Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. disclosed on Wednesday that it has sold four times as many foldable devices this year as in 2020.

The momentum of Samsung’s foldable device business is a potentially encouraging sign for the product category as a whole. Moreover, the fast-growing market demand for reconfigurable mobile devices could potentially increase the likelihood of Apple Inc. joining the fray. Apple has for years been rumored to be working on a foldable iPhone, with one recent report claiming that the device could launch within two to three years.

Samsung not only sold more foldable devices this year but also managed to win over users from competitors in the process. The company evaluated how much interest its Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable device and Galaxy Note 20 tablet drew among customers of other phonemakers. Compared with the Note 20, Samsung says, it logged a 150% increase in the number of consumers who switched smartphone brands for the Z Flip3.

The increase in user adoption of Samsung’s foldable devices can likely be attributed at least partly to the enhancements that the company has made to its device designs over the past few years.

The company’s first foldable handset, the Galaxy Fold, experienced early reliability issues when it debuted in 2019. Samsung had to delay the device’s release after reviewers reported multiple incidents of malfunctioning displays. The hinge that the Galaxy Fold used to switch between smartphone and tablet modes allowed debris to enter the chassis, which caused technical issues.

Samsung followed up the Galaxy Fold with not one but two new foldable devices in 2020. The company introduced a successor to the Galaxy Fold, as well as a handset called the Z Flip that featured a design resembling a flip phone.

Samsung refreshed its foldable lineup again this past August by introducing enhanced versions of both the Z Flip and Galaxy Fold. The company upgraded the devices’ foldable displays to Gorilla Glass Victus, the newest iteration of Corning Inc.’s mobile display glass. The material can withstand a drop from a height of up to 6.5 feet.

The devices’ display isn’t the only component that Samsung upgraded this year. The company added a dual-battery system to the flip phone-inspired Z Flip 3. The Z Fold 3, in turn, features an IPX8 water resistance rating that allows it to be submerged for up to 30 minutes without experiencing a malfunction.

If Apple launches a foldable iPhone as recent rumors suggest, investing in product enhancements will become even more important for Samsung going forward. The company’s plan to gain an edge over the competition could involve further expanding the number of devices in its foldable handset lineup. According to recent reports, Samsung has been exploring ways to build devices that fold not once but twice.

Photo: Samsung