Syed Imran Haider 
On Wednesday, Samsung Electronics launched its latest foldable smartphones that are loaded with artificial intelligence (AI) features.
The South Korean giant pioneered the product category and it is now hoping to regain its share in the space by convincing its clientele to upgrade their phones.
The launch
The launch event saw the company showcase the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 devices. These models are improved versions of previous models.
Most importantly, they have also been enhanced with Samsung’s suite of AI features dubbed Galaxy AI. With a price tag of $1,899.99, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 opens up like a book.
This foldable smartphone boasts a display of 7.6-inch and a triple-lens camera on the back. According to Samsung, the phone is only 12.1 millimeters thick, making it the thinnest foldable device.
As for the Galaxy Flip6, it boasts a bendable screen and opens up like a traditional device. Its price tag is about $1,099.99.
The Galaxy Unpacked event was held in Paris and Samsung announced that the two devices will rollout from July 24th.
The launches come at a time when the smartphone giant is facing tough competition in the foldables market. In addition, a greater number of consumers are holding onto their devices for longer periods.
Upgrade
Market experts said that getting consumers to upgrade their devices remains the biggest challenge. Incremental improvements on past models is not that easy, especially in the case of Fold devices.
This year has seen many smartphone markers tout AI features of their devices.
This is to take advantage of the increasing excitement around AI and to give users a better reason to upgrade to expensive devices.
Samsung is also trying to follow the same trend. Despite launching the foldable category in 2019, the South Korean conglomerate is now dealing with intense competition in the space.
The company highlighted several AI features during the event. These include live translate, translation features and suggested replies.
The issues
However, it is worth noting that it was only in January this year that Samsung electronics had launched its flagship S24 series that came with AI features.
This has prompted analysts to question if the features are enough for people to upgrade. After all, foldables are not exactly must-have devices amongst consumers.
While Samsung is undoubtedly committed to this product category, there is no denying that more and more rivals are also launching foldable phones.
The foldable device category is slowly transforming into the next battleground, with manufacturers trying to lure in consumers.
Last month, Apple Inc., Samsung’s biggest competitor, also launched Apple Intelligence, its AI play. This suite of AI features has brought more competition to the market.
Analysts said that consumers have now gotten savvier due to which they are no longer making their next purchase hastily.
All eyes are now turned towards Apple, which is expected to launch its new devices in September. Consumers are looking forward to the Apple Intelligence features that may be introduced in iPhone 16.
