Samsung's Tri-Fold Phone Reportedly an Experiment with Limited Supply
The tri-fold phone that was reported to be under the Galaxy G Fold name will remain an experimental product instead of full scale deployment, say sources. According to a new report, Samsung will administer a trial release of the device to allow potential market interest to determine the course of future decisions regarding mass production.
Limited Production and Targeted Release
The report says that the production of the tri-fold will be limited to 50,000 units. This is significantly less than the 200,000 units projected earlier for the first foldable phone productions. The company wants to select certain markets classified as high-income to keep the product exclusive as a feedback tool.
Strategy and Potential Consequences
This restraint will allow Samsung to gather some insights from the consumers, which could help shape the following iterations. Yet this limited amount might have direct repercussions for consumers; scarcity may push some early adopters to pay above the official price.
The other reason for a limited rollout is to ensure that the success of the already existing Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not overshadowed by a new form factor in the market. With a controlled launch of the new form factor, Samsung can manage its product portfolio without cannibalizing its existing sales.
Samsung Gets Acquainted with the Move
This experiment is not new for Samsung. The XR headset dubbed Project Moohan will also be introduced to selected regions under limited supply as the company is reportedly doing with the current endeavor. While this cautious release allows the company to scale production based on market reaction, it may come at the price of tarnishing the device's value proposition in the eyes of the general public and giving rise to false perceptions of scarcity.
