Samsung Bespoke worked for fridges, but will it sell phones?

Samsung has a surprise smash hit on its hands. Last week, we covered the fact that pre-launch sales for the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip had outshone expectations in spectacular fashion, with more than 700,000 orders placed compared to the 300,000 orders for the Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21. 

In fact, the mixture of strong flagship features, the company’s best foldable technology yet, and a price tag that sits firmly in the flagship range (rather than the ultra-premium “toy for rich execs range the last two Galaxy Flip models occupied) may be so strong that Samsung could struggle to meet massive demand. Currently, customers who purchase a new Z Flip 3 are being told to expect wait times in excess of a month. 

Samsung is also making the rollout even harder for itself with the launch of a new Bespoke version of the device, which offers a remarkably broad range of colour customisation options - extending the delivery lead time for these devices by a further 5-6 weeks (according to the company’s UK site). 

However, it’s not the potential supply chain issues that are interesting here; it’s the source of Samsung’s inspiration for the new Bespoke line. 

Imagine a smartphone, but about 200 times bigger. You probably have a pretty good image in your head of the Samsung Electronics line of Bespoke refrigerators and kitchen surfaces launched last year.

This premium appliances range allows customers to mix and match the colour of all four refrigerator doors, as well as everything from microwaves to dishwashers. 

That colour palette and mix and match approach has now been virtually copied and pasted onto Samsung’s new Z Flip 3 line, which allows customers to pick from a broad range of tones for each rear panel of their folding device as well as the hinge. 

In a world where there’s very, very little visual distinction between different brands of smartphone, and very little by way of variation between devices - all of which tend to fall somewhere on the spectrum of black, slightly darker black, or gunmetal grey - it’s an immensely refreshing take, which might point towards future lines being given even greater scope for customisation.