HONOR promises to launch its first foldable flip in 2024: it's an open challenge to Samsung

The success of flip format in foldable smartphones it is growing, with the commercial peak of the category reached by Samsung and its Galaxy Z Flip 5.

However, Samsung is not alone; we followed the Xiaomi versions and the OPPO leaflets, to name a couple, and now the Chinese HONOR is also preparing to make its entry into the segment.

George Zhao, CEO of the company, announced during MWC 2024 on CNBC that the brand will present a foldable device in clamshell format by 2024.
In the statement, no specific details about the design or hardware were provided.
However, an important evolution in the expansion of the range of new generation products was highlighted, implicitly launching a challenge to the Korean giant.

Market opening

The positive outlook for the foldable smartphone market emerges through Counterpoint Research estimates reported by CNBC.
One is expected 40% growth in 2024 versus 2023, with 22 million units sold across all folding formats.

Currently, HONOR is present on the market with “book” model smartphones, the latest of which is the Magic V2, launched last year but arrived at us at the beginning of this one.

While these models compete with devices such as the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google's Pixel Fold, the new HONOR Flip is ready to battle devices of the caliber of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Moto RAZR 40 Ultra, which stand out not only for their format, but also for one price range generally lower than folding booklets.
This will open up opportunities for HONOR in a still unexplored market segment with significant growth and profitability potential.

There is also AI in HONOR's sights

HONOR, previously affiliated with Huawei, has regained a prominent position in China, where it currently holds sales leadership.

With its strong domestic base, the company now focuses on exporting abroad, with a particular interest in Latin American countries and Brazil, which are considered “critical” to the company's growth plans.

Zhao also hinted at plans on the features of artificial intelligence of the first flip phone, arguing that in this respect “value manifests itself when a device anticipates the user's actions”.
HONOR presented the Magic 6 Pro at the Mobile World Congress, with capabilities of track eye movementsand the statements suggest how Magic OS 8 will intensify this dedication with future technological evolutions.