TM Roh said Samsung is not worried about Apple’s expected first foldable iPhone in the smartphone market after yesterday’s Unpacked event in London. He said Samsung’s foldable lead cannot be caught up with overnight, even as Apple prepares to enter the segment later this year.
TM Roh on Samsung's lead
Roh, the CEO of Samsung Electronics and head of its mobile division, said Samsung’s technological prowess and understanding of the customer in foldables cannot be caught up with overnight. He also said Samsung will extend its lead by setting new standards.
That is the clearest sign yet that Samsung sees Apple as a real entrant, not a distraction. Samsung has had seven years in the foldable segment, and Roh is arguing that product maturity in this category comes from repeated shipping, not a single launch cycle.
Apple's first foldable iPhone
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected later this year, and it would give the Galaxy Z Fold devices their first serious global competitor, particularly in the United States. The matchup looks narrowest against the Galaxy Z Fold 8, not the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which suggests Apple’s first device is entering where Samsung’s most established book-style model already sits.
Samsung also has a clamshell option in the Galaxy Z Flip series, while Apple does not seem to be making a clamshell foldable any time soon. That leaves Samsung with two different foldable shapes already in market, which makes Apple’s first entry look less like a category launch and more like a direct challenge to Samsung’s core lineup.
Galaxy Z TriFold pressure
The Galaxy Z TriFold showed that Samsung can push the envelope further, and Samsung still has the option of making rollable phones. Roh’s message is that Apple can enter the foldable smartphone market, but it still has to close a gap in experience before it can claim parity.
The open question is market share once Apple ships its first foldable iPhone, especially in the United States, where Samsung’s lead would face its first serious test.
