Foldable phones are still a niche market in the US: Most Americans say they don't have any interest in a foldable smartphone.
Despite widespread apprehension, the hype around foldables and flip phones is real for a growing segment of fans. And leading foldable-phone maker Samsung just reported better sales numbers for its seventh generation of foldables than ever before.
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According to Samsung, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are driving new customers into the company's foldable ecosystem in droves. The company said the Z Flip 7 is "converting customers to Galaxy at a record pace compared to previous Flip devices." The Flip 7 has driven more people away from other smartphone brands than any other Samsung flip phone.
A Samsung representative did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
Read more: I Tested the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and It Impressed Me in Every Way but One
Samsung users are switching, too
The latest generation of Samsung foldables isn't just converting loyalists from other brands. The latest Galaxy Z phones are convincing existing Samsung customers to switch from a standard smartphone to a foldable or flip phone.
"Users transitioning from S series Ultra models have increased significantly, now making up nearly 30% of Galaxy Z Fold 7 purchases," Samsung says in its report. "The strong consumer response seen at launch continues, with Galaxy Z Fold 7 purchases currently exceeding the previous generation by 50%."
Samsung unveiled its latest foldables at the Galaxy Unpacked event in July. The presentation largely focused on AI integration with a focus on Google Gemini and the thinness of the Fold 7 and Flip 7 models.
The new report on increased Galaxy Z sales numbers isn't entirely unprecedented. The Z Fold 7 broke Fold series preorder records in July, with a more than 25% increase in interested buyers over last year's model.