Samsung foldables hit 1.44 million South Korean preorders

Samsung's latest foldable smartphones have set a new domestic preorder record in South Korea, signaling a significant shift in consumer preference and providing a potential boost for the company's mobile division. The Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 collectively garnered 1.44 million preorders during a seven-day period from July 28 to August 3, surpassing the previous record of 1.38 million units set by the Galaxy Note 10 in 2019.

The new tally, announced by Samsung on August 4, also exceeds the 1.35 million preorders for the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year and represents a nearly 39 percent increase over the 1.04 million preorders for last year's Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 models. The company reported that preorders were processed at a rate of approximately 140 units per minute during the promotional window.

Driving the record performance was the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, which accounted for roughly 70 percent of all preorders. The model features a new design with a wider, more passport-like 4:3 aspect ratio for its inner display, a departure from Samsung's previous taller book-style foldables. Mobile carriers SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus reported similar trends,...