Samsung just confirmed what we all suspected — mobile margins are getting squeezed. But here's what matters: they're doubling down on flagship mix and refining foldables anyway.
The interesting part? They're explicitly committing to tri-fold R&D despite the margin pressure. That's a bet on form factor innovation driving the next premium cycle, not cost-cutting their way through a downturn.
This is classic Samsung — when growth slows, they don't retreat. They push into higher ASP categories and try to create new segments before Apple does. The tri-fold is basically their answer to "what comes after foldables plateau?"
Whether it works is another question. But the strategic read-through is clear: they see the path forward in premium differentiation, not volume. And they're willing to take lower near-term profits to get there.
Watch how this plays against Apple's rumored foldable timing. First-mover advantage only matters if the tech actually lands.
The interesting part? They're explicitly committing to tri-fold R&D despite the margin pressure. That's a bet on form factor innovation driving the next premium cycle, not cost-cutting their way through a downturn.
This is classic Samsung — when growth slows, they don't retreat. They push into higher ASP categories and try to create new segments before Apple does. The tri-fold is basically their answer to "what comes after foldables plateau?"
Whether it works is another question. But the strategic read-through is clear: they see the path forward in premium differentiation, not volume. And they're willing to take lower near-term profits to get there.
Watch how this plays against Apple's rumored foldable timing. First-mover advantage only matters if the tech actually lands.