Galaxy Foldable Thom Browne Edition, Will It Exceed 4 Million Won This Year?

Foldable Editions in 2020 and 2021 Priced at 3.96 Million KRW Each
Component Cost Increase May Push This Year's Price Over 4 Million KRW

Samsung Electronics has announced its fourth collaboration on a foldable smartphone with the American luxury brand Thom Browne. As a collaboration between popular brands, a sell-out is expected again this year, but some consumers have responded that the price of some editions exceeding 4 million won is "somewhat excessive."

On the 24th, Samsung Electronics released an 8-second video titled "Thom Browne Edition: Please Take a Seat at the Table" on its official social media (SNS) channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

The video depicts a scene of dining at a high-end restaurant with classical music playing. When the main dish is opened, a foldable smartphone model with Thom Browne's signature stripe pattern appears.

The edition's components, release date, and price have not yet been disclosed. However, this year's selling price is expected to rise compared to the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 Thom Browne editions due to increased component costs. It is anticipated that the Z Fold5 edition will exceed 4 million won for the first time this year, changing the leading digit. This price level is comparable to a small used car about 10 years old.

The Thom Browne Edition Fold2, which included the Galaxy Watch3 (41mm), Galaxy Buds Live, and various accessories, was priced at 3.96 million won, and the Fold3 Thom Browne Edition, consisting of the Galaxy Watch4, Galaxy Buds2, and S Pen Pro, was also priced at 3.96 million won.

This year's edition is expected to feature the Z Fold5, Watch6, and Buds2 Pro as its core components. The retail price of the Z Fold5 256GB model is 2,097,700 won, and the Watch6 40mm is 359,700 won. The market price of the Buds 2 Pro is in the 150,000 won range. Even with additional accessories, it means that all these products can be purchased for under 3 million won.

One consumer said, "You have to pay 1 million won more than the market price, and no matter how popular Galaxy and Thom Browne are as brands, the price of '4 million won' is a bit burdensome."

However, since only about 5,000 units will be sold, there is scarcity value, and above all, Thom Browne's unique design and luxury have been well integrated into the products so far, so it is expected to achieve a smooth sell-out again this year.

In fact, Samsung Electronics has never failed to sell out the Thom Browne editions released over the years. During the 2021 Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 editions, about 460,000 people entered the lottery, and in the 2020 Z Fold2 and Z Flip2 editions, there were about 230,000 applicants. The production quantity for the editions in both years was 5,000 units each, and the domestic allocation was reportedly less than 1,000 units each.