Samsung executive says foldable phones are about to go mainstream

Whether it’s because of the abrupt and satisfying way that you can hang up on someone who is being a pain in the ass, or because of the pocketability of such a device, consumers favor flip-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 4. In Roh’s blog post called “The Mainstream Moment for Foldable Smartphones Is Here,” the executive pointed out that last year 70% of Galaxy Z foldable phone buyers voted with their own money and picked the Galaxy Z Flip while the remaining 30% chose the Galaxy Z Fold.

Of course, it did help that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was priced at $999 and up, a nice-sized discount from the $1,380 price for the basic version of its predecessor. Samsung might not get as aggressive when pricing the Galaxy Z Flip 4 although a smaller decline to $899 is possible.

While the Galaxy Z Flip can open from a device that fits comfortably in your pocket to become a tall and thin 6.7-inch handset. Roh writes that “Flip users love owning a device built for self-expression, whether choosing bold color options for their device or taking pictures in a new way with Flex mode.” He says that Galaxy Z Fold users also have their reasons to buy that model. “Fold users love the multitasking capability of a screen that doubles in size, so they can be more efficient and get things done faster,” Roh said.

With the next Unpacked event taking place on August 10th, the Samsung executive states that the thing to watch is not what the latest technology can do. It is all about what you can do with the latest technology. He adds that Samsung customers are the muse that the company draws from to develop innovative new ideas for the company’s foldable handsets.

Roh says, “I can’t wait to show you the potential of our new Samsung Galaxy foldables as the ultimate tool for both productivity and self-expression. Now, you can do more than you ever thought possible, all at once, on one device.”

It seems that the head of Samsung’s Mobile Experience Business is happy to spread the credit for the success of Samsung’s foldable phones. Roh even called out Google and Microsoft as “industry leaders that are helping to expand the experiences that are now being made possible throughout the foldable ecosystem.”

Samsung’s goal is to take the Galaxy Z Flip 4 closer to being a mainstream phone, something that seems much more possible with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 than the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Yeah, some of it is the pricing which is why the manufacturer is reportedly looking at building another line of foldable Flip and Fold handsets for its budget-priced Galaxy A line. But based on last year’s sales, the flip build is overwhelmingly the favorite foldable among consumers.

Will there be a day when foldable smartphones dominate the landscape? It’s hard to see how until the most influential smartphone brand, the Apple iPhone, has its own foldable device. However, even Apple won’t be able to ignore the trend if foldables continue to be bought up by consumers. Last year 10 million foldable phones were shipped, up 300% year-over-year. Numbers like that cannot be ignored for long.

As Roh writes in his post, “We are reaching the moment where these foldable devices are becoming widespread and staking a bigger claim in the overall smartphone market.” Consumers, keep your eyes on this area of the industry to find the fastest growing sector of the smartphone industry.