Customers try out Samsung Electronics' latest Galaxy Z Flip5 smartphone at Samsung Experience Store in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday. (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics on Friday announced the official launch of its latest foldable smartphones -- the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5 -- in some 50 countries, after record preorders for the foldables at home.

Starting sales in major countries, which include Korea, the US, Britain, France, Germany, Singapore and China, the South Korean tech giant will complete the global launch by next month, the company said.

The Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5 smartphones garnered 1.02 million preorders in seven days, surpassing the record of 970,000 units set by the company’s previous foldable models last year. The figure was also close to the latest flagship Galaxy S22 series' first-week preorders of 1.09 million.

The two foldable devices have also seen strong demand across the globe, with record-breaking preorders records in markets such as Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe, with 65 percent of consumers opting for the vertically folding Galaxy Z Flip5 model.

“Early users’ response to the new Galaxy devices has been demonstrated by pre-order momentum,” said Samsung Electronics President and mobile business chief Roh Tae-moon said.

“Our goal is to provide the latest and greatest in each category and provide our consumers with novel and engaging experiences that cater to various lifestyles. It is thrilling to see our vision resonating with consumers around the world,” he added.

At the summer edition of the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 event, for the first time in Seoul, in July, the world's largest mobile phone maker touted the compact design, a variety of customizable features and drastic improvements to the overall functions of its latest foldable smartphone series. In particular, the display‘s new water drop-style hinge design, called the “Flex Hinge,” makes the new phones thinner than their predecessors, the smartphone maker said.

During the unveiling event, Roh emphasized how Samsung Galaxy has transformed some of the tech giant's wildest ideas into must-have experiences for customers, noting the firm’s obsession over details and its commitment to craftsmanship and innovation.

Along with the new foldable phones, Samsung is launching its latest smartwatch series -- the standard Galaxy Watch6 and Watch6 Classic -- and the new Galaxy tablet lineup, consisting of the standard Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra, starting Friday.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)