What you need to know
- Samsung posted its Q4 2024 earnings report, which states its profits were down QoQ (quarter over quarter) compared to Q3.
- The company observed a sluggish 2024 finale, likely due to waning interests in the Galaxy S24, but teases more for foldables in 2025.
- Samsung says it will look to "diversify" its foldable lineup with "improved form factors."
- The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 weren't as popular the the 5 series iterations as Samsung received lackluster interested during pre-orders.
Moving into 2025, Samsung is reportedly looking at two key factors to help drive its revenue in the new year.
Samsung reported its Q4 2024 earnings today (Jan 31), which is giving experts a mixed bag when it comes to previous estimations. The company states it posted 75.8 trillion KRW (Korean Won) in consolidated revenue and 6.5 trillion KRW in operating profits. Samsung adds that while its profits are down quarterly, it achieved the second-highest total annual revenue with 300.9 trillion KRW generated.
About its drop in profits, CNBC states that, compared to Q3 2024, Samsung's overall revenue dropped by 4% and its operating profits dipped by 30%. The publication states this could be a cause of "soft market conditions" and the company's "expenditures."
The company's report expanded on its MX (for mobile) and its Networks businesses, to which it says it generated 25.8 trillion KRW in consolidated and 2.1 trillion KRW in operating profits in Q4. Samsung says the final 2024 quarter saw a dip in its MX side due to the "fading effects" of new flagships — that's the Galaxy S24 series. However, it states, overall, the year was positive for its MX business as profits saw major growth due to the 2024 flagship trio with Galaxy AI.
The Korean OEM's 2025 teaser puts foldables at the forefront as it states it will "strengthen the foldable lineup to generate new customer demand." X tipster Jukanlosreve caught wind of more changes in a Q4 2024 Q&A for foldables, like plans to unveil "foldable products with improved form factors" (via Android Police). Durability and a "diversified" lineup for its foldable devices were also mentioned to drive Samsung into 2025.
On the chip side, Samsung says it has posted 30.1 trillion KRW in consolidated revenue and 2.9 trillion in operating profits — a record-high in the final quarter. The report states that there is "uncertainty" regarding chip demands in Q1 2025; however, there's speculation that a turnaround could happen in Q2.
The foldable aspect for Samsung moving into 2025 is interesting, especially when you consider the Flip 6 and Fold 6 weren't that popular. Compared to the 5 series counterparts, the 2024 foldables only managed 910,000 pre-orders in South Korea, down from a record-shattering 1.02 million pre-orders a year prior.
Since then, there have been reports that Samsung could slash its foldable shipments this year following a "meh" 2024. The company didn't hit its goals and that could see only 5 million total foldable shipments come from Samsung's kitchen (the Flip 7 could make the vast majority of those units).
There could be hope as Samsung states in its Q4 2024 report that it will seek to "diversify" its foldables this year with "improved form factors" — like a tri-fold? During Unpacked for the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung teased what was coming up. After a brief look at its expected Android XR headset, a familiar device silhouette was spotted that looks exactly like a tri-fold phone.
Whatever the case may be, we likely won't see these new foldable form factors until later this year, perhaps near the second half.
