Samsung expects Galaxy Z Fold 5, Flip 5 to consolidate leadership position

Seoul: Korean smart devices major Samsung said it expects newly launched foldable smartphone models Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 to consolidate its leadership position in the market.

According to a market research firm, Samsung led the Indian smartphone market with a 20 per cent share in the March quarter of the previous fiscal and was the leading brand for 5G adoption, accounting for a 24 per cent share.

“Every day, more people choose our foldables as they offer an experience people want that they can’t get on any other device. Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 are the latest devices that prove our commitment to meeting the needs of our customers through innovative technology,” TM Roh, president and head of mobile experience business at Samsung Electronics, said here.

According to market research and analysis firm Techarc estimates, foldable handsets will contribute over 1.8 per cent of the total smartphone revenues for 2023. The estimate implies that over 6.35 lakh foldable smartphones will be sold in India during the year, totalling less than 0.5 per cent of the total sales by volume estimated for the period.

”This is the fifth generation of foldable devices that we have announced. Over the last five years, we have unfolded newer experiences for consumers in India. We are very excited and will definitely consolidate our leadership with this,” a Samsung official said.

Both devices come embedded with Snapdragon 8 Gen chipset, IPX8 certification, meaning these are water-resistant and will not be damaged even if submerged by up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes and can absorb external impact by folding the devices completely.

The Fold 5 will be 2.4 millimetres slimmer and 10 grams lighter than Fold 4. Company officials said Samsung S pen is also 41 per cent slimmer compared to previous generation devices.

CyberMedia Research (CMR) industry intelligence group head Prabhu Ram said the latest fifth-generation fold and flip models are more refined and durable, and will potentially appeal to a wider consumer base.

”As per our research at CMR, foldable shipments in India will potentially grow over 65 per cent year-on-year. While more entrants are in the fray in this segment with new innovations, Samsung has an edge with its brand salience and market stewardship,” Ram said.

The Flip 5 model comes with 10 megapixels (MP) selfie camera, dual 12 MP dual rear camera, 8GB RAM and up to 512 GB internal storage.

Samsung’s Fold 5 comes with a set of five cameras comprising 10 MP selfie camera, 4 MP display camera and triple rear camera, including 12 MP ultra wide, 50 MP wide angle and 10 MP telephoto camera. The external storage capacity in Fold 5 ranges from 256 GB to 1 TB across variants.

The competition for foldable phones has intensified with several brands coming up with their devices in the segment in the premium price range of USD 600 (Rs 49,200) and above.

According to Counterpoint Research, the premium segment was the only one that grew globally during the second quarter of the ongoing calendar year. More than 20 per cent of the smartphones sold during the quarter was in the premium segment, it said.

Samsung at its flagship Unpacked event unveiled Galaxy Tab S9 embedded with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

The company unveiled two models of Galaxy Watch 6, which have sleep monitoring, personalised heart rate zone, ECG features, and can provide predictions on menstrual cycle, control camera of Flip 5, etc.

Both Galaxy Watch6 and Watch6 Classic will come with a 30 per cent slimmer bezel and a 15 per cent thinner rotating bezel.