A few years ago, Samsung was the world’s biggest foldable smartphone brand by a substantial margin, shipping 10 million units in a single year. However, competition has intensified, with nearly every major smartphone brand entering the segment. This year, Apple is expected to enter the foldable phone market, and Samsung’s foldable sales could hit a new low.
According to ZDNet Korea, Samsung is planning to ship 5-6 million units of the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra this year. That is lower than the 6 million foldable phones it shipped last year. The projected shipment figures for each model are listed below.
- Galaxy Z Flip 8: 0.5-1 million units
- Galaxy Z Fold 8: 1.5-2 million units
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: 2-2.5 million units
A few months ago, Samsung’s shipment target for these three upcoming phones was 6.5 million units. This revision is reportedly due to rising smartphone component costs, including higher memory chip prices. As a result, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 series could be more expensive than their predecessors, potentially leading to lower sales.
Last year, sales of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 were reportedly weaker than expected. The sales ratio between the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 was reportedly close to 50:50. In comparison, earlier generations of Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold devices typically recorded a sales ratio of around 70:30.
According to IDC, around 20 million foldable phones were sold last year, accounting for less than 2% of all smartphones sold worldwide. This shows that foldable phones remain a niche category. Samsung’s cumulative sales of older and newer foldable phone models reached 7 million units last year, resulting in an estimated market share of 35%.
Starting in 2027, Apple is expected to put additional pressure on Samsung’s foldable smartphone business.
The rumored iPhone Ultra is expected to feature a dual-camera setup and a wider but shorter form factor, similar to Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8. However, Apple’s foldable phone could be more expensive while offering a more optimized app ecosystem.
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