Samsung cuts India TV, appliance staff

Samsung is navigating a delicate balancing act: its memory chip business is booming thanks to surging AI demand, but its consumer electronics arm in India is tightening belts. Reports say up to 25% of Samsung’s Indian TV and appliance sales staff could be let go, a response to rising component costs, a weaker rupee, and softening demand—despite strong overall results. The company is consolidating regional offices and merging teams, but these cost cuts could disrupt dealer support and promotions right before India’s crucial festive sales season. If Samsung can maintain on-the-ground presence while trimming fat, margins might hold; if not, rivals could seize the moment.

Meanwhile, the foldable phone race is heating up. Samsung’s new Z Fold 8 lineup is up 30% in early sales, but with global foldables still under 2% of all phones and prices climbing—especially in India—there’s a looming ceiling. Apple’s long-awaited foldable iPhone could change the game, even with limited supply, and Huawei remains strong in China. The stakes: can Samsung lock in premium users with aggressive financing and trade-ins before Apple scales up, or will price hikes and layoffs sap its momentum?

On the chip front, Samsung may benefit from China’s AI buildout even as Chinese competitors close the technology gap. Based on reporting from Fortune, Counterpoint Research, and Caixin.

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