FOREWORD

Pre-orders for the Samsung Z Flip 3 blew away even the company ’ s most ambitious estimates . Now , thanks to massive enthusiasm for a more affordable folding smartphone and the ongoing global chip shortage , the South Korean tech giant is struggling to meet demand .

Samsung has kind of gone and shot itself in the foot . The latest generation of folding phones from South Korea ’ s biggest tech brand - the Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 - managed to rack up pre-launch sales of just over a million units . While that fact should be a cause for celebration at Samsung , executives at the company are reportedly worried that it won ’ t be able to meet such strong demand .

Chips are in such short supply , not to mention so expensive , that simply over-manufacturing devices isn ’ t an effective solution . You have to guess it right . And Samsung , bless them , went and guessed wrong .

It ’ s somewhat understandable that this happened , however . Pre launch sales figures for the Galaxy Z Flip 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 2 released last year barely topped 80,000 units , and orders for the Samsung Galaxy S21 released earlier in 2021 topped out at just 300,000 . The Galaxy Z Flip ( the cheaper of Samsung ’ s two foldables , with a price tag of just under $ 1,000 ) racked up 700,000 pre-orders by itself .

The age of the ( somewhat ) affordable folding phone is here . It might have been a little more auspicious if everyone who bought one didn ’ t have to wait a full month for it to arrive .

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