Korean Media: Apple Joins the Foldable Phone Race, Marking the Start of the 'Three-Nation Competition'!
On September 16, South Korean media outlet Global Economy published an article stating that with Apple launching its foldable smartphone, the global competition among South Korea, the United States, and China has officially begun. Apple's entry into the foldable phone market is seen as an attempt to attract Android users, and the competition between Apple, Samsung Electronics, and Chinese manufacturers is expected to intensify further. Samsung Electronics and Apple are engaging in fierce competition across global markets excluding China, while Chinese domestic enterprises appear to be focusing primarily on "serving domestic market demand."
Apple has recently officially unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the "iPhone Duo." When folded, the iPhone Duo is about the size of a passport, with dimensions and design closely resembling Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Fold 8, released in July this year.
Apple’s launch of a foldable smartphone marks a strategic shift for the company, which has adhered to straight-edged smartphones for two decades. The iPhone Duo seems designed to deliver the experience of a straight-edged smartphone when folded, and the feel of an iPad Mini tablet when unfolded. The core component—the foldable display—is supplied by Samsung Display Company.
Samsung Electronics has recently launched an outdoor advertising campaign titled "Welcome to the Foldable Era" in major cities around the world, using its eighth-generation foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold8 series, as the promotional vehicle. The campaign has been implemented in six global landmark cities, including Seoul, Tokyo, and London. Advertisements feature slogans such as "ultra-thin," "world’s lightest foldable," and "durable."
Before Apple's foldable smartphone release, Chinese smartphone manufacturers also rolled out new foldable models. Xiaomi held a product launch event on the 9th, unveiling its foldable smartphone, the "Xiaomi 18 Fold." According to reports, the Xiaomi 18 Fold is powered by Xiaomi's self-developed "Xuanjie O3?" processor and features LPDDR6 memory from China's CXMT (Changxin Memory Technologies). The screen is also believed to be domestically produced in China.
A key feature of Xiaomi is its use of domestically sourced components across the supply chain—including processors, memory, and displays. The Xiaomi 18 Fold shares similar appearance and dimensions with both the iPhone Duo and the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun emphasized: "This product took two years of planning and 20 months of research and development to bring to life," adding that it is "the most premium smartphone model in Xiaomi's lineup."
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Original Article: toutiao.com/article/1876473982218243/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.