Samsung Canada says Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 ‘pure volume’ exceeded expectations

Shortly after the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, I had the opportunity to speak with Raj Doshi, the head of the mobile business at Samsung Canada, regarding the company’s presence in the country.

Raj Doshi joined Samsung Canada back in July, where he oversees the growth and profitability of the mobile division. He’s also responsible for driving awareness of the Samsung ecosystem and innovation agenda.

Doshi and I discussed Samsung’s latest folding devices, the future of the Note line and if the Z Fold 3 really is a viable option for Note fans.

Below is an edited version of that discussion:

Question: Samsung recently released its foldable Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 in Canada. Do you have any Canadian sales or pre-order numbers to share?

Raj Doshi: Pure volume has exceeded our expectations, and customer demand speaks for the interest and the innovativeness of both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. We saw strong demand in terms of pre-orders and interest from customers, and their appreciation of the innovativeness of unique form factors and their support of multi-tasking as well as larger screen format supporting an immersive experience.

“The market statistics indicate that the foldable category is going to grow significantly over the next few years and become even more mainstream — we believe we’re at the forefront of that innovation..”

Question: Did one foldable outperform the other? Or was the ‘volume’ impressive across both devices?

Doshi: In terms of volume, the appeal of both is unique, but there’s a price consideration. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 does well, but the Galaxy Z Fold 3 also does well. I wouldn’t characterize one over the other, but the price is a consideration in terms of choice.

There’s also a difference between the devices in terms of what they offer the customer. For example, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a smartphone with a compact form factor and multitasking capabilities, so it’s unique in its own right. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports a 7.6-inch screen when it’s open, so both meet the needs of different customer sets. Both are doing extremely well as they start to sell.

Q: Where do you see Samsung going next? I’m guessing the company will continue to release foldable, but we’ve seen a lot of patents for sliding devices.

Doshi: These are third-generation solutions and we truly believe it’s a very strong customer solution. The market statistics indicate that the foldable category is going to grow significantly over the next few years and become even more mainstream — we believe we’re at the forefront of that innovation.

Q: Do you think we’ll ever see a Note device again?

Doshi: The capabilities of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 not only support the larger screen format, it also supports the S Pen. For Note users, that was one of the key features that was important to them, and it’s what they have available to them [in the Galaxy Z Fold 3] if that’s what they’re looking for.

The interview has been edited for style, clarity and length.