Latest news with #SamsungElectronicsAmerica
United News of India
01-08-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Samsung foldable phones see record sales in United States
Business Economy New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 witnessed a record number of pre-orders from United States, as per reports. Moreover, in the United States, the sales of Samsung's devices are crossing the previous numbers, indicating a major preference for foldable phones among American consumers. Drew Blackard (Senior Vice President of Mobile Product Management, Samsung Electronics America) said, "Foldables have reached an inflection point as they are becoming a mainstream choice of users. Now, on our seventh generation, we have addressed the consumer feedback year after year and arrived at a kind of experience you can't get on any other device.' Blackard pointed to the record-breaking number of sales with the upcoming Z series devices. Strong response to the models, including Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7, indicates that Samsung is moving in the right direction. Reportedly, Samsung also included premier features in its Galaxy Z Fold7, including a vibrant display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset processor, AI features, and a 200 MP rear camera with telephoto lenses. UNI SAS RN
Tom's Guide
31-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 sales surge by 50% — 'strongest launch ever for a Z Fold device'
Consumers have been so impressed by the changes Samsung made to its new foldable phones that they responded in a big way — as the Z Fold 7 produced a record-breaking milestone for the company. In a press release, Samsung says that it had 'more Galaxy Z Fold7 pre-orders than any previous Z Fold device in US history.' That's remarkable considering that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 saw its price increase to $1,999, up from the $1,899 of the prior Z Fold 6. Compared to its predecessor, the Z Fold 7 sales are up 50% since officially launching on July 25. All of this shows how there's significant interest in this best foldable phone contender. Despite being one of the most expensive phones on the market, Samsung has delivered a sleeker design that makes the Z Fold 7 one of the thinnest phones available. It's hard to fathom how thin and light it is unless you actually put it side-by-side with other flagship phones, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Additionally, it also helps that the Z Fold 7 gets the same 200MP main cameras as the S25 Ultra — while adding new Galaxy AI features and multimodal capabilities with Gemini Live. Preorder sales for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 are also up, with both models seeing a 25% increase in preorders compared to their predecessors. This is the strongest launch Samsung has seen to date with its foldable phone releases, which is impressive given that we're seven generations in at this point. In our Galaxy Z Flip 7 review, we were particularly impressed by its larger outer screen and the introduction of Samsung DeX. The response is clearly a positive one for Samsung, as we're heading into the fall, where we'll see other phone releases — like the Pixel 10 and iPhone 17. 'Foldables have reached an inflection point as they are becoming a mainstream choice for users,' said Drew Blackard, Senior Vice President of Mobile Product Management at Samsung Electronics America. 'When people go hands-on with a Z series device, they're hooked — and now it's all coming together with record-breaking numbers.' Clearly, the redesign with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has struck a chord with many consumers, especially given how the Galaxy S25 Edge ushered in this new thin design philosophy with reportedly sluggish sales. Going forward, though, it'll be interesting to see how the company evolves its phone design with future devices like the Galaxy S26. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
/C O R R E C T I O N -- Splitit USA, Inc./
In the news release, Samsung Wallet Launches In-Store Installment payments Through Splitit, issued 24-Jul-2025 by Splitit USA, Inc. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that information has been updated. The complete, corrected release follows: Samsung Wallet Launches In-Store Installment payments Through Splitit In-Store Shoppers Can Now Pay Over Time Using Samsung Wallet ATLANTA, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Splitit is collaborating with Samsung to bring installment payments to Samsung Wallet as a new feature that lets users pay over time using their existing credit at the in-store point of sale. The integration marks the first time an installment payment solution has been built directly into Samsung Wallet, giving consumers a simple, flexible way to split purchases into smaller payments without new credit checks or applications.