Will Foldables Eliminate Wrinkles and Dominate the Phone Market?

Samsung to Unveil Z Series 'Galaxy Unpacked' in New York This August
Fourth Foldable Phone Expected
Shipments Plunge Due to Weak Demand in First Half
Competition with Apple iPhone 14 Anticipated

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Samsung Electronics has distributed invitations for the ‘Galaxy Unpacked’ event unveiling its flagship smartphone Z series. Samsung Electronics received praise in 2019 for launching foldable smartphones with the Z series, opening a new form factor market. Amid a sharp decline in smartphone shipments due to weak demand in the first half of this year, attention is focused on whether Samsung can gain an advantage in competition with Apple, which is preparing the iPhone 14 series.

The 4th Foldable Phone to be Unveiled in New York

On the 20th, Samsung Electronics announced through a video invitation for ‘Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022 (Unfold Your World)’ that the event will be held online at 10 PM Korea time on August 10 (9 AM Eastern Time, August 10). General consumers can also watch it on Samsung Electronics Newsroom and Samsung Electronics’ official website.

In the invitation, Samsung Electronics showcased a side view of a device presumed to be the ‘Galaxy Z Flip4’ and stated, "We will unveil a new Galaxy product that will change everyday life and open up greater possibilities." Tae-moon Roh, President of Samsung Electronics’ MX Division, also said in an interview with local media in Indonesia on the 6th (local time), "Foldable phone innovation is the future of the smartphone business and a challenge that Samsung Electronics must realize."

The newly introduced Z Fold4 has adjusted the screen ratio and reduced weight. Camera performance has been further enhanced. It is equipped with a triple camera system including a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The internal foldable display is expected to include an under-display camera, as with previous models. The application processor (AP), which acts as the brain of the smartphone, is expected to include Qualcomm’s latest premium chip, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor.

The Z Flip4 is known to have improved hinge structure to significantly reduce the crease on the folding part of the display. It features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ (1080×2640 pixels) Super AMOLED display. The screen refresh rate is 120 Hz. The camera setup is expected to include a 12-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera on the rear, and a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the front. There are also rumors of a rear triple camera setup. The battery capacity has increased, and the charger has been upgraded from 15W to 25W. Like the Z Fold4, it is expected to be equipped with Qualcomm’s latest premium chip, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.

Expectations for Foldable Phones Amid Smartphone Market Slump

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, global monthly smartphone sales plunged below 100 million units in May. This is the first time in about two years since May 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred, that sales fell below 100 million units. The crisis has deepened due to a sharp decline in consumption compared to the previous year amid the economic downturn and extended inventory cycles. Samsung Electronics, the world’s number one smartphone market leader, also appears to have posted weak second-quarter results due to the slowdown in the industry. Securities firms estimate Samsung’s second-quarter smartphone shipments at around 61 million units, down more than 10 million units from 73 million units in the first quarter. If this trend continues, annual smartphone shipments this year are expected to fall short of last year’s level (272 million units), which was significantly reduced due to supply chain issues.

The Unpacked event will also announce new smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro. The battery life, which was considered the biggest weakness of the previous Galaxy Watch4 series, is reported to have been improved. Both models are expected to run Wear OS 3.5 with the One UI Watch 4.5 skin.