Samsung Electronics defeats 'Chinese fake foldable phone' with super-gap technology
[MoneyS Report - Samsung sweeps the world market for foldable phones (2)] China is copying even foldable phones
By Yang Jin-won and Kim Tae-wook , MoneyS
|ViEW 2,572|
As the foldable phone market is growing significantly, Chinese companies such as Huawei and Oppo are jumping in one after another to counter Samsung Electronics.. Samsung Electronics' office in Seocho-dong, Seoul. /Photo=News1
■Article Order ①Samsung Electronics to solidify the world's No. 1 position this year through the success of its ‘foldable phone’ ②Samsung Electronics defeats 'Chinese fake foldable phone' with super-gap technology ③Samsung's foldable laptop… another success story to come?
The foldable phones are gaining popularity throughout the world. As the foldable smartphone market saw a rapid growth and emerged as a blue ocean, Chinese companies such as Huawei and Oppo have pitted against Samsung one after another.
Samsung, the dominant vendor of foldable phones, with nearly 90% global market share for foldables, has the strategy to defend its top place with its new products, Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
━
Chinese copycats imitating Samsung's Galaxy
━
Chinese tech giant Huawei's P50 Pocket. /Photo=Weibo Samsung, which first introduced a foldable phone back in 2019, had no rival in the global foldable smartphone industry. The popularity of the Galaxy Z Fold 3·Galaxy Z Flip 3, launched in August of 2021, has helped to further enhance its dominance in the foldable smartphone market, and there seemed to be no obstacle for its rosy future prospects.
Worldwide foldable phone sales this year is expected to be 16.9 million units, which accounts for 1.1% of the total smartphone market. Last year, foldables only represented 0.6%. Foldable phone shipments worldwide are also likely to double from 8.9 million units last year to 16.9 million units this year.
As Samsung successfully pioneered the market, Chinese companies scrambled to join the market. They are launching products that resemble The Galaxy Z, which has been a success. The Chinese manufacturer, Oppo, first resorted to Samsung's originality, according to market watchers.
OPPO put on sale its 'Find N' as its first premium, foldable phone aimed at encroaching on Galaxy Z Fold 3, which IT media, TechRadar, described "Oppo may have been inspired by Samsung products". Huawei unveiled the P50 Pocket, a clamshell look-alike foldable smartphone in December 23rd, 2021.
It seemingly took after Galaxy Fold Z 3 in shape, but it is known to undergo poorer function, when folded. Earlier last year, Huawei also launched ‘Mate X2’, a foldable phone that unfolds from the inside.
Mate X2, also, by all appearances, a copy of Samsung products, was described by Sam Mobile, an IT media. "This isn't the first time Huawei has been inspired by Samsung foldable phones". "It is no surprise they imitated the Galaxy Z, as Hwawei abandoned its originality and copied the design". China's Honor also launched its foldable phone 'Magic V', which supposedly copied Samsung Z Fold 3 in terms of design.
The seriousness with these Chinese companies is that not only do they copy the design from the Korean giant, but they are setting their products at low price. The price of Find N is cheaper than Samsung's original products, Galaxy Z Flip 3·Galaxy Z Fold 3, by about 300,000 ~500,000 KRW.
Samsung will not be able to lower the price of its next foldable series due to disruption over the supply of components. A source familiar with Samsung said "I doubt Samsung will lower the price for the foldables, especially when the price gap between the foldables and bar-type smartphones is not large after it reduced the price last year".
━
Samsung to keep the distance wider with its technology
━
Chinese giant TCL's foldable phone 'Chicago' is being displayed at the CES TCL booth, one of the world's largest consumer electronics exhibitions, on January 7 (local time). /Photo=News1 Samsung will endeavor to fend off Chinese low price with the value for money marketing, further focusing on premium line-up, in the face of "design imitation" from Chinese companies. There is a clear technological gap between the Galaxy Z Fold 3's S Pen support and the Huawei P50 Pocket's 'flex mode', its weak point (the ability for the hinge to stay open mid-fold at various angles). Various videos on YouTube demonstrate how the 'flex mode' of the Chinese company does not work properly.
Samsung will shift its sales strategy in a way to reinforce the foldable phone. The Korean conglomerate, which has solidified its position as the global technology leader, is highly likely to have more benefit, if the market expands. Moreover, Samsung Display, an affiliate of Samsung, is currently the sole company that's capable of meeting the market demand by mass-produce panels for the foldables.
The Korea's electronic power house has the ambition to release 10 million units of foldables in the second half, out of the 13 million foldable phones it targets to deliver this year. The target became greater, compared to its original flagship, the Galaxy Note series.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4·Galaxy Z Flip 4(tentative name), known to be equipped with skills and technology accumulated over three generations, will be launched in the second half of the year to maintain its market shares, while Chinese manufacturers 'try to challenge' the Korea's No. 1 conglomerate.
Samsung is expected to be the leader in the field with its overwhelmingly unrivalled technology and form-factor. As Counterpoint described "Samsung is expected to hold three-quarters of that market in the year of 2022 and secure its leading position, even when newcomers from china join the race"
