Samsung says nearly 10 million foldable smartphones were sold in 2021, meaning this new form factor is now here to stay.
By hitting the 10 million foldable phone mark, Samsung said the “mainstream moment for foldable smartphones has arrived” for the category that the company says was considered “radical” three years ago.
“Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Flip are the best-known foldable phones. Last year, nearly 10 million foldable smartphones were shipped worldwide,” said TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s ‘MX’ (Mobile eXperience Business) division in a blog post.
The Flip, a popular choice
“This is an industry increase of over 300% from 2020, and I predict this rapid growth will continue. We are coming at a time when these foldable devices are becoming more widespread and establishing themselves more in the global smartphone market,” he continues.
This figure would presumably include folding devices like the Oppo Find N and Honor Magic V and possibly the Motorola Razr, as well as the Flip and Fold, each with their own take on the folding concept.
Samsung said foldable devices were common ahead of its August 10 Unpacked event, where foldable devices were reported to take center stage.
According to Samsung, 70% of Galaxy foldable buyers chose the Flip – the cheaper but still expensive 2020 model that follows Samsung’s first foldable device, the Fold and its flimsy display. In 2021, the Galaxy X Flip 3 has become a more realistic option.
A drop in the sea
The remaining 30% bought a Galaxy Fold, according to Samsung. TM Roh called the Fold “the ultimate productivity device” for its larger screen multitasking, while Flip customers liked its Flex mode for easier selfies.
“Three years ago, Galaxy foldables could be summed up in one word: radical. Very quickly, however, it became apparent that this revolutionary and flexible design fit perfectly into modern lifestyles. Therefore, what was just a novelty three years ago is now the preferred choice of millions of people,” said TM Roh.
Samsung launched the Fold at an interesting time in its smartphone history. In 2018, its Galaxy S line wasn’t selling as well as it had in the past. That year, Samsung announced that it would incorporate more new technologies into its mid-range Galaxy A phones rather than just its high-end Galaxy S phones. This can be seen in last year’s Galaxy A-series phones, which were popular in Europe.
While 10 million folding phones sold in a year is a milestone, it’s still a drop in the ocean compared to the 1.39 billion smartphones shipped last year. This represents 0.7% of all smartphones shipped in 2021 and would be a tiny fraction of Samsung’s overall share of 20% of smartphone shipments.
Source: ZDNet.com