Earlier this month, Samsung introduced its new generation of foldable smartphones. The Galaxy Z Fold3 is the king of the foldable lineup sporting two displays and a tablet size when unfolded. The device also supports, for the first time, S-Pen and comes with an under-display camera. The Galaxy Z Flip3 5G does not change the formula of last year’s model that much. Anyway, it packs a bigger external display and a much improved Snapdragon 888 chipset. According to early reports, the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 are already proving to be successful smartphones in their homeland.
Samsung has reportedly received 920,000 pre-order for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. This astonishing amount comprises pre-orders made between August 17 and August 23. This means in terms of first-week orders the foldable duo has surpassed the Galaxy Note20 and even the Galaxy S21. Worth noting that this year’s flagship Galaxy S21 lineup has surpassed the Galaxy S20 series.
This is a good reminder that we’re finally seeing a “true” demand for foldable smartphones. If in 2019 and 2020 they were considered “niche” devices, they are now, being acquired by common users and not just enthusiasts. The comparison is even more impressive when you take the Galaxy Z Fold2 as an example. Just two days before the second-gen foldable went on sale, Korean publications were reporting 60,000 pre-orders.
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Galaxy Z Flip3 is leading the demand
Of course, the bulk of the new orders is made up of more affordable Galaxy Z Flip3. It accounts for around 70 percent. The pricier Z Fold3 makes up the other 30%, according to Bloomberg’s Sohee Kim. Of course, this is easily understandable when you have in mind that the Fold costs around 60 to 70% more than the Flip.
The Flip is a cheaper smartphone, and it’s also more friendly for those that still want a smartphone-like experience. When unfolded, the smartphone feels like a standard smartphone. Of course, the price also means that more users can enter the foldable world without having to pay much. Anyway, Samsung still has reasons to consider the Z Fold3 a success in these first days. According to GSMArena, the Z Fold3 has scored more than 4 times as many pre-orders as its predecessor.
Again, we need to say that this has only the Korean market. The device is reportedly getting a strong demand in Europe too, stronger than what Samsung expected. Yesterday, Samsung emailed customers in Germany saying that their order may be delayed due to the strong demand. Later Max Jambor reported hearing similar stories from the UK and France too with Galaxy Z Flip3 delivery dates slipping to September 9 or even later.
