Galaxy Z Fold2 Pre-orders Reach 60,000 Units... Samsung.com Unlocked Version Sold Out

Early Success with 50,000 Units from Carriers and 10,000 Self-Operated Units
Samsung.com Self-Operated Units Sold Out... Official Launch on the 18th

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Fold2 has sold more than 60,000 units, achieving early success. On Samsung.com, unlocked units sold out before the end of the pre-order period.

According to the telecommunications industry on the 14th, the sales of the Galaxy Z Fold2, which Samsung Electronics began pre-ordering on the 11th, have exceeded 50,000 units. Including unlocked units, which account for 10-20% of the total, sales are expected to surpass 60,000 units.

On Samsung.com, the unlocked Galaxy Z Fold2 units sold out within four days. Compared to its predecessor, which had supply levels in the thousands, nearly ten times more units were supplied, and improved specifications received positive reviews, resulting in successful pre-sales. A small stock of unlocked units remains in some open markets and offline stores, and carrier pre-sales continue. Galaxy Z Fold2 pre-orders run until the 15th, with the official release on the 18th.

The rapid depletion of unlocked units during Galaxy Z Fold2 pre-orders is partly due to limited supply but also because more consumers are trying to reduce their communication costs. Despite the high retail price of 2,398,000 KRW, purchasing through carriers requires selecting a plan costing over 100,000 KRW to receive a maximum discount of 240,000 KRW. When purchasing unlocked, there is no contract period, and using a budget phone SIM plan allows unlimited data plans at 30,000 to 40,000 KRW. Choosing a cheaper LTE plan from the start is a way to reduce communication costs rather than selecting a 5G plan through carriers for additional discounts.

Manufacturer pre-order gifts and the launch of proprietary insurance products also contribute to the increased preference for unlocked purchases. Until now, unlocked phone buyers could only subscribe to damage insurance even when purchasing flagship smartphones, but Samsung Electronics recently launched its own insurance product called 'Samsung Care Plus' and offered it as a pre-order benefit, removing this obstacle. The surge in unlocked subscribers began after the Galaxy Note20 release last month. According to the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association, as of August, there were 102,000 number portings from carriers to budget phones. Among these, the net increase in subscribers was 9,909, the highest in the past three months.

Meanwhile, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics, the proportion of smartphone purchases through unlocked channels is expected to reach 11.8% this year. Since the introduction of unlocked phones in 2012, the share had remained in single digits, but since 2018, as unlocked phones expanded, more consumers have been purchasing devices separately and using them with budget phone SIMs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.