Yeah, same experience. I wanted to check out the iPhone Air but as you said it's too locked down. From the look, I wasn't too impressed.
The fold 7 is nice but no way since it doesn't have the s pen. My fold 5 suffices.
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Galaxy Z Fold7/Flip7
- Thread starter Zito Abroad
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The fold 7 is nice but no way since it doesn't have the s pen. My fold 5 suffices.
I feel like I need to write a manual on how to escape the Apple ecosystem. Lol. I completely left it and I'm doing just fine!
Its really not hard. I really used to switch every 2-3 years, watch and all. The Samsung watches continue to be great. I don't know if I would say they beat an ultra, but I'm no up on all their latest stuff. The newer Android OS functions just like Apple, settings where to find them etc. I really didn't feel much of a learning curve. Its just a pain where you have your money invested. It would also help if they would fix the group messaging thing.
Oh for sure. You really do have to go through the pain of selling stuff and hoping there's no issues with the sales. I've had a couple times when I've switched and I sold the old phone that I've had problems with the sale because of a bad buyer, and it really lessened the whole experience. So totally get that.
That's only reason I am willing to keep my M4 13" around, Samsung isn't willing to pay me more than $450 and they're not willing to take the Magic Keyboard which means I would lose $1700 in less than a year. And I don't want to deal with FB Marketplace or OfferUp.
I did buy the iPad Pro from Costco though, I wonder if their 3-year return policy applies to that.
iPad Pro 13-inch, 512GB Wi-Fi (M4 chip) Built For Apple Intelligence
iPad Pro 13-inch, 512GB Wi-Fi (M4 chip) Built For Apple Intelligence
I guess not, also they really should scratch out the 'built for Apple Intelligence,' part. Unless they mean Gemini and/or ChatGPT. Gemini works way better on my ZF7 than on my iPad though.
I’d never part ways with the iPad… like the combination of a iPad and Android phone, serves as the best of both worlds given that I don’t carry an iPhone with me.
Added Magic Keyboard accessory that you mention can transform the iPad into a laptop… so, that’s essentially a 2-1 (laptop/tablet) device along with the Galaxy Fold being a 2-1 (tablet/phone) as well.
My only laptop is the IPP and my main issue with it is sending files between the IPP and ZF7 is a pain. Localsend, Onedrive and Dropbox just doesn't work while on a plane. Which meant I would have to use a flashdrive like I was in the early 00s. I've told my boss countless times not to send me files via text but he doesn't listen. If I caught it I would quickly transfer it to Onedrive before my flight, but whenever I forget it sucked. Still not regretting getting rid of my iPhone though, Liquid Glass is terrible. I will never buy an Apple anything until that goes away.
That being said flying with the ZF7 is, and I don't want to sound like a tech influencer, but it's a 'game changer.' I don't have the luxury of flying business all the time and not having to get into my overhead to get my IPP or having to bring along another iPad with me just so I can read/watch a movie/play games or utilize the crap plane wifi really helped me on those 20+ hour flights. Plus the battery life isn't bad either.
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I returned a DSLR that I never opened, almost a year later at Costco and they took it. I was totally prepared to eat the loss!That's only reason I am willing to keep my M4 13" around, Samsung isn't willing to pay me more than $450 and they're not willing to take the Magic Keyboard which means I would lose $1700 in less than a year. And I don't want to deal with FB Marketplace or OfferUp.
I did buy the iPad Pro from Costco though, I wonder if their 3-year return policy applies to that.
iPad Pro 13-inch, 512GB Wi-Fi (M4 chip) Built For Apple Intelligence
iPad Pro 13-inch, 512GB Wi-Fi (M4 chip) Built For Apple Intelligencewww.costco.com
I guess not, also they really should scratch out the 'built for Apple Intelligence,' part. Unless they mean Gemini and/or ChatGPT. Gemini works way better on my ZF7 than on my iPad though.
Just saying...Perhaps certain discretion applies to the 90 day policy (I remember when there was no such limitation on electronics either)
I'm just gonna hang onto it, Google's support for Android tablets seems to be pretty inconsistent atm. So even with how horrible iPadOS26 is atm it is still one of the best tablets in the market right now. Maybe in a few years from now I'll trade it for a MacBook Pro or something.
Don't know the accuracy of this site, but this would be awesome.
www.geeky-gadgets.com
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Upgrade That Will Change Foldables FOREVER
Discover the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a crease-free display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and enhanced usability for work and play.
I think a few might be coming like the crease free next year but I hope more camera improvementsDon't know the accuracy of this site, but this would be awesome.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Upgrade That Will Change Foldables FOREVER
Discover the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a crease-free display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and enhanced usability for work and play.
