In the ever-evolving landscape of smartphone technology, the realm of foldable phones has emerged as a captivating frontier. Yet, amidst the fervor, whispers abound regarding the decision of two prominent Chinese vendors, Oppo and Vivo, to step back from the foldable phone market this year.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's latest report, the momentum in foldable phone sales has begun to wane. Samsung, the behemoth dominating the foldable phone market, has even revised its sales targets for its foldable devices.
However, the plot thickens as Kuo claims that Oppo and Vivo have shelved their plans to release new flip-style foldable phones scheduled for launch in China this year.
Kuo points out that the sales of flip-style foldable phones in China are currently on a decline. Moreover, vendors other than Huawei are losing interest in these less profitable flip-style foldable phones, as reported by Android Authority on Saturday, February 17, 2024.
Kuo's report highlights the lower profitability of flip-style foldable phones compared to the book-style/fold models. Thus, the lack of interest from Oppo and Vivo cannot solely be attributed to sales figures.
While flip-style foldable phones have garnered popularity among general consumers due to their relatively lower prices, the associated costs of marketing, development, and distribution may outweigh the benefits for phone vendors.
It's worth noting that Kuo's report only mentions Oppo and Vivo's plans for 2024 in the Chinese market. There's no claim that these two phone vendors will entirely retreat from the foldable phone market in other countries.
However, Chinese phone vendors typically launch their latest devices in their home country before expanding globally. Therefore, if Oppo and Vivo refrain from releasing flip-style foldable phones in China, the likelihood of a global launch for these devices diminishes significantly.
Kuo's report also doesn't address the development of fold-style foldable phones. It's probable that the development and release of such devices remain unaffected by this issue.
The decision of Oppo and Vivo to cancel the release of new flip-style foldable phones underscores the complexities and challenges inherent in navigating the ever-shifting dynamics of the smartphone market. As the industry continues to innovate and adapt, only time will tell what the future holds for foldable phone technology and the players involved.
