Phones
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold SE sold out China in hours!
In a shocking development, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold SE has been sold out in China. It’s quite stunning as the company has a presence in the Chinese smartphone market. It seems the Special Edition is bringing special happiness to Samsung.
Earlier, Samsung sold out two stocks of the Galaxy Z Fold SE in South Korea. The first sale started late last month, while the second sale was held earlier this month. Both stocks were sold out within minutes, revealing the craze for the new foldable.
Even in the highly competitive Chinese market, the first batch of sales sold out in just a short time, signaling strong interest. Both the W25 and W25 Flip had their first batch of pre-orders sell out within just three hours of sales beginning.
Samsung also announced that the pre-sold units will be officially released on November 15. Since these are limited edition models, it’s reported that stock was quite limited. Pricing of the new foldable phones is as follows:
- Samsung W25 (Z Fold SE) – 17,999 yuan (~ $2500)
- Samsung W25 Flip (Z Flip 6) – 9,999 yuan (~ $1400)
Samsung’s W25 selling in China is based on the Galaxy Z Fold SE. When folded, its thickness is 10.6mm, and when unfolded, it’s 4.9mm. Due to the metallic frame at the hinge, the W25 is 19g heavier than the Fold SE (which weighs 236g), coming in at 255g.
IDC reported that Samsung held a 7.7% share in the third quarter in China. However, experts believe that the success of the W25 is unlikely to lead to significant growth given the limited quantity of units and the relatively small consumer base.
Most upcoming Android flagships will use Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Qualcomm switched to a 3nm TSMC process node for the Snapdragon 8 Elite this year, and the chip production cost may further increase in 2025; impacting Android flagships too.
Recently, a Chinese tipster revealed on Weibo that TSMC will raise N4 and N3 process prices in 2025. Increased 3nm and 4nm TSMC chip costs could put pressure on Android flagships slated to come out in late 2025 to be pricey.
TSMC’s N3 (3nm) and N4 (4nm) processes could rise by 4%. As Qualcomm and MediaTek manufactured their latest flagship SoCs using TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm process, their product prices have risen significantly compared to the last year.
Source: Smart Chip Consultant / Weibo via CNMO
Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo revealed that the Snapdragon 8 Elite cost increased by 15%, reaching $180. MediaTek has also produced the latest Dimensity 9400 on TSMC’s 3nm process node, however, the price is yet to be known.
If TSMC continues to increase production costs, all Android vendors in the cost aspect will also bear greater pressure, which possibly cause them to continue to adjust the smartphone’s selling price or adjust other aspects.
It’s worth mentioning that the Vivo X200 series starting price rose $41.90, the OPPO Find X8 series starting price rose $27.93, the Xiaomi 15 series starting price rose $69.83, Honor Magic 7 series starting price rose $13.97.
Samsung Foundry
Samsung will also utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite across the Galaxy S25 series. The company has been facing yield rate issues with its 3nm process. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to commence mass production that’s far below the threshold.
Samsung’s limited edition Galaxy Z Fold SE is a master of crease control. The new foldable phone’s screen crease is nearly perfect. It even outpaces Oppo’s Find N3 and OnePlus Open apart from Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Tipster Ice Universe recently showcased how perfect the Galaxy Z Fold SE’s crease is. Despite having a larger foldable display, the company’s Special Edition device features a nearly invisible crease, outpacing its Chinese rivals.
The video shows Samsung W25 crease is very shallow, making it the best foldable on the market. Unfortunately, the smartphone is exclusively sold in South Korea and China, and currently, there’s no plan for the United States debut.
@UniverseIce / X showcases W25 (Z Fold SE) crease
The crease of Samsung W25 is very shallow, almost the best on the market. pic.twitter.com/zMnDfJoJHX
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) November 7, 2024
As compared to the Oppo Find N3 (OnePlus Open), the Galaxy Z Fold SE has a less visible crease. The foldable area of the panel looks flat from multiple viewing angles, that’s a pretty big development in Samsung’s history.
While Oppo’s foldable displays the screen bumps, the aspect is much better on Samsung’s. The waterdrop hinge requires a wider portion of the display to flex and fold, but Samsung managed to significantly limit the crease bumps.
@UniverseIce / X compares Z Fold SE crease with Find N3/Open
The Galaxy Z Fold SE could remain limited to South Korea and China only. However, these upgrades could be introduced on the next-gen standard foldable i.e. the Galaxy Z Fold 7 so a broader audience can experience the foldable advancements.
Samsung is selling the Galaxy Z Fold SE (W25) in record numbers. The company sold Z Fold SE stocks within minutes twice in South Korea. The first batch of units was also finished in the Chinese market, which is excessively competitive.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series will be available in new sparkling colorways. The source who leaked Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra color options has now revealed online-exclusive colors that will be available from Samsung Shop only.
According to RossYoung, Samsung Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra will be available in bold new online-exclusive colors. These choices will be additional than the standard hues that will be sold from various platforms and retail shops.
Online-exclusive colors:
- Galaxy S25 – Coral Red, Pink Gold, and Blue/Black
- Galaxy S25 Plus – Coral Red, Pink Gold and Blue/Black
- Galaxy S25 Ultra – Titanium Blue/Black, Titanium Jade Green and Titanium Pink/Silver
Last heard the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus could feature new ‘sparkling’ shades, while the S25 Ultra would continue Titanium hues. Samsung will offer a wide array of color choices for the next-gen flagships so consumers can have extended options.
Standard colors:
- Galaxy S25 – Moon Night Blue, Silver Shadow, Sparkling Blue, and Sparkling Green
- Galaxy S25 Plus – Midnight Black, Moon Night Blue, Silver Shadow, Sparking Blue, and Sparkling Green
- Galaxy S25 Ultra – Titanium Black, Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Silver
Gorilla Armor across the S25 lineup?
Samsung’s decision to bring Gorilla Armor to Galaxy S24 Ultra was the coolest. The next-gen glass technology significantly reduces glare from the screen, making the display showcase vibrant and crispy colors.
I wish Samsung would expand the anti-reflective screen technology to the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus. The Ultra variant will indeed feature the anti-reflective glass, but its expansion to other models will be a game-changer move.
Apple’s latest and most expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max lacks an anti-reflective screen. Viewed outside, the S24 Ultra shows minimal glare, meanwhile, the glare makes iPhone 16 Pro Max screen visibility annoying despite higher brightness.