Foldable smartphones will make up half of Samsung's smartphone sales by 2025

Digital Desk: Samsung Electronics aims to make foldable phones account for half of total smartphone sales by 2025, according to a top executive, after the tech giant unveiled its latest foldable smartphones in an online event.

Samsung, the world's largest smartphone manufacturer, will work to make foldable smartphones a main column alongside the Galaxy S flagship series and a key category in the premium segment, said Roh Tae-moon, president and head of Samsung's mobile experience (MX) division, following the Unpacked online event.

Roh stated that Samsung's latest foldable series, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4, will help the company maintain its lead in the global smartphone market, despite continuing headwinds from recession fears and high inflation, which have reduced consumers' purchasing power.

He emphasised that the new foldable phones have "improved in both hardware and software aspects," particularly through close collaboration with global mobile partners such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook parent Meta, according to Yonhap.

According to Samsung, the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip 4 is designed to "go truly hands-free," allowing users to make phone calls, respond to texts, and take photos without flipping the phone open, and it has an improved user experience when uploading short videos to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4, which opens like a book, provides an improved multitasking and user-friendly screen environment with a layout similar to that of a PC, allowing quick access to a user's favourite and most recently used apps.

According to Samsung, the phone also supports the drag-and-drop feature for Google applications, including Gmail, allowing users to quickly and easily share files and photos, as well as copy and paste links.

According to Roh, Samsung has secured sufficient initial inventory through better supply chain and logistics management.

According to Counterpoint Research, foldable phones are the fastest growing smartphone type this year, with sales expected to increase 73 percent year on year to 16 million units.

According to the research firm, Samsung led the market with a 62 percent market share in the first half of the year, followed by China's Huawei with 16 percent, and Samsung's market share is expected to reach 80 percent in the second half due to the latest foldable series.

"We expect the new Galaxy Fold 4 and Flip 4 combo to maintain Samsung's momentum in the space and sell close to 9 million units this year," said Counterpoint Research analyst Jene Park.

During an earnings call last month, Samsung stated that, while smartphone demand is expected to slow in the second half due to ongoing geopolitical issues and economic uncertainty, the company will try to boost flagship product sales and profitability by making foldable phones mainstream.