AI Usage Among 7th Gen Galaxy Foldables Users Grows in Southeast Asia and Oceania as Mobile Continues to be the Primary Gateway to AI

L-R: CU Kim, President & CEO of Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania, Won-Joon Choi, President and COO of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience (MX) Business and Head of R&D Office, and Carl Nordenberg, VP & Regional Head of the Mobile eXperience Business for Southeast Asia and Oceania

Following the launch of the new Galaxy Z series at the Galaxy Unpacked event in London, Samsung leaders engaged with media from Southeast Asia and Oceania, sharing insights about how AI is evolving from a technology that people experiment with into one that is woven into everyday life.

Won-Joon Choi, President and COO of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience (MX) Business and Head of R&D Office, CU Kim, President & CEO of Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania, and Carl Nordenberg, VP & Regional Head of the Mobile eXperience Business for Southeast Asia and Oceania discussed changing consumer expectations in the region and what comes next for mobile AI experiences.

As Samsung introduced an all-new form factor this year, CU Kim revealed that sales of the Galaxy Z7 Series have increased by almost 15% year-on-year compared with the previous generation, indicating growing consumer interest in foldable experiences across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Highlighting the region’s growing adoption of AI, CU Kim shared that AI usage among Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 users in Southeast Asia and Oceania has increased from 84% in August 2025 to 96% in June 2026^[1]. He noted that consumers often utilise AI for practical daily tasks, with Circle to Search, Now Brief and Photo Assist among the most frequently used features.

CU Kim, President & CEO, Samsung Electronics Southeast Asia and Oceania

CU Kim said “The next phase of AI will not be about more features. It is about relevance”, emphasising that as AI works across the various Galaxy mobile devices and other Samsung appliances and screens, it will be able to better understand user needs and become more helpful and personalised over time.

Galaxy AI also currently supports 22 languages, including Filipino, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese, reflecting Samsung’s commitment to delivering localised experiences for consumers across this diverse region.

The session explored how AI is changing the way people interact with their mobile devices as well, with CU Kim reiterating that in this region, mobile phones are the primary gateway to AI.

When discussing the future of mobile AI, Won-Joon Choi highlighted that the value of AI will be determined by how well it can remove friction in the background while giving users greater flexibility and choice.

“From a consumer’s perspective, there is no single AI that’s right for everyone. We want users to have the flexibility to use the right one at the right time, and that’s why we’re building Galaxy AI as a platform, with multiple AI agents working together to deliver the most seamless experience,” he added.

Building on the foundation established with the Galaxy S26 series, the Galaxy Z8 series and One UI 9 will provide an enhanced agentic AI experience through deeper system-level integration and more intuitive user controls. With multiple agents working seamlessly across apps, services, and device features, users will enjoy greater flexibility and choices for how they interact with AI.

Looking ahead, Won-Joon Choi shares that Samsung’s foldable portfolio is evolving to meet more lifestyles and needs. “Since we launched this category in 2019, we’ve studied closely how consumers interact with their foldables. Our broader, more diverse portfolio lets us better meet each user’s needs, and we are excited about what that will bring to Southeast Asia and Oceania,” he said. The Galaxy Z8 series will give users more ways to experience AI across productivity, content, creation and self-expression.

Through this 8th generation of foldables, Samsung is moving the category into its next chapter, one where foldables are no longer a niche choice, but a mainstream mobile experience that more consumers can confidently choose as part of their everyday lives.

As consumers in the region await the arrival of the new line-up, the Galaxy Z8 Series will be generally available in Australia on 23 July.

[1] Samsung Internal Big Data Portal