Samsung Tips 'Mainstream' Foldable Phones, But Does That Mean Cheaper?
Ahead of Samsung's foldable phone launch on Aug. 10, the company's mobile head, TM Roh, gave a statistical tidbit about 2021 sales and revealed details about this year's strategy.
Roh celebrated "almost 10 million" foldable phones being shipped in 2021. Samsung was the biggest player in that market, selling around 7.2 million devices, according to Android Authority(Opens in a new window).
Of the two foldables Samsung released last year, 70% were the more affordable Flip model while 30% were the higher-end Fold model, Roh says in a blog post(Opens in a new window).
That post doesn't reveal much about this year's devices beyond vague pronouncements about "advancements in every detail" and being "committed to this journey." But one hint may come in the blog post's title: The Mainstream Moment for Foldable Smartphones is Here. Mainstream, to many people, implies large volumes and a reasonable price.
That's mostly an issue for the fancier Z Fold4. While we loved the Galaxy Z Fold3, it listed for $1,799.99, which is $600 more than any other base-model Galaxy or iPhone. So for the Z Fold4 to be "mainstream," its price may need to come down.
The more successful Z Flip3 retailed for $999 at launch, the same as the current price of a base-model Samsung Galaxy S22+.
Samsung is now letting people sign up for an accessories credit of up to $200 if they "reserve(Opens in a new window)" new phones, watches, or earbuds. There's no commitment involved, so you might as well. The new foldables will be revealed during an online event at 9 a.m. ET on Aug. 10.
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