Samsung has introduced the Linux Terminal app with its new Galaxy Z Flip 7, making it the first non-Pixel phone to support this significant feature. The app allows users to run full Linux programs within a virtual machine, providing capabilities that are not typically available on Android devices. However, the larger and more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 7 does not support this feature.
The Linux Terminal app can download and run a modified version of Debian, a popular Linux distribution, through a virtual machine created by the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF). Although the framework was initially introduced in Android 13, the Terminal app became available with Android 15. Samsung has integrated this feature with its latest One UI 8 update, but the availability is not uniform across all devices.
The difference in functionality boils down to the chipsets used in these devices. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2500, which supports the non-protected virtual machine required for the Terminal app. In contrast, the Galaxy S25 series and the Z Fold 7 use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, which only supports protected virtual machines, rendering the Terminal app incompatible with them.
As for future developments, Qualcomm may need to address this limitation in their vendor updates to fully capitalize on the capabilities of its powerful Snapdragon chipsets. With innovations like Samsung DeX, the Linux Terminal app has the potential to turn the Z Flip 7 into a highly functional portable PC. While current features do not support graphical applications, future updates may introduce the capability to run traditional Linux PC games directly on Android devices.
For more information on the Linux Terminal app, you can visit Android Authority’s coverage and insights on Android 16 features.
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