Roh Tae-moon's Confidence: "Seven Years of Foldable Technology Cannot Be Caught Up Overnight"

[Financial News, London, United Kingdom = Reporter Jang Min-kwon] Samsung Electronics said it is on track to post record sales for its Galaxy Z series in the global smartphone market this year. The company expects the launch of the wide foldable Galaxy Z Fold 8 to attract users who have never used a foldable phone before. It also plans to aggressively target a broader range of demand by restructuring its foldable lineup from two models to three: the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8.
"Aiming for the highest foldable phone sales ever this year"
Roh Tae-moon, head of Samsung Electronics' DX Division, said at a press briefing after Galaxy Unpacked 2026 in London, United Kingdom, on July 22 local time, "This is the first year we are presenting three completed foldable models together. With new demand added, the Galaxy Z series is targeting the highest foldable phone sales in history this year."
Roh said the launch of Apple's first foldable phone in the second half of this year could help expand the market. As a pioneer that first entered the foldable phone market, he also expressed confidence in Samsung's technological lead. "Foldables are entering a mature stage, both technologically and in the market," he said. "We welcome more companies entering the field."
According to industry sources, Apple is expected to launch its first foldable phone in September. Rumors had circulated that Apple would release a book-style foldable phone, but Samsung struck first by unveiling the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 at this Galaxy Unpacked event. Early reactions from foreign media have also been positive. The Verge said of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, "It was not impressive in photos, but in person it felt great in the hand and was intuitive to use."
"Minimizing the price increase despite higher costs"
Roh also made clear that Samsung will not give up its market leadership even as competition in foldable phones intensifies. "The technology and customer understanding we have built over seven years cannot be matched overnight," he said. "The fiercer the technology competition becomes, the more we will present one step ahead and secure the global market first."
He also acknowledged the difficulty of managing costs amid soaring component prices. While saying Samsung would work to control costs through stable supply chain management with partners, he also recognized that some of the higher costs would inevitably be passed on to the launch price. "I believe we can overcome many challenges through supply chain optimization, joint development and cooperation with partner companies, but anything beyond our limits will have to be reflected to some extent in the launch price," he said. Considering South Korea's position in the global smartphone market and Samsung Electronics' importance in the domestic market, Roh said the company will continue to keep domestic launch prices lower than those in major overseas markets.
Roh also said Samsung will accelerate the expansion of its wearable ecosystem, including the launch of AI smart glasses later this year and the official start of pre-development for the Galaxy Ring 2, the successor to the Galaxy Ring. "To advance health services and move toward health AI, we need a variety of form factors and wearable devices," he said. "Devices for AI experiences, including health data, will continue to emerge in the future."
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