Erencan YılmazSamsung’s latest high-end foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, has reportedly seen an enthusiastic reception in the United States, with its pre-sales soaring by 50% compared to its predecessor. This “hot start” for the $2000 device, as reported by Bloomberg, marks the highest pre-order record for Samsung’s large foldable phones to date, signaling a significant milestone in the market’s increasing acceptance of foldable technology.
The clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip 7 also outperformed its forerunner, with both new models contributing to a combined pre-sale volume increase of over 25%. This positive market response, further bolstered by a 60% surge in pre-sales with carrier partners, suggests that foldable phones are beginning to shed their niche status and gain more mainstream appeal, affirming Samsung’s strategic direction in innovative smartphone design and market expansion.
Record-breaking pre-sales and Increased acceptance
The success of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in the United States market has been spotlighted by Samsung’s Senior Vice President of Product Management, Drew Blackard. Blackard said that the debut of the Z Fold lineup in the U.S. market has been “its most successful ever,” and that the reception of the market for both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 is sending a “positive signal that we are going in the right direction”. He went on to explain that buyers now are increasingly prioritizing the convenience provided by folding displays over any perceived compromises, a vital change in perception for the nascent category.
Such universally positive reception acts as a huge confidence builder for the making and future of foldable phones, a category that has long found it difficult to match more reasonably priced and traditionally designed smartphones. Such strong performance also provides Samsung with a strategic edge, especially since industry whispers indicate Apple is already busy working on its own first foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch next year. For all such impressive growth numbers, however, it bears mentioning that the total sales volume for Samsung’s Fold lineup, while increasing, continues to be in the millions, a number that is much lower than mainstream smartphone sales, pointing to the presence of further market growth.
Design, Demographics, and Color Trends
Aside from performance, certain design and aesthetic decisions also seem to have been a major factor in these robust pre-sales. Samsung disclosed that the new blue color option of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 represented almost half of all pre-order sales, deviating from the usual black-heavy sales trends of previous generations. Likewise, the coral red model of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 did “better than expected,” garnering almost a quarter of its model’s pre-orders, illustrating the increasing consumer demand for less staid and more varied color options. A demographic change of interest is also in progress, with more women users reportedly entering the ranks of foldable phone owners.
Blackard mentioned a “notable rise in the percentage of female users in the Fold series since 2024,” and added that Samsung will be keeping a close eye on their feedback for the new models. Design breakthroughs have also been crucial to the popularity. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thin and light even when folded, providing a feel similar to an ordinary smartphone, which amounts to a considerable advance on the previous versions. The $1100 Galaxy Z Flip 7 is billed as the most beautifully designed model in its lineup, with a bigger external screen tastefully designed around its camera module, combining aesthetics with functionality and further increasing the popularity of foldable tech.
Source: Samsung