Crease-free has been reported for a couple now and we already know that Samsung is going to equip their flagship phones with the latest and greatest of Snapdragon.Don't know the accuracy of this site, but this would be awesome.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Upgrade That Will Change Foldables FOREVER
Discover the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a crease-free display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and enhanced usability for work and play.
Terms of camera upgrades... only thing that's really missing is a better telephoto lens (not sure if they going to improve on ultra-lens), but the article didn't specify what Samsung plans to do for the Galaxy Fold 8. No mention of S-Pen support, so that's a bummer! But I'd probably go ahead and upgrade regardless of no S-Pen support.
I'm hoping they are working to find a solution on adding S-Pen support without the digitizer... don't mind having a bigger S-Pen, because if they are not trying to add a silo then mimic the Apple Pencil and put in all the technology needed to get hover support, tilt and palm rejection.
I hope in future folds Samsung gives them the same camera setup as the S ultra series. I don't want to compromise on cameras anymore. Although Samsung needs to offer a smaller slab with those cameras too.
The biggest obstacle to better camera on foldables is physics. Larger sensors need more space and better optics need depth and even thinner devices makes that difficult. As long as we’re OK with a bigger camera bump/plateau, we can get improved cameras. The foldables from Chinese OEMs with flagship level cameras also have gigantic camera modules.
That is true. I think the Fold 7 is pushing the limit of acceptable camera bump as is.
Sadly, I need to leave the fold team. I cant get along with the battery. Ordered a 25 Ultra for now.
I disagree that physics is the reason why better cameras don't exist on foldables... it's weighing the cost factor. Because as you mention, Chinese OEMs add flagship level cameras to their foldables... but they are not worldwide releases.
They have to account for tariffs and licensing fees, then comes trying to get carrier support. So, Chinese OEMs rather have a limited release... because of that Samsung can play it safe. So, it's much more of a nuance discussion than physics... adding flagship cameras to a Galaxy Fold becomes more expensive to an already expensive device.
Samsung has enough resources to figure out how to add larger sensors because other OEMs are doing it... they rather not exceed the price that consumers are willing to pay for it.
Of course they can do it but like I said, the camera bumps are huge on those Chinese OEMs. Samsung, Google, and (likely Apple) are not going to use giant camera modules on their ultra thin foldables, especially as the expense of battery space. And that’s physical limitations in action. Look at the iPhone Air? Key reason there’s only one camera is they needed to pack as much battery in that small space to get tolerable battery life.
Unless Samsung, Google, and Apple adopt the new silicon carbon battery tech (there are questions about battery longevity regulatory issues in the US regarding battery sizes and thus a likely reason they are lagging the Chinese OEMs), I think we’re going to continue to see inferior cameras on the US based models.
Is there not a huge camera module bump currently on Samsung and Google foldables? Fold 7 users complain already that it rocks when flat on the table. Consumers don't care about the camera bump as long as it's producing quality photos.
And you bring up the Air... but the discussion is around foldables. Samsung has had the same camera array ever since the 1st generation. I don't think lack of space plays apart in why they haven't added better lens to the Galaxy Fold and we just got a 200MP main lens this year while being as thin as ever.
We are going to see inferior cameras because of the compromises they have to make to reduce the cost of these devices.
Yes there's a camera bump on all these foldables but they're smaller than the respective flagship models. The Fold 7's main camera is the only carry over from the Ultra and itself only has 3 vs. 4 lenses on the Ultra. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold also has lesser versions of its ultra wide and telephoto vs the Pro models.
I bring up that Air only because it's dealing with the same limitation--space in the chassis because of the thin form factor.
I'm sure cost/margins absolutely come into play but again, when these foldables are already dealing with reduced battery capacity, having even less space for that battery due to larger cameras has to also be a factor. None of these foldables are battery champs and this subpar performance is usually one of the key highlighted compromises in every review, personal or professional that your read online.
We'll see what happens with the next generation of foldables.
Yup, as a heavy user, the battery was a huge pain point for my use case as well. Hopefully (the upcoming) Apple fold’s SOT will wake Samsung’s complacent ass up ( actually I’m sure it will …)
So I think I may have sort have solved my dislike for the telephoto lens. I noticed that I actually get better results if I change my camera setting to 200mp and it has an option for 4x and 5x, which I just literally discovered. Lol. It appears to use the main sensor to just crop in and I took a couple shots last night at my son's baseball game and they turned out really well!
Obviously I still want the telephoto lens to be upgraded next year, but this is a nice compromise. Rarely do I really need anything more than 5X.
Obviously I still want the telephoto lens to be upgraded next year, but this is a nice compromise. Rarely do I really need anything more than 5X.
I mean if you can just crop the main sensor to have equal or better zoom quality than the dedicated sensor wouldn't that make the telephoto sensor kinda pointless?