On Wednesday, Samsung announced the release of two new folding smartphones: the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Fold 5. The Z Flip 5 has a larger cover display and a stronger hinge than its predecessor, while the Fold 5 has a 7.6-inch display, a slimmer design, and a camera hidden underneath. These product launches demonstrate Samsung's dedication to continuing to produce folding devices.
On Wednesday, Samsung unveiled two new folding phones: the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Fold 5. Both phones are thinner and lighter than their predecessors, and come with improved hinges and brighter displays. In addition, the company also launched a tablet and two smartwatches. The new models offer mostly minor updates compared to last year's offerings. In this CNBC article, we explore some of the new features.
The headline of Samsung's fresh folding phone collection is their new Galaxy Z Flip 5. It has a clamshell-style and when closed resembles a square shape that can be conveniently kept in a pocket. Open it up and it transforms into a standard rectangular smartphone.
This phone is designed to be both dust- and water-resistant and features a "zero gap" hinge with three separate stops, making it much slimmer than its antecedent. When the device is closed, the gap is hardly visible. An impressive characteristic of this phone is a bigger cover display that can be used to employ various widgets, including the calendar and clock, and to facilitate better selfies. A "flex" window on the primary display takes its 1.9-inch size to 3.4-inches, making it easier to take advantage of notifications and widgets. Although the hinge is firmer and the phone is harder to break, a line running down the middle is still noticeable where the hinge is located.
Foldables, or phones that bend in half, remain a distinct segment in the smartphone industry, but the category is rapidly increasing. Samsung is facing rivalry from a multitude of other manufacturers, mainly those based in China, who are offering their own foldable devices. In February, Chinese brand Oppo launched the Find N2 Flip, and Honor, the offshoot brand from Huawei, rolled out the Magic V for international markets. Motorola is intending to release a new version of the Razr phone later in the year; Lenovo has possession of Motorola. While Samsung still leads the sector, holding an 80% share of worldwide foldable shipments as per Canalys in 2022, foldables only constituted 1.1% of the overall smartphone market as per IDC data last year. This provides the industry with plenty of room to develop. Furthermore, as people who have been holding onto their phones for protracted periods of time, waiting for the ideal chance to upgrade or trade-in their old phone, are more likely to choose the top-end smartphones instead of the older, less technologically advanced models. Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight, informed CNBC via email that it is very likely that foldables will stay a lucrative niche, with strong profits and high-end placements. The Flip 5, on pre-order, starts at a price of $999.99.
Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Fold 5, which provides some subtle improvements over its predecessor. The phone has a 6.2-inch display that can be opened to reveal a bigger 7.6-inch main screen. This main display offers a much brighter picture with 1750 nits. It's also slimmer, being 2.4mm thinner than its predecessor. Additionally, the Fold 5 has an under-display camera and is compatible with Samsung's S Pen. Starting at $1,799.99, the Galaxy Fold 5 gives users the latest in foldable technology.
Although foldables may not be a commonplace part of the market, they offer several advantages in comparison to traditional black panels that many of us are used to--namely their capacity to display multiple applications on the same screen. For instance, when using a Galaxy Fold 5, it is possible to unfold the device to the form of a tablet and display a different app on each half. Google took a step into this arena in early 2021 by launching its first folding phone, the Pixel Fold. This stirred up interest in the market, as it was from one of the more notable U.S. tech enterprises and the proprietor of Android. Nonetheless, as per Paolo Pescatore, co-founder of PP Foresight, most of these curiosity remains centered around what Apple will bring to the foldables sector. "Essentially, Apple doesn't necessarily need to do anything immediately," he told CNBC. "It is no secret that Apple is looking and working extensively to introduce novel devices into the market. Once it does, it will inspire this sector and spark demand for foldables." Even with the overall contraction of the smartphone market in the Q2 of 2023 (as described by the Canalys analyst firm with a 11% year-over-year decrease in sales), Samsung continues to focus on foldables. Last week, analyst Le Xuan Chiew at Canalys made the following statement in a report: "The smartphone market is sending early indicators of recovery after six successive quarters of decline since 2022. Smartphone inventory has begun to be reduced as smartphone vendors decided to prioritize cutting stock of old models to make space for new releases."
Samsung has recently launched its latest tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, which is available in three sizes: 11-inch, 12.4-inch, and 14.6-inch. The Tab S9 has been designed with a 120-hertz display, granting smoother scrolling and enhanced outdoor visibility. It comes with an S Pen and the "creator edition" gives additional support for changeable tips when drawing and writing. Samsung has equipped this tablet with elevated speakers, granting even better cinematographic audio, as well as an ability to mirror apps found on Windows PCs. The Tab S9 starts at $799.99.
Samsung unveiled two new smartwatches, the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic. Made from aluminum, these devices boast larger displays, thinner bezels, faster processors, and enhanced battery life compared to their predecessors. They come with health and fitness tracking features that allow the user to monitor their sleep, heart rate, body composition, and receive tips on weight loss. The Watch 6 starts at $299.99 for a 40mm version and $329.99 for a 44mm watch face. The Watch 6 Classic is priced at $399.99 and $429.99 for 43mm and 47mm watch face versions respectively. WATCH: 'Sea of sameness': Are smartphone makers out of ideas?
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