[1] "Samsung Wallet is a trusted tool for millions of users, and now, with flexible payment solutions at countless locations, we're giving people more control of their finances," said Drew Blackard, Senior Vice President of Mobile Product Management at Samsung Electronics America. "New installment payment options are just another added layer to Samsung Wallet, which can help you keep track of key information — including your credit cards, boarding passes, IDs, and more." According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Buy Now, Pay Later Satisfaction Study, card-linked installment plans received higher customer satisfaction scores than traditional BNPL offerings. The new feature will allow eligible Samsung Wallet users to break up payments into manageable installments directly through their mobile device at the point of sale. "In-store shopping still accounts for the majority of U.S. consumer spending, yet installment payments have remained largely confined to e-commerce," said Nandan Sheth, CEO of Splitit. "That changes today. For the first time in the U.S., in-store card-linked installments are available at scale through Samsung Wallet. Our partnership marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of payments and customer experience—giving in-store shoppers a seamless way to pay directly from their phones, while helping merchants improve conversion, increase basket sizes, and meet rising expectations at the point of sale." Through this partnership, consumers in select locations will be able to access the power of Splitit's installment platform without leaving the Samsung Wallet ecosystem. Key benefits of Samsung Wallet Installment payments: Use existing credit: No need to apply for a new line of credit—just link an eligible Mastercard or Visa credit card. No credit check: Consumers use their available credit—it's that simple. In-store convenience: Pay in installments for everyday purchases directly at the point of sale, right from Samsung Wallet. Flexible plans: Choose from flexible payment schedules—designed to fit a broad range of budgets and timelines. Rolling out to users beginning July 25, 2025, the Samsung Wallet Installment feature will be available on Samsung Galaxy smartphones including the new Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7[2] for residents of the following states with an eligible credit card: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming. About SplititSplitit is a global payment solution provider that lets shoppers use the credit they've earned by breaking up purchases into monthly installments using their existing credit card. Splitit enables merchants to improve conversion rates and increase average order value by giving customers an easy and fast way to pay for purchases over time. Splitit serves many of Internet Retailer's top 500 merchants and is accepted by more than 1,500 eCommerce merchants in over 30 countries and shoppers in over 100 countries. Lending services provided by Splitit Consumer Funding LLC (NMLS# 2630622). Service is subject to eligibility checks, credit card eligibility and application approval. Terms and fees apply. For license and disclosure information, see Splitit Media Contact:Berns Communications GroupDanielle Poggidpoggi@ [1] Samsung Wallet supports payment installments of six or eight bi-weekly payments (two-week cycle), and six or nine monthly payments (monthly cycle). [2] Only compatible with select Visa and Mastercard credit cards from participating banks. Credit Cards issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. are not currently supported for Installment Payments. Credit card eligibility subject to change. Your credit card terms and fees apply. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Splitit USA, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
Fast Company
09-07-2025
- Fast Company
Samsung fixed everything you hated about foldable phones—except the price
Just over a month ago, Samsung did something strange to start hyping up its next foldable phone announcements. Those phones, which Samsung revealed today, are officially called the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7, but in a blog post from early June, the company teased the news as ' the Next Chapter of Ultra.' Bestowing its flagship branding on new foldables would have been a big show of confidence, especially amid reports that Samsung is scaling back foldable phone production this year. But that didn't actually happen. While Samsung says the Fold7 and Flip7 address a lot of the complaints people have about foldable phones, don't expect any kind of major rebranding or strategic pivot. As before, the phones will have to speak for themselves. A thinner Fold with better cameras Samsung is at least being honest now about the reasons people have avoided foldable phones until now, because it claims to have addressed them. The Galaxy Z Fold7, for instance, is only about 9% thicker than a Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 16 Pro Max when folded shut, and at 215 grams it's even a little lighter than those phones. The camera system is also closer to flagship quality now, with a 200 megapixel wide-angle lens and a 44% larger image sensor, though its 10 megapixel telephoto and 12 megapixel ultrawide lenses still lag behind the Ultra's 50 megapixel versions. Samsung's also giving up on hiding a front camera behind the inner display, and will instead use a camera cutout with a higher-quality 10 megapixel version. The Galaxy Z Fold7 looks more like a normal phone when it's folded shut as well, with a 6.5-inch outer screen that's wider than previous models. The inner screen now stretches to 8 inches as a result, and Samsung says it's improved the hinge so the crease on the inner screen isn't as noticeable. 'We're really excited about this device,' says Blake Gaiser, head of mobile phone management for Samsung Electronics America. 'We think that a lot of those barriers that have kept customers from choosing a foldable over a traditional bar-type phone are continuing to be eliminated or minimized.' Better and cheaper Flips Samsung's smaller foldables had their own set of compromises, which the company's trying to address with the Galaxy Z Flip7. The phone is wider now, giving the inner screen a 21:9 aspect ratio that matches most regular phones. The outer screen also has smaller bezels and matches the smooth 120 Hz refresh rate and brightness of the inner screen. Because the 4,300 mAh battery is larger and the processor is more efficient, Samsung says the Flip 7 lasts eight hours longer in video playback tests on a single charge. The Flip7 is also about 8% thinner than the Fold 6 when folded shut, and it's about 12% thinner than a Galaxy S25+ when unfolded. The camera system is the same, with 50 megapixel wide and 12 megapixel ultrawide lenses, though it'll be aided by a new image processing system. 