Samsung has a date for the new Foldables
Samsung last week announced the launch date of its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series lineup. The new Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 will be officially unveiled on July 26. Unlike in the previous debut campaign, Samsung has decided to hold the launch event at its own turf in Seoul. According to the rumors, the new Fold 5 will be more durable than its predecessors as it boasts IP rating for dust and resistance. The new phone is rumored to feature a new hinge mechanism allowing it to fold without any gaps. Apart from that, expected specs include the 6.2-inch outer display and 7.6-inch inner screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The iconic phone will likely run on Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Notably, as in the previous flagship launches, Samsung is offering customers a $50 pre-order discount, which requires enrollment without any commitment.
The Circana Take:
- The new Galaxy Fold 5 will be Samsung’s best attempt at the foldables market, but it is debuting at a time when competition is at all-time high levels. While not on par with the new Z Fold 5, Google’s new Pixel Fold enjoys heavy marketing (including a free Pixel Watch promotion support) and will eat into Samsung’s share of the market. The same goes for the Z Fold 5, which will go up against a competitively priced (after carrier subsidies) Motorola Razr+.
- Consumer interest in foldables is still marginal due to high cost and durability concerns. According to the Circana Connected Intelligence Mobility survey, about 20% of smartphone owners show genuine interest in purchasing a foldable smartphone, and this figure has practically changed very little in the past two years.
Fairphone sails to the U.S
Fairphone, which has made a name for itself for being the sole brand focusing on building environmentally friendly smartphones, announced last week that its latest Fairphone 4 phone, which was announced back in 2021, will be coming to the US market. The phone’s modular design allows customers to replace parts such as the display and battery using just a simple screwdriver. According to the company, the phone has the highest iFixit score on the market (10 out of 10) and has received a 9.3 score in the French Repairability Index. The phone will be distributed through Murena, which has developed a custom “privacy by design” user interface (or DeGoogled Android operating system as Murena calls it), for $629, and is compatible to run on the T-Mobile network. Customers who purchase the phone by the end of the year will receive a 5-year warranty, which drops to 3-years for those future customers that purchase it in 2024.
The Circana Take:
- Consumer sentiment towards sustainability when purchasing a smartphone has always been high. Over 40% of consumers think sustainability is a very or extremely important factor when purchasing their next smartphone. This figure is over 50% among younger age groups, many of which will not be shelling out a $629 for low-spec unlocked phone that can only run on the T-Mobile network.