Samsung Loses Its Hold on the Foldable Phone Market
In 2022, a total of 14.2 million foldable phones were sold, and out of these, Samsung’s bendable handsets accounted for 80% or nearly 12 million of them. However, Samsung has been steadily losing market share to its Chinese rivals. In 2021, only 8 million bendable handsets were shipped, with Samsung making up 87% of the market.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Specifications and Rumors
Rumors suggest that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 might not help the company regain its hold on the market. It is expected to be similar to the Fold 4 with a new chip and hinge structure. The new device is expected to have the same 7.6 inches inner and 6.2 inches outer screens as its predecessor, although it might be a little taller and less wide.
One rumor suggested that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 would have a 108MP camera, but this has been put to rest by leaker Ice Universe. According to him, the camera specifications of the Fold 5 will be the same as the Fold 4, with a 50MP main camera. He also explains that Samsung cannot use a camera like the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s ISOCELL HP2 200MP sensor as it is too big for a foldable phone.
Instead, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to use the ISOCELL GN3 50MP sensor, which is more suitable for a bendable phone due to its smaller profile. Another unestablished source suggested that the phone could feature a 64MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom instead of the 10MP 3x telephoto shooter. However, this rumor has not been substantiated by any credible source.
At a price of $1799.99, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a very expensive device. While it has decent cameras, they are not at the same level as the cameras featured in top camera phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, and Google Pixel 7 Pro. If the Fold 5 only features a 50MP sensor, it might cause some buyers to switch to other devices with better camera specs.
Conclusion
Despite the rumors surrounding the camera specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, it is still expected to be a high-end device. Flaunting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a dumbbell hinge for a creaseless screen, Samsung is sure to attract its dedicated fan base. But with the rumored Google Pixel Fold and Honor Magic Vs featuring better camera specs, Samsung might have a hard time retaining its hold on the foldable phone market.
