It’s no secret that Samsung has big ambitions for the foldable market. The company introduced the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 a few months ago, and we’ve already heard rumors about their 2022 successors.
According to popular display supply chain source DSCC (via SamMobile), demand for Samsung’s clamshell foldables may increase in the first quarter of 2022. However, the source adds that demand may fall by the end of 2020. second quarter of the year.
Notably, December 2021 was a booming month for the South Korean automaker. It looks like the trend may continue until at least March 2022. The company produced 1.4 million foldables last month, representing a 3,435% year-over-year (YoY) increase. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was reportedly the most successful foldable, with Samsung churning out around 1 million units in December 2021 alone.
We learn that regions like Europe, South Korea, and the United States were the biggest markets for foldable phones last year. However, the demand seems to be a bit higher in Europe. Around 56% of Samsung’s foldable production capacity could be targeted to the region in the first quarter of 2022, according to DSCC.
As Samsung buys millions more foldable displays this year, foldable devices could get cheaper
More broadly, the manufacturer’s Q1 foldable phone production could see a 568% year-on-year increase, well over 1.5 million units. On the other hand, market experts predict that demand will fall by up to 60% in the second quarter of 2022. However, the first quarter figures are expected to be significant for Samsung, driven mainly by the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
DSCC says the Galaxy Z Flip 3 could account for 70% of the company’s foldable production in the first quarter. The good news is that foldable prices may drop as Samsung prepares the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 in the third quarter of the year. Indeed, the company will secure 3 million additional foldable panels in 2022.
It’s unclear why the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is preferred over the Z Fold 3, but a key factor could be price. There’s a price chasm between the two foldables, which is part of why the majority of customers prefer the cheaper option. Another contributing factor could be the overall size and ease of use.
