On June 9, according to a report by Korean media outlet ZDNET Korea on June 5 local time, Samsung Electronics has lowered its annual shipment target for the Galaxy Z 8 series foldable smartphones from the previously projected 6.5 million units to between 5 million and 6 million units.
As shown in the table, compared with Samsung's initial forecasts made several months ago, the company has significantly reduced its shipment target for the clamshell-style foldable model ("Flip"). Shipment expectations for the book-style foldable model ("Fold") have also been lowered. In contrast, the forecast shipment volume for the newly introduced "Wide Foldable" category has been substantially increased.
According to the report, several factors contributed to Samsung's adjustment. One reason is the supply shortage of memory semiconductors and other key components, which has driven up prices. As Samsung has been forced to pass some of these higher costs on to consumers, demand has been negatively affected. Another factor is the declining popularity of clamshell foldable smartphones. In addition, Apple's anticipated entry into the foldable smartphone market is expected to accelerate the development of the wide-foldable segment.
The report also cited industry sources, stating that Samsung Electronics has shared its production plans for the Galaxy Z 8 series with component suppliers for the June–August period. According to these plans, production of the Flip model is expected to be slightly above 1 million units, while both the Fold and Wide Foldable models are planned at approximately 1.5 million units each.
