Apple’s first foldable iPhone may be giving Samsung an unexpected sales boost. Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales in South Korea reportedly rose by around 10% after Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, suggesting that the arrival of a major new player is bringing more attention to foldable phones.
According to Maeil Business Newspaper, Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales in South Korea increased by approximately 10% in the week following Apple’s September 9 announcement, compared with the previous week. The report doesn’t provide specific sales figures, so it’s difficult to say how large that increase was in absolute terms.
There may be a fairly simple reason for the bump. Some buyers had reportedly been holding off on a foldable purchase to see what Apple would bring to the category. Now that the iPhone Duo has been announced but isn’t due to arrive until next month, some of that pent-up demand may be heading towards Samsung instead.
Price could be another factor. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at around 2.28 million won ($1,650) in South Korea, while the equivalent iPhone Duo configuration is reportedly 3.29 million won ($2,400). That puts roughly 1.01 million won between the two, which is a pretty sizeable gap for shoppers who mainly want a book-style foldable.
Samsung also has a couple of hardware advantages in the comparison. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is thinner and lighter than the iPhone Duo, while offering a broadly similar wider, passport-style foldable design.
Apple’s entry is therefore creating an interesting situation for Samsung. Rather than immediately eating into Galaxy foldable sales, the iPhone Duo appears to have generated additional interest in the category and, at least initially, some of that attention has landed on the Fold 8.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208773
It’s still too early to know whether that will translate into a lasting sales advantage for Samsung, though. There’s also no indication that the same trend is happening in the US, where the pricing gap is much narrower: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and iPhone Duo are separated by only around $100.
SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10208646
The post Apple’s iPhone Duo launch is boosting Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales appeared first on Trusted Reviews.