Jenith
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We may be less than a month away from the launch of Samsung's first tri-fold phone. A report today has claimed that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Z TriFold on December 5. Earlier reports had suggested that the device will get a limited launch in South Korea in a couple of other markets.
However, from what we've heard, Samsung is going to offer this device to customers in South Korea, China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
This is not going to be an affordable phone by any stretch of the imagination. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 and cross the $2,000 mark if you opt for more internal storage. There's no conceivable way that the TriFold comes in below $2,000, which is probably why Samsung is limiting the launch to markets where it feels customers have deep enough pockets to splurge on the device.
China in particular is no stranger to tri-fold phones. Huawei has launched its offering there already at a price tag of over $3,500. It has since been expanding availability in other markets, with the most recent launch being in Malaysia.
The Galaxy Z TriFold is not meant to be a mass-market device. Reports suggest that only several hundred thousand units will be offered, so even if demand far exceeds supply, the device may be tough to get hands on.
Most customers in the United States tend to purchase devices from their carriers as they offer installment plans and other incentives which help make the price more palatable. It remains to be seen, though, if leading US carriers will carry the device or if Samsung will simply sell the unlocked version through its website and retail partners.
The device's high price tag may require some changes to the carrier financing models, as the ones they use to offer regular devices may not suffice. Even the most generous of subsidized carrier financing might put monthly payments in the $70-$90 per month range, far higher than the $30-$50 range for current premium phones.
Carriers would certainly need to rethink how they sell a phone that's priced like a high-end laptop. On the other hand, carriers may feel the need to offer this unique device to their subscribers, as it will surely be one of its kind in the US market.
Either way, Samsung will be testing the ceiling of what Americans pay for novelty and bragging rights. Granted, the market is a lot more receptive to foldable phones than it was just a few years ago, but this won't be an ordinary foldable.
Foldables are still far from replacing the kind of volumes Samsung's Galaxy S flagship lineup brings in, and the TriFold won't do much to push the needle.
One can't deny that the American consumer has become increasingly status-oriented. That's what drives a subset of iPhone demand, it has driven sales of Apple's expensive Vision Pro headset, and that very sentiment is also driving adoption in other segments, such as luxury EVs.
The TriFold could reveal whether this aspirational spending extends to ultra-premium smartphones, beyond just aesthetics or brand loyalty. It could answer the question whether Americans are buying utility or identity when they drop upwards of three grand on a tri-fold phone.
If the handset succeeds in generating significant demand, it would further cement Samsung's status as a relentless innovator in comparison to Apple, which has continued to play it safe in the foldable domain and is expected to launch the first foldable iPhone next year. That's a win that Samsung would be happy to have.
If it doesn't, it would reiterate the view that American consumers who haven't shifted to foldables yet hold, that foldable phones are still solutions that are in search of a problem.
The post Why Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold will be a test of American consumer psychology appeared first on imeisource.
However, from what we've heard, Samsung is going to offer this device to customers in South Korea, China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
This is not going to be an affordable phone by any stretch of the imagination. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 and cross the $2,000 mark if you opt for more internal storage. There's no conceivable way that the TriFold comes in below $2,000, which is probably why Samsung is limiting the launch to markets where it feels customers have deep enough pockets to splurge on the device.
China in particular is no stranger to tri-fold phones. Huawei has launched its offering there already at a price tag of over $3,500. It has since been expanding availability in other markets, with the most recent launch being in Malaysia.
The Galaxy Z TriFold is not meant to be a mass-market device. Reports suggest that only several hundred thousand units will be offered, so even if demand far exceeds supply, the device may be tough to get hands on.
Most customers in the United States tend to purchase devices from their carriers as they offer installment plans and other incentives which help make the price more palatable. It remains to be seen, though, if leading US carriers will carry the device or if Samsung will simply sell the unlocked version through its website and retail partners.
The device's high price tag may require some changes to the carrier financing models, as the ones they use to offer regular devices may not suffice. Even the most generous of subsidized carrier financing might put monthly payments in the $70-$90 per month range, far higher than the $30-$50 range for current premium phones.
Carriers would certainly need to rethink how they sell a phone that's priced like a high-end laptop. On the other hand, carriers may feel the need to offer this unique device to their subscribers, as it will surely be one of its kind in the US market.
Either way, Samsung will be testing the ceiling of what Americans pay for novelty and bragging rights. Granted, the market is a lot more receptive to foldable phones than it was just a few years ago, but this won't be an ordinary foldable.
Foldables are still far from replacing the kind of volumes Samsung's Galaxy S flagship lineup brings in, and the TriFold won't do much to push the needle.
One can't deny that the American consumer has become increasingly status-oriented. That's what drives a subset of iPhone demand, it has driven sales of Apple's expensive Vision Pro headset, and that very sentiment is also driving adoption in other segments, such as luxury EVs.
The TriFold could reveal whether this aspirational spending extends to ultra-premium smartphones, beyond just aesthetics or brand loyalty. It could answer the question whether Americans are buying utility or identity when they drop upwards of three grand on a tri-fold phone.
If the handset succeeds in generating significant demand, it would further cement Samsung's status as a relentless innovator in comparison to Apple, which has continued to play it safe in the foldable domain and is expected to launch the first foldable iPhone next year. That's a win that Samsung would be happy to have.
If it doesn't, it would reiterate the view that American consumers who haven't shifted to foldables yet hold, that foldable phones are still solutions that are in search of a problem.
The post Why Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold will be a test of American consumer psychology appeared first on imeisource.