Honor surpasses Samsung's sales even before launching its thinnest foldable phone
It seems that even the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition cannot rescue Samsung from its slump in foldable phone sales. According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung has been overtaken in foldable phone Sales in the second largest global market for such phones, Europe.
Apparently Honor has taken the reins there, even before the thinnest foldable phone worldwide tomorrow at a special event during IFA 2024. It will be thinner than the special Z Fold edition, yet surpass it in terms of specs and price.
With the launch of the Magic V3, things could get even worse for Samsung in Europe, as the company has already been overtaken in China, where Huawei's foldable devices, as well as models from Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo and other local brands, are in the lead.
HONOR aggressively expanded into the European and Asia-Pacific markets, achieving a 455% year-on-year increase in its global foldable shipments in Q2 2024, the largest year-on-year growth of any brand. HONOR targeted markets outside China with its ultra-slim Magic V2, which is less than 10mm thick when folded. In Q2 2024, the HONOR Magic V2 was the most shipped foldable in all regions except China, where Huawei dominates.
Counterpoint, August '24
Even when closed, the Magic V3 is just 9.2mm thick and weighs just 226g, or less than 8 ounces. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 30% thicker at 0.22 inches (12.1mm) when closed, although Samsung slimmed it down compared to its predecessors. The Z Fold Special Edition, on the other hand, will be 10.5mm thick when closed, still a lump of fat compared to the V3.
In view of this growing foldable phone Samsung reportedly wanted to differentiate itself from the competition with the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition by being more rugged and durable than the Chinese foldables. It added water-resistant and splash-proof designs, but this made the phone thicker than other Chinese foldables, not to mention the upcoming Honor Magic V3, which is just incredibly thin and light.
Still, Samsung now thinks the extra durability is worth a try, and The Elec reports that it will release a limited number of Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition phones next month to test market acceptance. It could be more expensive than the Z Fold 6, though, so it remains to be seen how Samsung's foldable phones The battle with the Chinese brands will unfold.
A dedicated tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, Daniel has been covering mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he has a keen interest in the future of digital health, vehicle connectivity, and 5G. Outside of his professional activities, Daniel finds balance in traveling, reading, and discovering new tech innovations, all while reflecting on the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
