It looks like Korean manufacturer Samsung is very serious and confident about the future of its foldable smartphone lineup. According to analyst firm UBI Research the giant manufacturer wants to double its foldable OLED panel production next year.
Currently, Samsung is said to produce 8.1 million panels in 2021. This should translate into about 8 million foldable phones shipped. The yield rate of assembly lines is reported to be about 80 to 90%, which could result in a lower number.
Doubling foldable OLED displays’ production to 18 million should translate into about 14 to 16 million foldable phones produced next year. A subsidiary of Samsung Display called Dowoo Insys is the company processing the Ultra-Thin Glass cover needed for the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold devices which is supplied by SCHOTT Germany. It is reported that Samsung is going to set up more production lines in order to double the manufacturing capacity. UBI Research also says foldable panels shipments could reach 49 million units in 2025.
The increased production of foldable panels will also allow Samsung Display to sell them to other phone manufacturers. Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Vivo are said to be looking to get the Samsung panels for their own foldable devices. Rumors about Google and Apple looking into adding a foldable phone to their lineups are also circulating, with Samsung being the obvious choice for a display supplier.
This year the Korean phone manufacturer was very aggressive as far as its foldable strategy is concerned. Instead of releasing a successor to the 2020 Galaxy Note, it opted for a big release of new foldable phones.
In August Samsung revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Both phones offered significant improvements in their foldable display technology and more attractive pricing. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is praised for its versatility and S Pen support, while the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is liked for its looks and pocketable size.
It is unclear whether Samsung will expand its foldable phone lineup in 2022. An even more affordable folding phone for the masses might be on the horizon. The company is already the leader in this category of devices and such a move could only expand its lead even further. It is also a leader in manufacturing with 91% of all foldable OLEDs in 2021 being made by Samsung Display.