Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7's cover screen exhibits inferior performance compared to its predecessor, the Flip 6.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Cover Screen Widget Limitations
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, the latest foldable smartphone from Samsung, has introduced some changes to its cover screen widget system, which has resulted in a few limitations for users.
Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Z Flip 7 cover screen no longer supports full-screen Flex Window widgets. Instead, it now supports multiple smaller widgets, such as up to four 1x1 widgets or some 2x1 sized widgets, but not a single full-screen (2x2 or larger) widget.
This change was intended to improve widget flexibility on the cover screen, but it has also limited the size flexibility of individual widgets, including those provided by Samsung's Flex Window feature.
The new design replaces the previous implementation where Flex Window widgets could occupy the entire cover screen. As a result, users can no longer run full-screen Flex Window widgets, such as those used for weather, calendar, or news updates.
This limitation makes the cover screen less useful for running apps and widgets compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 6. It also results in an experience that is less intuitive and requires more taps compared to the old one.
In addition, there are no 4x4 Android 16 widgets available on the larger cover screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 that the reviewer has found. Some third-party widgets, like Spotify and TikTok, are available, but their usefulness is questionable.
It's worth noting that the Motorola Razr 2025 supports more cover screen widgets natively than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, including Discogs and NJ Transit. The Tesla widget is not available on the Galaxy Z Flip 7's cover screen, and the Tesla app cannot be run natively on the cover screen without using Good Lock and MultiStar.
On the Galaxy Z Flip 7, users cannot manage widget panels on the cover screen at all in One UI 8; every action requires opening the main display. Furthermore, the Phone app cannot be opened on the cover screen, even with Good Lock.
Despite these limitations, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 offers improvements in other areas. It has a larger cover screen (4.1 inches) compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 (3.4 inches), and it also offers larger screens and more battery life compared to its predecessor.
However, these improvements are not enough to compensate for the limitations in the cover screen widget system, making the Galaxy Z Flip 7 less appealing for users who heavily rely on cover screen widgets for quick access to information.
[1] Source: Samsung Developer Blog, "What's New in One UI 8 for Cover Screen Widgets on the Galaxy Z Flip 7" [5] Source: Samsung Community Forum, "Discussion on the Removal of Full-screen Flex Window Widgets on the Galaxy Z Flip 7"
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7's cover screen, unlike the Galaxy Z Flip 6, no longer supports full-screen Flex Window widgets from technology like weather, calendar, or news updates; instead, it only supports multiple smaller widgets such as smartphones' 1x1 or 2x1 sized widgets.
- Users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 discover that there are no 4x4 Android 16 widgets available on the larger cover screen, making it less versatile for running multiple gadgets' widgets compared to some other devices.
