It seems Apple has finally entered the foldable phone market, but Samsung didn’t even give the American tech giant a chance to open the box of its new product; the Korean company immediately responded with a sarcastic remark and mocked Apple’s belated entry into this market.
Apple recently unveiled its foldable iPhone called “Duo” with a base price of $1,999. Samsung, without the slightest congratulations or welcome, merely reminded everyone that the new guest arrived years after the party began.
Seven years of experience versus a fresh start
Samsung issued this reaction from the position of a company with a long history in this field. The Korean firm launched its first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Over the past seven years, companies such as Samsung, Google, and Motorola have released multiple generations of foldable phones and tried to fix the initial flaws of this design, including screen creasing and fragile hinges.
The competition among companies did not stop there; they also took big steps to reduce the weight of these devices to produce thinner, lighter, and more suitable products for everyday use.
Sarcastic messages on social media
In a series of posts on X, in one of the usual rounds of advertising rivalry between the two mobile giants, Samsung directly targeted Apple’s late entry into the foldable phone market.
In one of these posts, Samsung wrote tersely and sarcastically: “So far, nothing new.” In another post with more irony, it directly addressed Apple: “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers.” This sentence clearly indicates that Samsung considers foldable phone technology part of a market it has been active in for years.
Samsung’s humor did not stop there; in another post about expectations for the foldable iPhone, the company wrote: “It’s okay, we’ll be right here and will fold our phones thrice.”
Samsung’s marketing message is perfectly clear: Apple may be entering this market now, but it is not stepping into a new realm; rather, it is entering a market that Samsung has already tested for more than one generation and more than one design.
A market that is no longer new
Apple’s entry comes at a time when foldable phones are no longer merely an emerging experience in the smartphone market. This technology is gradually becoming a distinct category of devices and a variety of designs have emerged; from devices that combine a phone and a tablet to more traditional phones that fold much smaller.
However, Apple’s entry carries different weight because of the brand’s position and the company’s ability to turn any new product into a mass phenomenon, and that is precisely where the main sensitivity of the competition lies.
Samsung not only has to compete with a new product, but also faces the possibility that Apple’s entry could accelerate the growth of the foldable phone market and attract the millions of users who had been waiting for Apple before making a final purchase decision.
A battle over price
Price is a key part of this story. With a base price of $1,999, the iPhone Duo becomes a luxury and premium product and puts Apple to a real economic test.
The main question is no longer whether consumers want a foldable phone, but whether they are willing to pay nearly $2,000 for one. A higher price could yield a larger profit margin for Apple to offset the costs of the display, hinge, and advanced components, but at the same time it makes the purchase decision harder for consumers. It seems the success of this product largely depends on Apple’s ability to prove that its high price delivers value beyond merely owning a foldable phone.
The economic backstage of a joke
These taunts may appear like a simple advertising war on the surface, but they hide more serious economic considerations. Samsung has extensive experience in foldable phones, but Apple’s entry could completely change the rules of the game; the American company has a massive user base, an integrated ecosystem, and unparalleled marketing power.
If Apple manages to make the foldable phone one of its core products, Samsung could also benefit from overall market growth; but at the same time it will face a fresh rival capable of attracting a large segment of buyers. For this reason, Samsung’s sarcastic messages seem to be an attempt to shape a different narrative: that Samsung pioneered this market and Apple is now making up for lost time.
The real battle has not yet begun
Technology companies have long used mocking rivals as a tool for attention and marketing, but advertising jokes alone cannot determine the fate of the foldable phone market; the final judgment still rests with consumers.
Can the iPhone Duo offer an experience worthy of its price? Will Apple be able to address the perennial concerns associated with foldable phones, including durability, thickness, battery life, and repair costs?
On the other hand, Samsung must prove that its long experience does not only mean “being first,” but that it still has the ability to offer the best product in this category.
While the two tech giants continue to exchange sarcastic messages, it seems the main battle is about more than “who entered the field first”; Apple’s entry could be the moment foldable phones shift from a niche technology to one of the main arenas of the smartphone market.
Samsung may be pleased with Apple’s tardiness, but in the world of technology, arriving late does not necessarily mean taking second place.