When Samsung unveiled the first Galaxy Fold generation back in early 2019, most hardcore Galaxy Note fans probably shrugged or even laughed off the experimental device, not sensing how dangerous that would prove to be for their beloved stylus-wielding smartphone family.
But then the Z Fold 2 appeared to receive far more attention from its manufacturers at the same 2020 Unpacked event where the Note 20 lineup was unveiled, and when the Galaxy S21 Ultra arrived with S Pen support in early 2021, it became abundantly clear that the days of the once-mighty Galaxy Note series were numbered.
Fast-forward to today, and after polishing its foldable handsets to near-perfection, Samsung can finally justify its controversial decision to kill off the incredibly successful Galaxy Note franchise with a very significant (European) milestone.
Here's how big the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is in Europe
If you felt like Samsung was being suspiciously quiet about the early sales results and popularity of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, well, that stops today with a number of very juicy and very impressive official details on the matter.
For starters, it appears that the cheaper Z Flip 5 is more than twice as popular as the state-of-the-art Z Fold 5 on the old continent, which is... hardly surprising for folks who've been following the (official and unofficial) shipment scores of previous Flip and Fold models.
The exact sales ratio in Europe this time around is 7:3 in the Flip's favor, which more or less coincides with the Korean pre-order gap between the two devices confirmed by Samsung a few weeks back. Graphite and Mint are the top-selling Z Flip 5 flavors, while the Z Fold 5's Phantom Black and Icy Blue color options are so far proving exceptionally successful across European markets.
But the most important achievement the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 have apparently contributed to is an improvement of the Note family's annual sales in Europe. Yes, Samsung's foldables are officially bigger and more popular on the old continent than their "conventional" Galaxy Note-series ancestors, which is yet another strong sign that this "niche" is rapidly moving into the mobile industry's mainstream scene.
10 million global milestone in sight
If you're wondering exactly how many Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 units Samsung has so far sold in Europe and around the world, we're afraid we don't have anything resembling an official answer to offer you right now.
Instead, the world's number one smartphone vendor is focusing on its goal to ship 10 million foldables in total this year, which is likely to be surpassed with crucial help from the newest additions to the Z Flip and Z Fold families.
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In 2022, mind you, Samsung sold an estimated 83 percent of the world's 12.9 million foldable devices, or around 10.7 million units. That makes the company's projected 2023 achievement sound... not that remarkable, but as you might be aware, the foldable market shrank during this year's first quarter compared to the same period of 2022.
Things changed in Q2 and both Q3 and Q4 results are also expected to grow, but that's due (at least in part) to rising competition from brands like Google and Motorola. With all of that in mind, a 10 million+ annual sales score certainly feels like (another) feat worth celebrating for Samsung. Oh, yeah, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 have predictably exceeded the "early sales record" of last year's Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 in Europe as well. Not too shabby for two devices widely criticized for being too expensive, looking too familiar, and lacking "true" innovation.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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