Samsung experience shows Apple's timing for the iPhone Ultra couldn't be better
Apple has waited a long time to launch its first foldable iPhone, with Samsung already eight generations in to its Galaxy Z Fold series. The latest Samsung experience seems to indicate that the iPhone maker's timings couldn't have been better.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a creaseless display, which significantly boosts appeal, and initial demand is triple that of its predecessor. This suggests that foldables have now been around long enough for more people to see the benefits of the form factor.
Imagine you have a special kind of phone that can fold up like a book. Samsung has been making these phones for a while, and now they're really popular. Apple is finally making one too, and it's expected to be a big hit.
Analysis
A $60B Vote of Confidence
Apple has waited a very long time to launch its first foldable iPhone, with Samsung already eight generations in to its Galaxy Z Fold series. There were already good reasons for Apple to wait, but the latest Samsung experience seems to indicate that the iPhone maker's timings couldn't have been better.
The first generation Samsung Galaxy Fold display proved so vulnerable to damage that the company had to withdraw it from sale. Apple, meantime, was waiting patiently for the display tech to mature to the point where it was not only significantly more robust, but also had no visible crease when the device is unfolded. The company reportedly had to get its own design engineers involved in helping Samsung achieve this.
Why Cursor?
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 likely has an extremely similar display to that destined for the iPhone Ultra. Our sister site 9to5Google found that it absolutely delivered on the promise of making the crease in the centre of the screen barely visible once unfolded. But it's not just that Samsung has finally got the display tech right, it's also that consumer demand finally seems to be there.
The Road Ahead
9to5Google reports that initial demand for the Fold 8 is triple that of its predecessor. Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 8 series has turned out to be an absolute smash hit for the company, with the new foldables now delayed across the board in shipping amid demand that's apparently 3x higher than initial Fold 7 demand. That built on last year's 50% increase in demand. It's of course likely that the two facts are connected – a creaseless display significantly boosts appeal – but factoring in last year's growth suggests that foldables have also now been around long enough for more people to see the benefits of the form factor.
Key points
- Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a creaseless display, which significantly boosts appeal.
- Initial demand for the Fold 8 is triple that of its predecessor.
- The iPhone Ultra is expected to quickly achieve around a 25% share of the total folding smartphones market.
- Apple's lengthy wait for the display tech to mature has paid off.
- Consumer demand for foldables has increased significantly over the past year.
The iPhone Ultra's launch next month is expected to quickly achieve around a 25% share of the total folding smartphones market, making it a significant player in the industry. This could lead to increased competition and innovation in the foldable phone market, benefiting consumers in the long run.
However, the high demand for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may lead to supply chain issues and delays for the iPhone Ultra, potentially affecting its launch timeline and sales.
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