Since the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was more of an evolutionary upgrade, Samsung will make some major changes to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 that's due next year. However, one rumored change might actually end up being a massive downgrade.
Samsung's foldable phones have always come with a Snapdragon chipset. That would have been the expectation for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, with the Galaxy S25 going Snapdragon-only making it seem like a sure bet, but it's not believed that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will feature the Exynos 2500 instead.
Cheaper Galaxy Z Flip to get the same chipset
The Exynos 2500 was initially developed for the Galaxy S25. It was expected that the Galaxy S25 and S25+ would get this chipset while the Ultra would get the latest Snapdragon processor. However, Samsung Foundry's 3nm yields have reportedly been so low that it can't make the Exynos 2500 at the scale that the mobile division requires, effectively forcing it to buy the more expensive Snapdragon 8 Elite chips for the entire Galaxy S25 series.
A new report out of South Korea claims that the yields have since improved and with the process now stabilized, mass production of the Exynos 2500 can be carried out. An unnamed senior Samsung official cited in the report claims that while the quantity isn't available to ship the Exynos 2500 with the Galaxy S25 series that's due next month, it will be possible to use it for the Galaxy Z Flip 7.
The Exynos 2500 may also be used in the Galaxy Z Flip FE, a new addition to Samsung's clamshell foldable lineup, which will have a lower price tag compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 7. If both will get the same flagship chipset, it's possible that Samsung may look for savings elsewhere, likely in the display, camera, battery, and memory departments.
There's a big risk that this ends up being perceived as a downgrade by customers. The new Galaxy Z Flip phones aren't due until the second half of next year. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite would have been out in many flagship phones by then, including the Galaxy S25 series, and users will be well aware of its capabilities.
If the Exynos 2500 fails to measure up to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, or if it continues to suffer from the chronic thermal and battery efficiency challenges, Samsung can't expect customers to not be vocal in their disappointment.