'We had to make some sacrifices with that compact form factor, but I think that's something we've addressed in the last generations, and something we'll continue to address with Flip7,' says Peter Park, Samsung Electronics America's senior product manager for foldables. The pricing problem Even as Samsung chips away at what bothered people about foldable phones, price might still be the biggest barrier. 'Consumers who were interested in trying a foldable, especially a Flip, for them budget or price was the number one reason why they were not able to make that leap,' Park says. Samsung doesn't really have an answer for that yet. It's releasing a $900 Flip7 FE, which is largely just a rebrand of last year's Flip6 with the same smaller outer screen and weaker battery life. The Flip7 will still cost $1,100, leaving it on the higher end of flagship phone pricing. The Galaxy Z Fold7, meanwhile, is moving in the wrong direction with a starting price of $2,000. That's $100 more than the Fold6 and $200 more than the Fold5. For now, it seems that Samsung would rather not release an 'FE' variant with last year's compromises. 'We just haven't seen at this point a dramatic market for the trade-offs we would need to take in order to decrease the price,' Gaiser says. Making the case In lieu of lower pricing, Samsung will have to make the case for its foldables in other ways. Gaiser hopes that simply seeing the phones in all their glory will be enough. To that end, Samsung has been working with wireless carriers on adhesive-mounted security mechanisms instead of bulky claw grips so shoppers can get a better feel for the phones. It's also leaning on carriers for subsidies in exchange for long-term service plans, though it's unclear if those will be much different from the discounts they offer on other phones. 'At the end of the day, foldable awareness is still far below that of a traditional bar-type phone,' Gaiser says. 'One of the things that really excites us about Fold 7 is that, even when I showed it around to people for the first time here in the office, they didn't realize that it was a foldable.' But what about that whole 'Next Chapter of Ultra' business? Is there another phone forthcoming? Did Samsung have a bigger rebrand in mind and get cold feet? Gaiser says the goal was merely to 'allow people to understand that this is more like an Ultra that unfolds' and acknowledged the potential for confusion. But when asked about reports of Samsung cutting production plans for this year's foldables, and rival OnePlus' decision not to ship a foldable in 2025, Gaiser says Samsung still believes in the category. The evidence is in what Samsung's announcing this week. 'We think that the future of foldables is bright, and we're uniquely positioned to bring forth the innovation necessary to get more and more people excited about foldables,' he says. 'If others don't see it that way, we're happy to fill the void.'
Tom's Guide
04-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Exclusive: Samsung exec shuts down the Galaxy S25 Edge haters, talks triple foldable
The Galaxy S25 Edge is the thinnest Samsung S series phone ever at just 5.8mm. But a lot of people are focusing on the trade-offs that need to be made to get something so slim. Yes, the Galaxy S25 Edge has a smaller battery than the regular S25. There's no telephoto zoom. And it costs $1,099. But for Blake Gaiser, who is the director of smartphone product management at Samsung Electronics America, focusing on the specs over the user experience is besides the point of this device. In fact, Gaiser describes the Galaxy S25 Edge as the 'Goldilocks' of smartphones, giving you the same performance and camera quality of the best phones in something you can easily slip into a pocket and almost forget that it's there. 'And so when I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is,' says Gaiser. I had a chance to sit down with Blake on launch day for the Galaxy S25 Edge to talk about how Samsung got the device so thin and to weigh in on those trade-offs. Plus, we discuss what's coming with Samsung's foldables — including a possible triple foldable design. Blake Gaiser: There is actually a pretty good segment out there that's right in between an Ultra owner or a Plus owner. They like the big screen, but they're not an S-pen user. They want a flagship camera, but they don't want the weight and heft that you get with the ultra. So there are quite a lot of people out there who just want a light, tech-forward, fashionable device that has all the performance that you would expect from a high-end flagship phone. