Samsung, the major Korean smart devices manufacturer, will produce its premium flagship devices, Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, in India to meet local demand, according to a senior company official. The launch of these high-end devices is scheduled for August 18 in India, with pre-bookings starting on July 27.
Samsung’s SouthWest Asia President and CEO, J B Park, confirmed that both Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be manufactured at their Noida factory in India. This move reflects Samsung’s commitment to catering to the Indian market and providing consumers with locally manufactured devices.
Foldable smartphones, including flip phones, are projected to contribute over 1.8 percent of total smartphone revenues in 2023, with an estimated 635,000 foldable smartphones expected to be sold in India during the year. While this figure is relatively small compared to overall smartphone sales by volume, Samsung remains optimistic about the potential of these premium devices in the Indian market.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is priced at Rs. 1,54,999 for the 256GB storage variant, while the 512GB and 1TB variants are priced at Rs. 1,64,999 and Rs. 1,84,999, respectively. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is priced at Rs. 99,999 for the 256GB model and Rs. 1,09,999 for the 512GB variant.
Prabhu Ram, Head of the Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research (CMR), expects foldable shipments in India to grow over 65 percent year-on-year, with Samsung’s latest fifth-generation Fold and Flip devices potentially appealing to a broader range of consumers.
In addition to the new foldable devices, Samsung will also make available its Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series, further expanding its product offerings in the Indian market.
According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung is projected to dominate the foldable smartphone segment globally, alongside Apple, which is expected to debut its foldable iPhone in 2025.
In the Indian smartphone market, Samsung led with a 20 percent share in the January-March 2023 quarter and remains the leading brand for 5G shipments with a 24 percent share.
