This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The biggest product launch event of the fall (possibly, even of the whole year) is finally upon us, and I can't help but feel... rather indifferent towards the iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.
Yes, Apple's next big family of ultra-high-end handsets will include an all-new ultra-thin model (that nobody really asked for) while lacking the first-of-a-kind device people are actually craving. Don't believe me? Then maybe you'll believe that recent survey where 3.3 percent of respondents said they were holding out for a foldable iPhone, with 20.1 percent and 10.2 percent willing to consider Samsung and Google foldables respectively if Apple doesn't enter the market soon.
Now, 3.3 percent is clearly not what I'd call a worrying number for the world's second-largest smartphone vendor, but 20.1 percent and 30.3 percent should definitely cause some concern among the higher-ups in the Cupertino-based organization.
Will the Z Fold 7 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold's sales blow up after the iPhone 17 is released?
I don't think so. At least not to a degree completely representative of those two numbers found in Sellcell's iPhone 17 pre-launch survey. The fact that one in five iPhone owners right now are considering a switch to a Samsung device obviously doesn't mean that millions and millions of Apple fans will suddenly flock to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Z Flip 7.
But many of these are likely to be left bitterly disappointed by their favorite brand's September 9 event, which is unlikely to include even the shortest and vaguest of teasers regarding the company's eventual foldable market entry.
That's a lot of iPhone users thinking about switching all of a sudden. | Image Credit -- Sellcell
That disappointment will only grow larger if Apple doesn't unveil its highly anticipated and long overdue first-gen iPhone Fold in the early stages of next year, and if Samsung manages to beat its arch-rival to the punch once again with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8, that could prove to be the tipping point for a lot of potential switchers.
I'm obviously not going to talk numbers right now, as I'm not even sure my mind can comprehend what 20.1 percent of the iPhone user base really means, but I'm starting to think Samsung could recoup its global leadership position from Huawei and retain it (at least for a little while) after Apple joins the foldable segment.
How much longer are you willing to wait for the first foldable iPhone?
As long as it takes
22.5%
Another year or so
15%
Up to two more years
5%
Not longer than six months
7.5%
I've already bought a foldable from a different brand
After doing a little digging (read performing a quick Google search), I found last year's Sellcell iPhone 16 pre-launch survey and would like to direct your attention to a very interesting number: 0.1 percent. Believe it or not, that's how few respondents said they were not upgrading to Apple's then-latest handsets because they were planning to switch to a Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or other device.
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Now, it may not be entirely fair to compare that microscopic figure with the 30.3 percent of respondents this year who say they will "consider" a Samsung or Google foldable if an iPhone Fold doesn't come "until 2026 or 2027" (that's a lot of hypotheticals in this equation), but it's super-obvious that Apple is starting to have a bigger and bigger brand loyalty problem.
We're talking the kind of problem that Samsung and other Android smartphone makers have always had to face, but that Apple typically managed to escape... somehow. Well, that no longer seems to be the case, and the iPhone 17 pre-launch survey actually includes one more question where the judgment of Apple fans is not as clouded as it used to be in previous years.
While more people think the iPhone 17 Air design route beats Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge approach, the latter's combination of a 3,900mAh battery and 5.8mm thickness is favored by a not-small number of Apple loyalists over the former's expected 5.5mm profile and tiny 2,800mAh cell.
One can only imagine how these folks will receive next year's Galaxy S26 Edge if Samsung manages to pull off a 4,200mAh (or higher) battery capacity number without increasing the handset's thickness. Of course, no one can know how that reception will translate into sales figures, but Apple should very clearly be more worried than ever in regard to its biggest industry rival.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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