Samsung slowing 2025 foldable production after disappointing Z Fold/Z Flip 6 sales

Samsung’s foldable ambitions may be taking a bit of a hit. A new report suggests the company is significantly scaling back production plans for its 2025 foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. This comes on the heels of disappointing sales for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, which failed to meet Samsung’s internal expectations.

Since becoming a market leader in the foldable market, Samsung has consistently ramped up production with each new generation. It was a strategy that seemed to be working, at least for many years. However, increased competition and perhaps a plateau in consumer interest appear to be changing the landscape.

According to a report from ETNews (via 9to5 Google), Samsung is now projecting a combined production run of just 5 million units for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 (3 million of the Flip 7, 2 million of the Fold 7). This represents a substantial decrease from the 8.2 million units produced for the previous generation. To put that into perspective, Samsung was initially anticipating a 10% growth in sales for its latest foldables. Instead, it seems they’ve encountered a significant downturn.

Interestingly, Samsung isn’t the only one adjusting its foldable forecast. Analyst Ross Young indicates that other major players, particularly in China, are also scaling back their production plans. This suggests a broader trend may be emerging, with the initial excitement surrounding foldables possibly starting to wane.

Despite these setbacks, Samsung doesn’t appear to be giving up on foldables entirely. The company is reportedly exploring new form factors and designs to potentially reignite consumer interest. Whether this involves more radical concepts like rollable displays or simply refinements to existing designs remains to be seen.

In the meantime, Samsung seems to be shifting its focus back to its flagship Galaxy S series. The same report suggests a planned production run of 37.4 million units for the Galaxy S25 series, representing a 7% increase over the Galaxy S24. With an additional 3 million units allocated for the rumored Galaxy S25 Slim, it’s clear that Samsung is doubling down on its more traditional smartphone offerings.

Though the tech industry is always looking towards what is next, there’s an evolutionary beauty to the humble slab smartphone. We didn’t get here by accident, and for the absolute vast majority of people on this planet looking for a communication device that is with them everywhere they go, there’s simply no replacing the glass and metal rectangles we’ve all become so used to and reliant on. We’ll move on someday, sure, but for the forseeable future, the smartphone as we know it is here to stay.