Samsung Electronics is stepping up its push for foldable phones after Apple entered the market with its first folding iPhone, challenging Samsung’s long-standing dominance in the category.
Apple unveiled the US$1,999 iPhone Duo on Wednesday, entering a market Samsung has occupied since launching its first mass-market foldable phones in 2019.
Samsung responded with a series of billboards in major cities including Seoul, Tokyo and London carrying slogans such as “Welcome to Foldables” and “The World’s Lightest Fold”, highlighting the thin and light design of its devices.
The Korean company also posted a series of sarcastic messages on X following Apple’s launch, accusing the iPhone maker of offering little meaningful innovation with remarks including “reheating our leftovers” and “So far, so same”.
Apple’s entry is nevertheless expected to put pressure on Samsung. Counterpoint estimates Apple could capture 25% of the foldable smartphone market this year, compared with 38% for Samsung.
“Apple’s pricing was one of the most impressive parts. Keeping the iPhone Duo just under the $2,000 mark, at $1,999, and only about $100 above the Galaxy Z Fold 8 looks like a pretty bold move by Apple,” said Liz Lee, associate director at market research firm Counterpoint.
“We expect that Apple will really change the competitive landscape in foldables, and Samsung will see the most visible share pressure. But Samsung also has scale, years of experience and strong global distribution,” she said.
Apple’s design also closely resembles Samsung’s latest foldable approach. The iPhone Duo uses a passport-shaped design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which Samsung launched less than two months ago at US$1,899.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 also features Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence, while Samsung has spent years refining its foldable hardware after early models faced broken screens and other display problems.
Samsung has since launched eight generations of foldable phones, although it now faces competition from Chinese manufacturers including Huawei.
Apple is also benefiting from a supply chain that Samsung helped establish for foldable devices, including foldable displays manufactured by Samsung Display.
“Apple is good at getting its timing right and entering the market when a product reaches a certain level of maturity,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight.
Apple CEO John Ternus had previously criticised existing foldables as being “like two phones awkwardly stuck together”, setting the stage for the company’s own entry into the category.
Reuters
