Roh Tae-moon: "This Year Will See Record Foldable Phone Sales" ... To Apple: "It Can't Catch Up With Seven Years of Technology" [Galaxy Unpacked 2026]

[London, UK = reporter Jang Min-kwon]Samsung Electronics has signaled that it is aiming for record sales of the Galaxy Z series in the global smartphone market this year. The company believes the launch of the wide foldable Galaxy Z Fold 8, unveiled for the first time, will attract users who have never used a foldable phone before. It plans to reorganize its foldable lineup from two models to three — the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8 — and aggressively target a broader range of demand.
■ "Record foldable phone sales are the goal this year"Roh Tae-moon, head of Samsung Electronics' Device eXperience Division (DX Division) and president, said at a press briefing following "Galaxy Unpacked 2026" on the 22nd local time at Old Billingsgate in London, England, that "this is the first year we are unveiling three completed foldable models together" and that "with new demand added, this year the Galaxy Z series is targeting the highest foldable phone sales ever."
Roh said the launch of Apple's first foldable phone in the second half of this year could help expand the market. As the pioneer that first entered the foldable phone market, Samsung also showed confidence in its technological lead. He said, "Foldables are entering maturity, both technologically and in the market," and added, "We welcome more companies entering the space."
According to industry sources, Apple is expected to release its first foldable phone in September. Rumors had circulated that Apple would launch a passport-style foldable phone, but Samsung struck first by unveiling the "Galaxy Z Fold 8" at this Galaxy Unpacked event. Early reactions from foreign media have also been positive. The Verge said of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, "It was not impressive in photos, but in person it feels good in the hand and the usability was intuitive."
■ "We will minimize price increases even if costs rise" Roh also made clear his determination not to lose market leadership even as competition in foldable phones intensifies. He stressed that "the technology and customer understanding built over seven years cannot be caught up overnight," adding that "the fiercer the technology competition becomes, the more we will stay one step ahead and take the lead in the global market."
He also acknowledged the difficulty of managing costs amid soaring component prices. While saying Samsung will work to control costs through stable supply chain management with partners, he also recognized that some of the higher costs will inevitably have to be passed on to launch prices. He said, "I think we can overcome a lot through supply chain optimization, joint development and cooperation with partner companies, but anything beyond our limits will inevitably have to be reflected to some extent in the launch price."
In South Korea, launch prices for the Galaxy Z8 series were raised by between 198,000 won and 518,100 won compared with the previous models, depending on the product. The price increase was especially steep for higher-capacity models with more memory. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 was priced from $1,899 in the U.S. market, or about 2.8 million won. Even after taking recent exchange-rate movements into account, analysts say Samsung kept the domestic price increase to a minimum compared with major markets worldwide. Roh said Samsung will continue its policy of setting domestic launch prices lower than in major overseas markets, taking into account South Korea's position in the global smartphone market and Samsung Electronics' importance in the country.
Roh also signaled that Samsung will accelerate the expansion of its wearable ecosystem, including the launch of AI smart glasses within the year and the official announcement of early-stage development for the Galaxy Ring 2, the successor to the Galaxy Ring. He said, "To advance health care and move toward health AI, we need a variety of form factors and wearable devices," adding, "Devices for AI experiences, including health data, will continue to emerge in the future."

[email protected] Jang Min-kwon Reporter