After Samsung, Chinese brands working to introduce flip smartphones

OnePlus, Tecno, and Oppo are all working on their own versions of the foldable smartphone

Motorola and Chinese brands like Tecno and Oppo are introducing innovative designs to tap into the flip smartphone segment, according to a report by the Economic Times. While Samsung continues to dominate in terms of sales, Chinese brands are making strides with their own interpretations of flip phones, with OnePlus set to join the trend later this month with a high-end foldable smartphone.

Market tracker Counterpoint Research showed that Samsung's flip phone shipments reached an estimated 50,000-60,000 units in the first two months of the launch of its latest model in July 2023. In comparison, Motorola and Tecno are shipped around 18,000-20,000 phones each every month. Motorola was the first to challenge Samsung by unveiling two new flip phone models, including one priced below Rs 50,000, making it an industry-first move and maybe a more budget-friendly option than Samsung's fifth-generation foldable phones, which opened at just under Rs 1 lakh.

In October, Tecno and Oppo introduced their offerings, differentiating themselves in terms of price, design, and features. Tecno introduced a circular cover display with mid-range specifications, priced under Rs 50,000. Oppo, on the other hand, reimagined the segment with a vertical cover screen that functions as a regular smartphone display, along with improved cameras and battery life.

Chinese brands have reportedly analysed Samsung's offerings, addressing perceived weaknesses such as restrictive cover displays, short battery life, and high prices. Durability remains a significant concern for buyers that brands may need to work on to overcome.

Damyant Singh Khanoria, CMO of Oppo India told ET that the form factor has become mainstream and that developers are now working closely with brands to ensure seamless app integration with these new designs Oppo, for instance, has spent the better part of a year fine-tuning the software for its second-ever flip phone launched in India, based on five years of research in the foldable form factor. Last year, Meta had also announced a new way to create hands-free on Instagram and Facebook with Samsung flip phones showing its keenness to work with phone developers on this latest smartphone design.