The smartphone market heats up with news

Due to stagnant growth in recent years, the smartphone market remained dull until the first half of this year amid bleak sentiment fueled by the pandemic.

But starting with the launch of Samsung Electronics ‘Galaxy Note 20 in August, followed by LG Electronics’ new rotary form factor smartphone in September, the market is seeing consumer excitement rise again with new model launches.

Among others, the launches of new form factors appear to be leading the general recovery of the mobile device market.

Samsung’s two new foldable phones, Galaxy Z Fold2 and Z Flip 5G, along with LG’s Wing have added to the variety of the smartphone market.

Pre-orders for the 2.39 million won ($ 1,980) Galaxy Z Fold2 surpassed 80,000 units in five days, returning consumers to the high-end smartphone market.

Introduced on September 14, LG’s Rotating Wing smartphone is another highly anticipated model.

LG Wing will officially go on sale starting October 5 with an estimated price of around 1 million won.

“Compared to the first half of this year, the smartphone market is in an optimistic mood with the launches of various models,” said an official from mobile operator KT.

Better market reaction to the Galaxy Note 20 than the Galaxy S20 series has helped drive the market atmosphere, the official said.

“Another positive sign for the market is the iPhone 12,” said the official. “The market is expected to get even hotter as many are waiting for the iPhone to arrive.”

Apple disappointed consumers when it failed to unveil the highly anticipated iPhone 12 at an online unpack show on September 15.

The US tech giant is expected to unveil the 12th edition of the iPhone, including its first 5G-enabled model, next month.

The iPhone 12 is likely to launch in the Korean market in November, according to the telecommunications industry.

Both Samsung and LG also offer consumers cheaper options.

Samsung introduced an affordable version of the Galaxy S20, temporarily dubbed the “Galaxy S20 Fan Edition,” on September 23.

The Galaxy S20 FE is expected to adopt the more satisfying features of the Galaxy S20, such as the camera’s Super Steady and Single Take functions, while using camera lenses and gradient materials for the body to save production costs.

It is the first time that Samsung has launched a budget phone based on its flagship model for the Korean market. The Fan Edition is estimated to retail for around 800,000 won.

LG has launched the LG Q31, the cheapest LTE model among the company’s phones this year. The Q31, with a 5.7-inch U-notch display, 3,000 mAh battery and 3GB of RAM, retails for 209,000 won.

“The Q3 offers the necessary functions at the most competitive price,” said an LG official. “The model will target consumers from all walks of life.”

By Song Su-hyun ([email protected])