Samsung’s mobile boss TM Roh asserts the company’s dominance in foldable phones and reveals plans to strengthen its AI capabilities, dismissing concerns over Apple’s foldable iPhone and highlighting ongoing innovation and global focus.
Samsung’s mobile chief has sent a clear message to rivals: Samsung is not losing sleep over a foldable iPhone. Speaking to Stuff shortly after the company’s latest Unpacked event in London, TM Roh said Samsung’s “technical expertise and insights” in foldables had taken seven years to build and “can’t be replicated overnight”. He added that Samsung would “remain ahead of the curve and continue to set the standard” as the category becomes more crowded.
That confidence is not coming from nowhere. Stuff noted Samsung has already reached the eighth generation of its foldable handsets, with the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 described as far more refined than early models. SamMobile likewise reported Roh’s view that Samsung welcomes competition but expects to defend its lead by continuing to set the benchmark in the market.
The company is also leaning heavily on Galaxy AI as a central part of its strategy. Samsung has said it expects Galaxy AI to reach 800 million people by the end of 2026, while Roh told Stuff that the core features will stay free, even if more advanced functions or separate services are later paid for. He also argued that on-device processing and more efficient algorithms are the best way to limit the energy demands associated with large data centres and their water use.
Roh presented the smartphone as the foundation of Samsung’s AI plans, not a device that will soon be displaced by smart glasses or other wearables. He said mobile devices are best placed to deliver AI because they are always on, packed with sensors and connected to multiple apps. Samsung’s own product material for the Galaxy Z Fold8 underlines that pitch, with a larger main display, a smaller cover screen, Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, AI tools and a 4,800mAh battery rated for up to 26 hours of video playback.
He also framed higher component prices as a problem for the whole industry rather than Samsung alone. But he said the company would keep investing in research and product improvement, pointing to features such as the Fold8’s display and camera upgrades as examples of what he called meaningful user value. Asked whether South Korea’s cultural rise has helped the company, Roh said Samsung’s strength comes less from national branding than from its global footprint and close attention to customer needs in Europe, North America and beyond.
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