'Welcome to Foldables': Samsung braces for Apple's foldable iPhone challenge
SEOUL: Samsung launched a publicity campaign for its foldable phones, touting its hardware advantage and its early entry into the segment as it seeks to fend off a major challenge from Apple. Apple unveiled on Wednesday the Duo , a folding $1,999 iPhone aimed at shaking up a category long dominated by Samsung and Chinese companies such as Huawei , whose devices have struggled to move beyond a…
Samsung has announced a robust marketing push for its foldable smartphones, positioning itself against the imminent arrival of Apple's foldable iPhone. The tech giant aims to offset the looming threat from Apple's entry into the foldable market with its existing lead and extensive industry experience.
Apple unveiled its folding iPhone, the Duo, priced at $1,999, during a recent event. The device is designed to challenge Samsung's dominance in the foldable smartphone market, which has traditionally been led by Samsung and Chinese companies such as Huawei. The Duo follows in the footsteps of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, sharing a similar passport-shaped design and powered by Google's Gemini artificial intelligence.
Liz Lee, an analyst at Counterpoint, noted that Apple's pricing strategy, keeping the iPhone Duo just under $2,000, is a bold move. According to Counterpoint's expectations, Apple could capture a 25% market share in the foldable segment, closely following Samsung's projected 38% share.
In response to Apple's launch, Samsung has unveiled billboards across major cities like Seoul, Tokyo, and London, promoting its foldable phones as the "World's Lightest Fold." The company also detailed its ongoing efforts to minimize the weight of its foldable devices in a press release.
In the wake of Apple's announcement, Samsung has taken to social media to express its skepticism, posting sarcastic remarks on X about Apple's lack of innovation in the foldable space. Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, commented on existing foldables, describing them as "awkwardly stuck together."
Samsung entered the foldable market in 2019 after facing initial setbacks, including reports of broken screens and other display issues. Despite these challenges, the company has since released eight generations of foldable smartphones.
On the other hand, Apple is capitalizing on Samsung's foldable phone supply chain, including the manufacture of foldable screens by Samsung Display. Apple is also developing its own AI model tailored for the Chinese market, with the support of Alibaba, as per sources.
Written by urgent.news from Business Recorder's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
