Main financial assets discussed: Samsung (OTCPK:SSNLF), Qualcomm (QCOM), Motorola (MSI), Google (GOOG, GOOGL)
Top 3 key points:
1. Samsung has unveiled the latest iterations of its foldable phones, the Z Fold5 and the Z Flip5, with improvements in design and performance.
2. The new hinge design and larger external display on the Flip5 contribute to improved usability and competitiveness in the foldable phone market.
3. The developments in foldable technology, along with increased competition, are making foldables more mainstream and poised for significant growth in the market.
Recommended actions: **Buy** Samsung, Qualcomm, Motorola, and Google stocks as the developments in foldable technology and increased competition are expected to drive growth in the market.
The main topic of the article is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and its position in the foldable smartphone market.
Key points include:
- The growth of the foldable smartphone market, with foldable shipments increasing 64% year-on-year in Q1 2023.
- The increasing competition in the foldable smartphone market, with more companies releasing their own foldable devices.
- The appeal of the Galaxy Z Fold 5's large screen and improved hardware, including a thinner design and upgraded chip.
- The trade-offs of the form factor, such as the device's size and narrow external screen.
- The improvements in battery life, camera performance, and software experience.
- The high price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the potential impact of competition on pricing.
Main topic: Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Key points:
1. Design and display: The Z Fold 5 features a new Flex hinge that eliminates the gap between the phone when closed, making it thinner and more durable. The main display is brighter and the device supports the use of a stylus.
2. Performance and multitasking: The Z Fold 5 is faster and more responsive thanks to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip. It also offers improved multitasking features, such as side-by-side app mode and an expanded taskbar.
3. Cameras and battery life: The Z Fold 5 has a capable camera setup, but it falls short compared to other flagship phones in its price range. However, it offers impressive battery life, lasting longer than the Pixel Fold.
Overall, the Z Fold 5 offers incremental improvements over its predecessors, but may not be compelling enough for those who are not already interested in foldable devices.
Main topic: Samsung's latest slate of Galaxy devices and their pre-order offers.
Key points:
1. Pre-ordering the Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers double the storage (256GB to 512GB) and a $200 Amazon gift card at no extra cost.
2. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has received positive reviews, but Samsung could do more with the foldable format.
3. Pre-ordering the Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers 512GB of storage and a $150 Amazon gift card. The device has a larger and more useful external display compared to previous models.
Main topic: Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 foldable phone
Key points:
1. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 features a 3.4-inch external display, which is an improvement over its predecessor.
2. The phone has a new hinge that allows for gapless closure when folded.
3. The Flip 5 has similar cameras, water-resistance rating, and battery size as its predecessor, but comes with twice the base storage.
Samsung is rolling out the One UI 5.1.1 update globally for older Galaxy devices, including foldable phones, tablets, and smartwatches. The update brings new features such as multitasking capabilities, sleep management features for watches, and smartphone camera control for older Galaxy Watches.
Main topic: Samsung's plans to update its Galaxy phones to the Android 14-based One UI 6.
Key points:
1. Samsung is preparing to update its Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and Galaxy Z Flip 5 to One UI 6.
2. The update is expected to roll out around October or November, following the release of Android 14 in August.
3. Samsung will gradually bring One UI 6 to other Galaxy phones, including older models launched in the past two years.
The main topic is the rumored camera upgrade for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 prototype.
Key points:
1. The prototype is said to have a 50MP primary camera sensor.
2. The Flip series, including the Flip 5, is Samsung's most popular foldable, accounting for 70% of its global sales.
3. The Flip 5 features a 3.4-inch external display and a 6.7-inch internal display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Honor Magic V2, a foldable phone with impressive specifications, will be launched globally in Q1 2024, six months after the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, making it difficult for Honor to compete with Samsung's discounts, software updates, and brand recognition.
Samsung is rolling out the September 2023 security patch for the Galaxy S22 series in Europe, with no added One UI features but a promise of the One UI 6.0 upgrade later in the year.
Samsung and designer Thom Browne have unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold5 Thom Browne Edition, a limited edition smartphone that combines cutting-edge technology with iconic design elements, including black pebble leather, Thom Browne's signature stripes, and gold accents. The package also includes exclusive accessories and a specially crafted Galaxy Watch6 Thom Browne Edition, with both items available in limited quantities starting on September 12, 2023.
Samsung is offering enhanced trade-in deals and free storage upgrades on the Galaxy S23 series and Z Fold 5 for a limited time.
Samsung has started rolling out the One UI 5.1.1 update to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in the US, bringing in new features such as app switching, Flex Mode enhancements, Quick Share improvements, better sleep tracking in Samsung Health, and more.
