After Apple's Foldable Debut, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Sales Rise 10%

Domestic sales of Samsung Electronics' Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 have actually increased since Apple unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. The increase is believed to reflect growing interest in foldable smartphones following Apple's entry into the market. Some consumers who had delayed their purchases while waiting for the iPhone Duo are also said to have switched to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 after its unveiling.
According to the telecommunications industry on the 17th, domestic sales of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 rose by about 10% in the week after the iPhone Duo was unveiled on the 10th, compared with the previous week. Industry sources believe that some consumers who had been waiting to see Apple's first foldable product before deciding what to buy chose the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 instead. The fact that the iPhone Duo's domestic launch is still some time away also appears to have played a role. The iPhone Duo is scheduled to launch in South Korea in late October or early November, meaning consumers will have to wait more than a month after its unveiling to receive the actual product. By contrast, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is already available in South Korea.
The two products differ significantly in price. The domestic retail price of the 256GB iPhone Duo is 3.29 million won. That is 1,011,900 won more than the 2,278,100-won price of the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. The top-of-the-line 2TB iPhone Duo is priced at 5.09 million won. The price gap between the two products is particularly pronounced in South Korea compared with the United States. In the US, the price difference between the iPhone Duo and the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is about $100, while in South Korea it exceeds 1 million won. As a result, some users on online communities and social media have said that buyers should consider both the first-generation product's level of refinement and its price, while others said they would wait to see real-world reviews before purchasing.
Portability, including weight and thickness, has also emerged as a point of comparison. The iPhone Duo weighs 254 grams and measures 11.3 millimeters thick when folded. It is 53 grams heavier and 0.7 millimeters thicker when folded than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. The two products also differ in how they make use of their large screens.
The iPhone Duo supports split-screen multitasking with two apps running simultaneously. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 can run up to three apps at once and supports resizing windows and switching to pop-up windows. For users who search the web, work on documents and use messaging apps simultaneously, the difference in multitasking capabilities could influence their choice of device.
[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter