In Pictures: Samsung makes foldable even more affordable with latest Galaxy Z

It sure seems like it – Samsung has gained a solid grip on how the smartphone demand will shape up through the second-half of 2021 with its latest Galaxy Z model.

As phone screens and phablets sizes expanded, some of us have struggled to fit them into hands and pockets. Others wondered if they could help us become even more productive – than we are right now. To solve both issues, the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Motorola embraced flippable and foldable screens for smartphones. Now, one of them – Samsung – has delivered on the price front too.

The South Korean tech behemoth has launched its annual lineup of consumer devices, positioning its new Galaxy Z Flip 3 as a direct competitor to Apple's upcoming iPhone.

The 5G-capable, Android-powered device is placed at such a dramatically low entry price within the foldable category, by starting at $999. Its predecessor had cost $1,449 at the time of launch. Along with The lineup of Galaxy Z Fold 3 costing $1,799, a Galaxy Watch 4 at $249 and Galaxy Buds 2 at $149, the Flip 3 will be Samsung's star attraction in the coming months.

Samsung has invested big in developing flexible displays, custom-designed hinges and other adaptations required to produce durable foldable gadgets. The emphasis being on the durable. With its new launch, the company is seeking to capitalize on that advantage.

"The market demand for foldable smartphones is growing exponentially," Samsung said in a statement, citing analyst forecasts projecting a tripling of sales to 6.5 million units. "Samsung will be the leading and foremost provider, driving the market demand. We anticipate this generation of foldables will be our best-selling yet."

Samsung is hoping to popularize a device category that was once overwhelmed by technical problems. The world's largest smartphone maker is under pressure not just from Apple, but also increasingly sophisticated Chinese rivals from Xiaomi to Oppo, particularly in parts of Europe and India. On Tuesday, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun declared his intention to overtake Samsung market position within three years.

With the Flip 3 and Fold 3, Samsung will expect to nip all such competition. This is "the first important milestone for Samsung as more than a third of the iPhones sold globally are above $1,000," said Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint. "$800-$1,000 will remain the sweet spot for the foldable smartphone over the next couple of years assuming the foldable display production yield rate improves."

The clamshell-like Galaxy Flip 3 has a 6.7-inch display on its interior and a 1.9-inch screen on its outside cover. Its size, weight, processor, memory and wireless specs are all in line with mainstream flagship devices. The only compromise to accommodate its design is the relatively smaller 3,300mAh battery.

The book-like Galaxy Fold 3 expands the inner display to 7.6 inches, has a full-size 6.2-inch panel on the exterior and fits a larger battery. This foldable, of course, will sync with certain versions of Samsung's S Pen stylus. But be ready to pay at least $50 extra for a compatible pen. The Z Fold 3 already opens up like a notebook, and that stylus can come in handy.

The latest design changes make carrying it around less of a sprain inducing task. The user will get everything a “regular” foldable smartphone offers in the new version that collapses down to half its usual size.

Both models are certified for water resistance, a first among foldable phones, according to Samsung. The Fold 3 also has an under-display selfie camera, hiding it when not in use and eradicating the display cutout, or notch, typically required. Its new S Pen Pro accessory extends the Galaxy Note's stylus capabilities to a new form factor.

Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 4 series will be the first to feature its collaboration with Google on Wear OS. The software combines apps and services from both, such as Google Maps and Samsung Pay, while also supporting popular third-party apps like Strava and Spotify. These devices will showcase Samsung's new 5nm processor for wearables - the Exynos W920 - which promises longer battery life.

All of Samsung's new devices go on sale August 27. In the pre-order period before then, the company is adding incentives of $150 of Samsung store credit with the purchase of a Flip 3 and $200 of credit with the Fold 3.