Samsung has recently launched its fifth-generation foldables – Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 smartphones globally. Both handsets are aimed at taking foldables to new standards by offering the latest and greatest technologies and features along with the durability and flexibility that users expect from their phones.
Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Division, Samsung India told TOI-GadgetsNow that they’ve received around 1,50,000 pre-bookings during the pre-launch period resulting in around Rs 1,500 crore worth in business. Samsung opened pre-bookings for its fifth generation of foldable devices in India on July 27. The pre-bookings closed on August 17, 2023.
Galaxy Z Flip5 takes centre stage
Pullan mentioned that consumers are eagerly anticipating the Z Flip 5, considering it a differentiated product with an improved user experience. An interesting trend emerged as well, with around 50% of Z Flip 5 adopters being first-time users of Samsung’s Galaxy phones, illustrating the device’s ability to attract new consumers into the Galaxy family.
Additionally, Pullan also shared some insights derived from consumer data and around 76% of users are drawn to foldables due to their expansive screens. The nearly bezel-less design and multitasking capabilities are also highly appealing to nearly 50% of consumers, making these features the standout attractions of foldable smartphones.
“We are excited to see the overwhelming response for our fifth-generation foldable smartphones in India. The pre-bookings for ‘Made in India’ Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 in India are 1.5x of the previous generation of foldables, indicating strong demand and growing preferences for our category-defining foldable smartphones. We are confident that the robust demand for Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 among India’s tech-savvy consumers will help us consolidate our leadership in India,” said Raju Pullan.
People’s buying behaviour is changing towards foldables
Pullan also mentioned that people’s buying behaviour towards foldable smartphones are changing not only in metro cities but also in non-metro cities. “
“For the first time with the 5th-generation Z Flip and Z Fold, we’re seeing that it is not usually in the metro markets and city markets where the response is. But also in non-metros these phones are very good. And, the growth is equal to that of metro cities. We’ve seen people preferring these phones in small cities like Vellore, Bilaspur, etc. We’re seeing a growth of around 2x compared to the last time”.
Buyers who buy Z Fold “look forward to multitasking” and people who prefer Flip are
“aimed towards portability”. Also, Z Flip buyers are mostly young buyers ranging between 25 to 35 years of age, while above that people prefer Z Fold over the Z Flip.
Samsung has a plan to make foldables mainstream
On asking about foldable phones becoming mainstream devices, Pullan mentioned, “To make foldables mainstream, Samsung increased its distribution footprint, ensuring Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 are available across 10,000 stores in India, up from 6,000 stores through which the previous generation of foldables was sold. The company has also rolled out a 360-degree campaign for foldables that spans across digital media, OLV (online videos), TV, OOH and print”.
To make things easier for users to understand foldable smartphones, Samsung has also trained over 15000 retailers across the country to “effectively communicate the advantages of foldable smartphones. Samsung’s focus on in-store experiences and substantial marketing investments aims to bridge the knowledge gap among consumers, thus boosting adoption”, Pullan mentioned during the interview.
Overall, Samsung’s fifth-generation foldable smartphones are making waves in the mobile market, evident from the record pre-bookings and changing consumer preferences. Samsung’s unwavering focus on user experience, collaborations, ecosystem-building, and retailer education positions the company for sustained success in the dynamic world of foldable smartphones.