Samsung has registered the names Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 for its future book-style foldable phones, while other companies such as Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo are also expanding their presence in the foldable market; however, Apple does not seem to be considering foldable devices at the moment.
Samsung is set to release its latest One UI 6 update based on Android 14, with eligible devices including the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold series, Galaxy Z Flip series, Galaxy A series, Galaxy M series, Galaxy F series, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a premium foldable phone with a compact design, improved hinge, and larger cover display, making it an attractive option for those interested in the clamshell foldable form, but it does come with compromises in terms of battery life, camera quality, and inconvenience in unfolding the phone.
Samsung is offering up to 66% off the Galaxy Z Flip 5, along with increased trade-in values and a free FlipSuit Case, but the deal is only available for one day.
Samsung has released a new security patch for its Galaxy devices in September 2023, addressing critical and high-security vulnerabilities.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 outperforms the Google Pixel Fold in terms of speed and performance, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and UFS 4.0 storage.
Samsung has released the W24 and W24 Flip as more luxurious alternatives to the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5, featuring increased RAM, storage, and ceramic back panels.
### Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is currently on sale with a $1,320 discount, making it more affordable for those interested in the best foldable phone, but the sale ends tonight.
The Galaxy A54, Samsung's feature-packed mid-range phone, is receiving an update with the September security patch, providing improved security but no other new features or improvements until it receives Android 14 and One UI 6.0.
Samsung has begun rolling out the September 2023 security update for carrier-locked versions of the Galaxy S21 series phones in the US, offering over 60 vulnerability fixes without any new features or performance enhancements.
Samsung is expecting to ship over 10 million foldable phones, including the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5, which could sell 8-10% higher than their predecessors, while also planning an early launch of the Galaxy S24 series in response to strong demand for the iPhone 15 series.
Samsung has postponed the release of the One UI 6.0 beta update for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 until next month, citing the Chuseok holiday in South Korea as the reason for the delay.
Samsung is releasing the September 2023 security update to several smartphones including the Galaxy A13, Galaxy A21s, and Galaxy M02 in various countries, providing more than 60 security fixes without introducing new features or performance improvements.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, considered one of the best foldable smartphones, is currently available on Amazon for a discounted price of $1500, $300 less than its original price of $1800, offering a great deal on this premium device.
India's online shopping platforms Amazon and Flipkart are currently running sales events, offering significant discounts on Samsung's latest foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Galaxy Z Flip 5, with discounts of up to INR 17,000, making it an ideal time to purchase these devices.
The Galaxy A54 5G from Verizon in the USA has received the October 2023 update, which includes the latest security patch and improves Wi-Fi security.
Samsung has released the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 beta update for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in India and the US, making it the first foldable phone from Samsung to receive the update.
Samsung has made the One UI 6 beta, based on Android 14, available for the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 foldable smartphones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 have finally received the One UI 6 beta, with the Fold 5 beta being rolled out in the US and India, and it is expected that other devices in Samsung's foldable lineup will follow suit soon.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has launched the One UI 6.0 beta program in select markets, including the UK, and is expected to release the public build before the end of the year.
Samsung's rumored smart ring, the Galaxy Ring, may not be released until the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in the second half of 2024 or even early 2025, according to reports.
Samsung has opened the One UI 6.0 Beta Program for Galaxy Z Flip 5 owners in the US, allowing them to test the upcoming major OS upgrade and provide valuable feedback.
Samsung is considering extending its security update support for its devices beyond the current five years, in response to Google's announcement of seven years of updates for the Pixel 8 series, showcasing Samsung's impressive track record of providing timely security patches to over 150+ Galaxy devices and updating over a billion devices monthly.
Samsung is considering offering more than five years of security updates in response to new regulations, potentially surpassing its current update policies and competing with Google's recent promise of seven years of OS and security updates for Pixel phones.
Samsung has expanded the rollout of the October 2023 security update to its mid-range smartphones, with the Galaxy A52s receiving the latest update, which focuses on fixing vulnerabilities.
Samsung has released the October 2023 security update for the Galaxy S23 series smartphones in Europe and India, with global release expected in the next few days, and the update includes the October 2023 security patch to fix vulnerabilities in the previous software version.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, with an impressive foldable design and massive internal storage, is available for a discounted price of $920 during Prime Big Deal Days, making it a great deal for those looking to own a foldable phone.
Allstate Protection Plans conducted a breakability test on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and Pixel Fold, revealing that the foldable phones, particularly the Galaxy Z Fold 5, demonstrated comparable durability to traditional smartphones and even outperformed the iPhone 15 Pro Max in certain aspects.
Samsung is rolling out the October 2023 security patch for its Galaxy Note 20 series, including the LTE and 5G variants, as well as the Note 20 Ultra, across multiple countries.
