Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales jump 20% amid iPhone Duo launch problems

By James Calloway

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales in South Korea rose 20% from October 23 through October 29, according to The Korea Herald, during the week Apple released the iPhone Duo.

The Korea Herald published no exact unit sales, so the absolute increase remains unknown. The newspaper also reported that interest in the Fold 8 rose after Apple announced the Duo in September. The September announcement marked Apple’s first attempt at the foldable form factor, according to The Korea Herald.

The report treated the timing as more than coincidence, while stopping short of evidence linking the launches. It listed price, app performance and broken screens as possible factors, not proven causes.

What could explain the 20% sales rise?

The Korea Herald offered three possible explanations for the increase.

• Value and continued availability. Continued sales could make the Fold 8 a better deal overall. The report said the device was considerably more affordable than the Duo in South Korea.
• Unoptimized apps. Apple’s software could have pushed some buyers toward the Samsung model. The Korea Herald cited app readiness as a potential factor.
• A rough launch for the Duo. Some buyers received broken inner displays, which The Korea Herald linked to an apparent manufacturing error. The newspaper called the episode the iPhone Duo’s “crackgate” debacle and described the first impression as rough.

The Korea Herald said there was “no evidence either way” about the reasons behind the sales shift. The timing is notable, but the cause is still open.

What does the price gap mean for marketers?

Samsung sells the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for as low as $1,599. The Korea Herald did not provide the Duo’s Korean price, so the size of the price gap is not available. It described the Fold 8 as considerably more affordable in South Korea and said continued sales could make it a better deal overall.

The $1,599 price gives Samsung a concrete comparison for its marketing during the Duo’s launch period. Apple faces the same period with reported unoptimized apps and broken inner displays. The price advantage is clear, but its effect on sales is not quantified.

What should marketers watch beyond launch week?

Samsung is rumored to be investing more heavily in the foldable form factor in 2027, according to The Korea Herald. The report gave no investment amount, product plan or timetable beyond that year.

The 20% figure covers seven days, and the source supplied neither unit sales nor evidence of a sustained trend. Interest had already risen after the September announcement, but the report gave no measure for that interest.

For marketers, the next test is sustained unit sales, not attention around a single launch week. If Samsung follows through on the rumored 2027 investment, the company will need to turn launch-week attention into lasting demand.