Samsung is taking foldable phones to the mass market with the launch of two new devices, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3.

Previously seen as a niche luxury due to high retail prices despite the initial hype, Samsung believes that the arrival of the £949 Z Flip 3 could signal a breakthrough into the mainstream.

The new Z Flip 3 smartphone features a 6.7-inch display that folds in half to make it more pocketable, and an external 1.9-inch screen for easy access to notifications and other features.

After two previous versions of the Flip, the third iteration is trying to attract more than just early adopters with a lower price and more durable build quality.

However, CSS Insight analyst Ben Wood is still not sure that the current “level of consumer demand justifies the investment” with Apple not yet offering a similar product.

Samsung also unveiled a more expensive and larger Z Fold 3, which is similar to a tablet when unfolded with a 7.6-inch screen.

The Z Fold 3 gets S-Pen stylus support to bring it in line with the South Korean manufacturer’s Galaxy Tab devices, a hidden selfie-camera, and a new taskbar for app-switching.

The Z Fold 3 is still expensive though with an expected entry-level retail price of £1,599 in the UK.

Samsung’s Mark Notton said that the third gen of Flip and Fold devices have been refined over many years, and with improvements to manufacturing at scale, the “time is right” for them to reach a wider audience.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 are expected to go on sale later this month.