country of Korea, but it's unclear of that means higher prices for the rest of the world.

More from Tom's Guide

TOPICS
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. 

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 CPU spec looks very different to S25
Xiaomi Mix Flip
Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 hardware upgrades just leaked — and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 should take notes
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE teased by Samsung — and the leaked specs sound promising
An alleged Galaxy Z Flip 6 render
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could miss out on a camera upgrade — what we know
Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 in-hand with outer display showing
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 leak claims big design changes could be on the way — what we know
Galaxy Z Fold 6 shown in hand
Yikes! Samsung reportedly cutting Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 production by nearly 40%
Latest in Samsung Phones
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Older Samsung phones are finally getting One UI 7 — here's all the devices
Try Galaxy home screen on iPhone 16 Pro Max
You can now try Samsung's latest One UI 7 software on your iPhone — here's how
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge back
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge price comes into focus with latest leak
Samsung Galaxy A56 (left) and iPhone 16e (right) laying next to each other on a woodgrain table.
4 reasons why Samsung's Galaxy A56 is a better buy than the iPhone 16e
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 tipped for a huge outer screen upgrade — here’s what we know
Galaxy Z Fold 6 shown in hand
Samsung just killed the crease with this breakthrough foldable phone display
Latest in News
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Saturday, March 15 (#643)
iPhone 17 Pro render
iPhone 17 Ultra just tipped to replace Pro Max in new leak — with these key upgrades
RCS messaging on an iPhone
Forget green bubbles — iPhones will soon get encrypted RCS messaging to Androids
CAD renderings of the Google Pixel 10 Pro
Latest Google Pixel 10 leak could make you want to skip it altogether
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 — analysts say it will be massive hit even with price hike
Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso in Ted Lasso season 3
‘Ted Lasso’ season 4 is official — here’s what Jason Sudeikis revealed