Flip phones to contribute 64% of total foldable smartphone sales during 2023: Survey

The foldable smartphone segment is still going through a lot of innovation. It has not just emerged as a visible differentiator but also triggered excitement in the luxe segment. The foldable segment is further divided into two variants i.e. H-fold (flip smartphones) and V-Fold (fold or book fold smartphones). According to a recent study by Techarc, it is the former which will be in demand. The survey found 64 per cent of the sales during 2023 will be flip smartphones. 

The are quite a few options already available for customers in India. Samsung, one of the first smartphone companies to enter into this segment, is soon launching its 5th generation of foldable.

The current foldable options for customers in India to buy include:

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra

Motorola Razr 40

Oppo Find N2 Flip

Tecno Phantom V Fold

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

What customers want in foldable smartphones 

According to the survey, ease of content consumption is the top reason for people to consider this niche form factor for purchase. Among the inhibitors, durability remains the top concern that makes them doubtful about purchasing one. Around 650 650 high-end smartphone users who own a luxe category smartphone (smartphone of more than Rs 50,000) and potential customers for a foldable smartphone were part of the dipstick survey done by Techarc.

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According to the report, foldable (including flip) smartphones will contribute over 1.8 per cent of the total smartphone revenues for 2023. This will be achieved by selling over 6.35 lakh foldable smartphones during the year. This translates to less than 0.5 per cent of the total sales by volume estimated for the period.

The form factor is expected to cross the 1 million mark of annual sales in 2025, which will double in 3 years by 2028.  ‘Affoldables’ (affordable + foldable, priced at less than 80,000) will be a key factor driving this growth in the coming years. In 2023, these are already expected to contribute more than half (52 per cent) of the total sales in unit terms.