The latest Samsung Galaxy Unpacked has proved somewhat pivotal for the company and the mobile industry as a whole.
The newly-announced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 have evolved into devices that are more mainstream than ever before. They have clearly benefitted greatly from lessons learned with previous generations, and it seems that the foldable phone is no longer a gimmick but a valued, recognised form factor on a wider scale. It is here to stay.
T3 has been told that more than a quarter of Samsung's customers are considering a switch to a folding phone next - a staggering amount considering the number of consumers out there. Clearly, both the Fold and Flip have entered public consciousness like never before.
"When we asked consumers about the next type of smartphone they'll buy, 28% of them strongly agreed that it would be a foldable." said Samsung UK's vice president of product management, Nick Porter.
"The foldable market is growing exponentially – over 10 million foldable phones were sold in 2022."
He expects it to be even greater in 2023: "The future for foldables looks really exciting," he enthused.
"We're passionate about bringing people the unique experiences that they can get from a foldable smartphone that you can't get from a standard bar-type phone."
Samsung certainly feels that one of the barriers to mass adoption has been addressed. The company exec explained to us that there have been major breakthroughs in build quality – something that may have deterred prospective phone buyers in the past: "These products are crafted to captivate but built to last," added Porter.
"That's really important. We focus a huge amount on robust design."
Part of that comes in a new hinge design for the Fold 5 and Flip 5: "[The hinge] uses a dual rail structure which makes it slimmer and sleeker. And, that makes the products slimmer and sleeker.
"But, it also provides more support for the screen which gives us up to 25% more durability.
"We know that people are holding onto their devices for longer and they demand more for them."
And so it seems like foldables are finally meeting those demands, too.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be available from 11 August 2023 in various colours and storage sizes. They are available to pre-order now.
