- Статьи
- Economy
- Tube selection: demand for new Samsung clamshells turned out to be higher than last year
Tube selection: demand for new Samsung clamshells turned out to be higher than last year
The pre-order for Samsung's new clamshells, which started on the evening of July 22, will be higher than last year's, market participants told Izvestia. Experts attribute this to the fact that the company introduced not two, but three models — Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8. At the same time, sales of devices that can begin in 7-10 days are likely to be 5-10% lower. The new devices are not much different from last year's ones, while against the background of the economic situation, users have become less likely to take expensive smartphones. About whether it is worth changing the old Samsung folding table to a new one, see the Izvestia article.
How much has the pre-order for folding gadgets increased?
On the first day of pre-order, demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 was higher than a year earlier. This was reported to Izvestia by representatives of retailers. So, according to the results of the first day, the new line is selling 20% better than the previous generation, said Nikita Tolpygin, head of the Telecom and Gadgets department at M.Video. According to him, about 40% is accounted for by Fold8, another 40% by Flip8, and the flagship Fold8 Ultra is chosen by about 20% of buyers.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 smartphones at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked presentation
— Flip8 remains the most affordable model in the line — its cost starts from 104,999 rubles. Therefore, the device remains in high demand among users who need a compact smartphone for everyday use. With a price starting from 149,999 rubles, the Fold8 has become the main model in the segment of folding devices, and the appearance of the Fold8 Ultra (starting from 169,999 rubles) has allowed us to offer a separate solution for customers who need maximum performance, advanced camera capabilities and AI functions," he said.
The Samsung Galaxystore chain of branded stores also records an increase in interest in new products. On the first day, the number of pre-orders was 15% higher than a year earlier.
— We expect increased interest in new products. This is due not only to innovations in Galaxy AI and a new form factor, but also to a change in the perception of Russian customers according to the results of the latest survey of customers of our electronics division contact base: 59% of consumers expressed interest in purchasing an additional device with the Android operating system," Roman Romensky, CEO of the network, told Izvestia.
According to the results of the first day at MTS, the number of pre-orders for the new line increased by almost 39% compared to last year's Galaxy Z7 generation, said Natalia Golitsyna, head of the company's telephony department. The Fold8 with a memory capacity of 12/256 GB became the most popular configuration, accounting for 34% of all orders.
"One of the main advantages of the new generation is the more convenient folding Fold8 form factor. The smartphone has become lighter and thinner, received an updated design and more convenient screen proportions, making it more comfortable to use the device both folded and unfolded," she noted.
However, not all market participants are noticing the increase in demand. In the "Connection.ON" claims that the level of pre-orders for folding models of the South Korean company has traditionally remained low, there is no significant difference from last year. These are devices in the premium segment and have a rather specific form factor, so many customers prefer to wait for smartphones to appear in stores in order to personally evaluate them - to see how the device fits in their hand, how much more convenient it has become — and only after that make a purchase decision, the retailer explained. The Z Fold8 Ultra is of the greatest interest — as a new model and as a more compact version compared to the Fold of the previous generation.
There was also no significant increase in demand for Wildberries. RWB reported that the volume of pre-orders for Galaxy Z8 smartphones in the first day after the start of sales was approximately at the level of last year's figures, when the seventh generation of devices debuted. The company believes that excessive demand for such a niche and expensive product should not be expected. The average smartphone ownership period continues to increase, and noticeable technical changes in the new generation, according to experts, are not enough to encourage most owners of folding smartphones to replace the previous model.
Is it worth changing the old cot to a new one
According to Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group, sales of the Z Flip8 and Z Fold8 are unlikely to be record-breaking. At the same time, against the background of the release of the new generation, demand for earlier models of Samsung folding smartphones is likely to increase, prices for which will decrease.
According to the expert, the first batch of new devices imported into Russia totals about 25 thousand smartphones of all three models. They may be available in 7-10 days. Due to the expansion of the line from two to three models, the volume of pre-orders will be slightly higher than last year, as the company has managed to reach a wider audience, he believes. However, the final sales, according to his estimates, may be 5-20% lower. This is due to the general economic situation, the reduction of the premium segment of the smartphone market and the fact that the new devices do not offer fundamental differences compared to the previous generation.
Oleg Yablokov, an NTI expert on wireless communications, agrees that the total volume of pre-orders may exceed last year's by 10-15%. In his opinion, the unusual wide Fold8 form factor can provide additional customer interest. However, pre-orders are primarily generated by the brand's most loyal audience, so they don't necessarily translate into sustained demand.
— In the baseline scenario, sales of the new line in the first two to three months may decrease by 5-10% in physical terms, although revenue will remain approximately at the level of 2025 due to the more expensive Ultra version. The smartphone market has already shrunk by about 8% in the first half of the year, as people have been using their devices for longer. At the same time, the segment of folding models is still demonstrating great stability: in January – May, its sales increased by about 30%," he noted.
In his opinion, the update of the line turned out to be heterogeneous. The regular Fold8 has really changed significantly, received a new, wider format and weighs 201 g, while the Fold8 Ultra is more of an evolution of the Fold7. At the previous weight of 215 g, the gadget became only slightly thinner, but received a 5000 mAh battery, a new processor and an improved ultra-wide-angle camera, Oleg Yablokov emphasized. The Flip8 has become lighter and more productive, but the cameras and battery capacity have hardly changed. Therefore, the owners of last year's models have few objective reasons for an urgent upgrade, he concluded.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
