A participant holds a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 smartphone at the Samsung Unpacked product launch event on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in London, England. Samsung Electronics Co. has revamped its foldable phone lineup, introducing a new entertainment-focused model to compete with Apple Inc.’s impending entry into the market. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Samsung is hoping to capitalize on new interest in flip phones to lure customers, similar to Apple’s entry into the market.
A Samsung Electronics spokesperson told CNBC that the percentage of iOS users switching to Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, released in July, was 1.6 times that of the previous generation Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. Samsung pioneered this category in 2019 with the first Galaxy Fold.
Apple unveiled its first foldable iPhone at a launch event Wednesday, marking one of the first major product announcements under new CEO John Tarnas.
The company said 30% of Galaxy Z Flip8 buyers in the U.S. switched from a competing smartphone brand, and most of those customers bought a foldable smartphone for the first time. It further added that Galaxy Z Fold8 buyers were particularly attracted to the thin and light design and internal display, which is good for multitasking and viewing content, while Fold8 Ultra buyers preferred the expansive screen and additional work space without the need for a separate tablet.
Samsung has also sought to make it easier for iPhone users to move between the two ecosystems.
The South Korean tech giant recently upgraded its Smart Switch feature, allowing iPhone users to wirelessly transfer data to their Galaxy devices by simply scanning a QR code, without having to install the Smart Switch app on their iPhone.
According to data released by Counterpoint Research in July, Samsung is expected to capture a 32% share of the global foldable smartphone market this year, but the competitive landscape is changing, with Apple expected to enter the space and capture a 25% share, and Huawei remains a strong player in China.
