April 23, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics ’ marketing schemes for its upcoming foldable smartphone, presumably called Galaxy F, will likely be focused on targeting those in their 40s, bringing back the nostalgia of the classic and innovative mobile devices, such as Motorola’s StarTAC, according to news reports on Dec. 4.

Local news outlet The Bell reported that the company has finalized some details of its marketing campaign and is currently preparing a sales strategy for the foldable smartphone, which will be launched in March next year.

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The firm started producing the foldable phone last month with plans to roll out 1 million units initially -- a tenth of the first production volume of the Galaxy S models.

StarTAC, which will serve as a reference for Samsung’s new phone, was released in 1996 and gained massive popularity with its compact size and the satisfying flipping sound when opened. The clamshell design, the first of its kind at the time, helped it to go mainstream, selling approximately 60 million units globally.

The foldable phone shares the similar user experience as a user needs to unfold the device.

For the past several years, Samsung has been carrying out a project for a foldable smartphone, which will house cutting-edge technologies, including foldable displays and a large battery. The phone can switch between a 4.58-inch smartphone when folded and a 7.3 tablet PC when open.

The Galaxy F is expected to feature a smaller display on the outside, allowing a user to make a phone call and check messages and notifications. The larger display on the inside, which can be divided into three areas, will allow users to run different apps simultaneously. Users, for instance, can play a mobile game while running a chatting app and watching a live game at the same time.

Samsung’s first foldable phone will likely come with a price tag of more than 1.5 million won (US$1,353).

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)