"Is Foldable Popularization Becoming a Reality?" Galaxy Fold3 and Flip3 Set Record on First Pre-Opening Day... Pre-Orders Reach 920,000 Units

Samsung Electronics unveiled the foldable smartphones 'Galaxy Z Fold3' and 'Galaxy Z Flip3' at 'Galaxy Unpacked 2021'. On the 12th, customers visiting the Samsung Delight Shop in Seocho-gu, Seoul, are seen exploring the new products. The newly released products will be available for pre-order in Korea from the 17th to the 23rd and are scheduled for a global sequential release on the 27th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Samsung Electronics, which declared the "popularization of foldables," set a record high on the first day of pre-activation for its new products, the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3. The pre-order sales over the past week significantly surpassed those of the Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy S21.

According to Samsung Electronics on the 25th, the first-day activation performance of the Z Fold3 and Z Flip3, which began activation for pre-order customers the previous day, reached approximately 270,000 units, achieving the highest domestic record in the company's history. The proportion of unlocked devices among the total quantity was about 19%.

The pre-order results over seven days from the 17th to the 23rd totaled approximately 920,000 units. Samsung Electronics explained that this is about 1.3 times that of the Galaxy Note20 and about 1.8 times that of the Galaxy S21. This scale exceeds the pre-order sales volume of the previous model, the Galaxy Z Fold2 (80,000 units), by ten times. SK Telecom conveyed the atmosphere, stating, "The reservation volume surpasses Samsung Electronics' existing flagship products (S series, Note series)." KT also confirmed that the number of pre-orders was about ten times higher compared to previously released foldable phones. Currently, carriers are informing some pre-order subscribers of possible delays. Some consumers who purchased unlocked devices have also received notifications of product delivery delays.

The popularity of the Z Flip3 stands out among the new foldable phones. On the first day of pre-activation, the ratio of Z Fold3 to Z Flip3 was about 3:7, showing a significant difference. By age group, the 30s and 40s generation showed clear enthusiasm. According to Samsung Electronics, more than 35% of Z Flip3 pre-order customers were women in their 20s and 30s. Additionally, SK Telecom's official online mall, T Direct Shop, reported that 60% of all pre-order purchasers were in their 30s and 40s. For the Z Fold3, which folds and unfolds like a book, male customers in their 30s and 40s accounted for 57% of total pre-order purchasers. By color, Phantom Black was preferred for the Z Fold3, while Cream and Lavender models were favored for the Z Flip3.

Inside and outside the industry, Samsung Electronics' significant reduction of price burden, including lowering the foldable phone's retail price by 400,000 KRW compared to the previous model, is cited as the main factor for this initial success. The Z Fold3 was launched below 2 million KRW for the first time in the Fold series (1,998,700 KRW to 2,097,700 KRW). For the Z Flip3 (1,254,000 KRW), carrier subsidies of up to 500,000 KRW, twice that of the previous model, reduce the actual purchase price to around 670,000 KRW. Additionally, improved durability compared to the previous model and technologies applied for the first time in foldables are also evaluated as factors influencing purchases.

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