The competition in the foldable smartphone market is heating up, with device thickness becoming a key battleground. As Chinese brands like Honor and Oppo have pushed the boundaries of slim design, Samsung, the segment’s pioneer, is preparing to strike back with a significantly thinner device at its likely July launch event.
Foldable phones, which transform from a compact form into a larger display, first gained mainstream attention with Samsung’s debut in 2019. However, rivals, particularly from China, have rapidly innovated, challenging Samsung’s lead, especially when it comes to creating thinner, lighter designs.
Why Thinness Matters in Foldables
Industry analysts emphasize that for foldable phones to gain wider acceptance, they must shed bulk. Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, highlighted this point to CNBC: “With foldables, thinness has become more critical than ever because people aren’t prepared to accept the compromise for a thicker and heavier phone to get the real estate that a folding phone can deliver.”
Chinese manufacturers have leveraged this consumer preference, using their slimmer form factors as a major differentiator against Samsung’s offerings.
The Current Thinness Landscape
Let’s look at how the devices compare based on recent models:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 (as mentioned with potential 2024 launch year specs): 12.1 mm thick when folded, 239 grams. (Note: This spec appears in the original text alongside mentions of the upcoming device being the thinnest yet, suggesting this number might refer to the current model or be based on early information).
Oppo Find N5 (released earlier this year): A significantly thinner 8.93 mm when closed, weighing 229 grams.
Honor Magic V3 (launched last year): Measures 9.2 mm when folded and weighs 226 grams.
These figures clearly show the lead Chinese competitors have established in achieving sleeker designs. “Samsung needs to step up” in the foldable space, Wood added.
Samsung’s Upcoming Response
The South Korean tech giant appears poised to address this challenge. Samsung’s next flagship foldable, expected at a launch event next month, is heavily rumored to feature a dramatically thinner design.
Samsung itself previewed the device, stating in a blog post that the “newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet – meticulously crafted and built to last.” This suggests a direct response to the pressure from rivals. Achieving thinness comparable to or exceeding Honor’s standard would represent a significant design leap for Samsung, according to analyst Wood.
Competition Remains Fierce
However, the competitive landscape isn’t static. Honor is also planning its own major foldable launch for the Magic V5 model in China on July 2nd, just ahead of Samsung’s anticipated event.
The Foldable Market Reality
Despite design advancements, the foldable market’s growth has been slower than initially projected. CCS Insight indicates that foldables will only make up about 2% of the total smartphone market this year.
Making phones thinner might encourage users to reconsider foldables by making them feel more like traditional “monoblock” smartphones. Yet, analysts caution that a fundamental challenge remains: many consumers still don’t see a compelling reason why they need* a folding device.
Apple’s Potential Entry Changes the Dynamic
Adding another layer of complexity, notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently reported that Apple, currently absent from the foldable space, plans to launch its own folding iPhone starting next year. While the foldable market is small now, Apple’s entry would instantly elevate its profile and intensify competition across the board, posing a future challenge for all existing players, including Samsung.
