Samsung takes on Apple in foldable phone market

South Korean group Samsung launched an advertising campaign on Thursday for its foldable phones, highlighting its hardware advantage and its decision to enter the segment earlier, as it seeks to counter the challenge posed by the launch of a foldable iPhone by U.S. rival Apple, Reuters reports.

Apple unveiled the Duo model on Wednesday, a $1,999 foldable iPhone designed to revolutionize a market category long dominated by Samsung and Chinese companies such as Huawei, whose devices have struggled to move beyond a niche audience, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

Apple adopted the passport-style design that Samsung Electronics unveiled two months ago with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, priced at $1,899 and powered by Alphabet’s Gemini artificial intelligence.

“Apple’s pricing was one of the most impressive aspects. Keeping the iPhone Duo just below the $2,000 threshold, at $1,999, and only around $100 above the Galaxy Z Fold 8 seems like quite a bold move by Apple,” said Liz Lee, associate director at market research firm Counterpoint.

“We expect Apple to truly reshape the competitive landscape in the foldable device market, and Samsung’s market share will come under pressure. But Samsung has scale, years of experience and strong global distribution,” Lee added.

Counterpoint expects Apple to capture a 25% market share, catching up with Samsung, which is expected to control 38% of the market this year.

Samsung has placed billboards in major cities, including Seoul, Tokyo and London, with slogans such as “Welcome to the foldable phone market” and “The world’s lightest foldable phone,” highlighting the slim and lightweight design of its devices.

The South Korean group also detailed its long-standing efforts to reduce the weight of its foldable phones in a post on its website.

In response to the launch of the iPhone Duo on Wednesday, Samsung published a series of mocking posts on X, ridiculing what it described as a lack of innovation with jabs such as “reheating leftovers” and “So far, so similar.”

However, Apple’s new chief executive, John Ternus, criticized existing foldable phones, describing them as “like two phones awkwardly glued together.”

Samsung launched its first mass-market foldable phones in 2019, following early setbacks when reviewers reported cracked screens and other display problems.

Since then, the Korean company has launched eight generations of foldable phones, facing growing competition from Chinese rivals such as Huawei.

However, Apple could benefit from the supply chain Samsung has built for foldable phones, including foldable displays manufactured by Samsung’s own unit, Samsung Display.

“Apple is good at finding the right moment and entering a market when a product reaches a certain level of maturity,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight.

Photo: Apple