Samsung folds, flips and rides the Ring wearable wave with new AI products

Samsung South Africa is launching all the devices except for the Galaxy Ring on 24 July

Despite a global market that is expected to see a 100 million mark in foldable phones by 2028, Hume noted that Samsung continues to experience steady growth in this segment.

"Each iteration brings forward increased demand," he remarked.

Hume also emphasised the significant improvements in the durability of these devices.

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"The hinges are far more durable now with the dual rail system, and the shock and impact absorption properties are significant," he explained.

Addressing customer concerns, Hume pointed out that complaints have drastically reduced over time, especially with the introduction of the Flip 5.
"Flip 5 has been incredibly robust," he said.

While Samsung no longer offers free screen replacements in the first year, they do provide this service for R999 on the Fold and R499 on the Flip.

“You won’t believe me, but there's a higher adoption of the product when the customer actually has to pay for it (screen replacement).”

Competitive landscape

When asked about the impact of new entrants, particularly from Chinese manufacturers, on Samsung’s market share, Hume was confident.

“The quantity they sell is minimal in that regard; the foldable category is new, and they have to identify the value proposition that exists there," he said, indicating that Samsung has not seen significant competition in this space.

Samsung’s wearable segment is also seeing significant advancements on the back of the Galaxy Fit3 budget wearable launched earlier this year.
Samsung now has fall detection in all of its 2024 watches, a major point of difference from the rest of the market.

There’s two ways to look at it. Smart watches have a huge market capacity, particularly within an aged population group, often people living alone or in assisted living environments that we don't have full-time support. Falls can be serious, and response times are critical in that regard. So, it's very much thinking about that kind of community and saying, ‘okay, we have the gyroscopic sensors on board’. It was quite a deliberate intention that we have it on Fit3

With the new Galaxy Watch Ultra the focus is more on extreme sports in remote environments like rock climbing, mountain biking, and getting medical assistance.

“I think there's a clear case for it across that range.”

Priced at R20,000, Hume highlighted its 100-hour battery capability and rugged design as key selling points.

"It very much suits that sports lifestyle," he said.

The watch also integrates deeply with Samsung Health, offering features like enhanced sleep tracking with the new BioActive sensor enabling sleep apnoea detection, as well as a new daily energy score that Garmin users would know as Body Battery.

Hume noted that Samsung is focusing on making wearables that cater to a wide range of users, from everyday health-conscious individuals to those requiring more robust features.

"We're seeing deep integration with apps like Strava, which provides a point of differentiation," he added.

Future prospects

Looking ahead, Hume confirmed the arrival of a Samsung Galaxy Ring which was announced for select international markets in South Africa by the first half of next year, subject to global performance and local certification requirements.

"We have a deployment schedule that's being looked at," he stated confidently. “I can’t, at this stage, say when in the first half, but I would obviously love to announce it next to the new S-series.”

A notable shift in Samsung’s strategy is the decision to limit compatibility of certain products with iOS.

It began with the Buds2 Pro and Galaxy Fit3 and extends to the newly announced Buds3 Pro and other 2024 wearables.

Hume acknowledged this, first placing the blame on Apple’s limitations before hinting at broader strategic reasons behind this decision.

Samsung South Africa is looking to continue its growth trajectory in both the foldable phone and wearables markets.

With sustained innovation and strategic market positioning, the company aims to meet evolving consumer needs and remain a leader in the tech industry.