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Gaiser: We do consider it to be a flagship. It is a new innovation piece that we're bringing forth where we're taking out so much weight, so much thickness of this device, while not compromising on the things that are really important to our customers, such as durability, the performance of the chipset, having that flagship 200MP camera. And so we do believe that this is that kind of Goldilocks for so many of our customers that is going to give them everything they want and not give them the things that they're not looking for. Gaiser: What's so amazing about this device is that I just kind of gave up on PowerPoint. I gave up on saying, here's the tech specs, here's why it's so cool. Before any of that, just hold it. Not only is it so thin, it has the full Plus screen to it. It almost doesn't feel real. When I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is And so it's like, once people get it in their hand, that hand feel is not just about thickness, it's not just about weight, it's about weight distribution, it's about how you can reach across the screen. And so when I hear those naysayers, I'm like, okay, get your hands on the device, and then let's see what your opinion is. We really designed this from the ground up to be thin. The goal was to be thin without compromise. We really didn't want to take things away from a device to make it thin. We could have done that years ago. Everything about this device was focusing on that slimness. So making sure structurally it was going to be extremely durable. We're utilizing a titanium frame, we're utilizing Corning's Ceramic 2 glass. We're even putting in a vapor chamber cooling system that's larger than the Plus model. So that way, we're able to utilize every single component as efficiently and effectively as possible and making sure that how we put it together gives you a really good balance in the hand. So it wasn't top heavy or bottom heavy, but yeah, every single detail was meticulously planned out to make this device. Gaiser: We are just so far ahead in our camera tech that people don't really understand the quality of their photos that they're getting. Not only is it things like optical zooms, but it's also the agentic AI that we have built in, from the chipset up, utilizing cognitive-aware engines so that your camera understands what you're taking photos of and is able to utilize AI to give you that perfect shot. But when we're looking at the usage of our cameras with our customers, we know a couple of things. We know that the most popular zooms that our customers use are the 0.6X to get those really wide macro views, the 1X, 2X and 3X. Is it nice to have the 100X Space Zoom at times? Absolutely. Sure. But is it something that you're going to use every day or even every month? When you're doing side-by-side comparisons, I think customers are really going to see that you're getting fantastic quality that meets or beats our competition. Gaiser: I think enough battery life for most customers is just an all-day usage. You don't want to find yourself at lunch with an empty battery. And what we've seen with this device is that it has worked as well or better than the S24 base model and very close to the S25 base model. And so as long as you can live with it from sun up to sun down without having any issues, we think that's a great experience. And personally, I haven't had much of an issue with the battery life whatsoever. Samsung's always looking at every new emerging technology that's out there. So it's something that we're definitely not keeping our eyes off of. But with that new chipset, with agentic AI helping with performance and efficiencies of these batteries, we really felt that going with our traditional lithium-ion battery was the right move for this device. The S25 Edge has everything that the S25 family has. And probably the most exciting one that people are utilizing the most is Audio Eraser, where you can just take noise and pull it out of the video. So whether it be construction noise or nature noise or general audience noise or music, you can customize the EQ that to give you the video that you want. And it's something that you can play with real time that we've seen a lot of people extremely happy with that one. Gaiser: One of the things that we look at from a product standpoint is, how can we take clicks away from our customer? What we see is, after three or four clicks that you have to do, you kind of get overwhelmed or bored, or it's not worth it for you. So utilizing AI and multimodality to be able to do multiple things with just one voice prompt has been a real game changer. And we're just scratching the surface. So imagine you want to find a restaurant. You're not exactly sure what kind of restaurant. You want to invite some friends. You want to be reminded and then get directions there. That's like 20 clicks for you to go out, search Google, find the restaurant, go into your text messages, text your friends, put it on your calendar, then go into Google Maps. Gasier: You know, we have six generations out right now. Six years of learning how to make these very complicated, hard devices work beautifully. We're very proud of the state of our foldables. But we also recognize that awareness of foldables isn't near what it is for a traditional smartphone. A lot of people, even to our surprise, don't even know that they exist yet. I feel like a lot of your tech savvy listeners are going to say, how does nobody know about these devices? But it's very, very true. And One UI 8 and foldables, I think that [what] we're really excited about foldables is that with that different form factor of those devices, it allows us to do more with AI. Because it is a device that can do literally a lot more than a traditional smartphone can do. Gaiser: I would love to tell you all that I know about these kind of things. But what I can say is that we're looking at every single possibility of what a phone's going to look like a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now. And what are the features and benefits of those different form factors? What we do know is that phones are going to evolve. We are uniquely positioned with our displays, with our engineering, with all the different things that Samsung does to really push the envelope on new form factors. And I would expect, without knowing much of the future, that Samsung would be first to innovate within those spaces.
