Seoul, Aug 24 (IANS): Preorders for Samsung Electronics's new foldable smartphones have topped 800,000 units in South Korea, industry sources said on Tuesday, as the tech giant eyes to mainstream the foldable category with lower prices.

An estimated 600,000 units of the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Galaxy Z Flip3 were preordered through local mobile carriers, while some 200,000 units of unlocked third-generation Galaxy Z foldable devices were purchased by consumers during the one-week preorder period that ended Monday.

Preorders for the latest Galaxy Z series are 10 times larger than those of the Galaxy Z Fold2, reports Yonhap news agency.

Samsung has sharply lowered prices for its latest Galaxy Z series, which was unveiled on Aug. 11, cutting as much as 400,000 won (US$340) compared with predecessors, so it can popularize the foldable category.

The Z Fold3, which is Samsung's first foldable smartphone supporting its S Pen stylus with an under display camera, sells for 1.99 million won here. The Z Flip3, whose cover display is four times larger than the previous model, is priced at 1.25 million won.

Of the two new foldable models, more consumers opted to buy the clamshell-type Z Flip3 over the Z Fold3. The Z Flip3 reportedly accounted for 60 percent of total preorders.

According to SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest mobile carrier, 60 per cent of new Galaxy Z devices were preordered by people in their 30s and 40s.

By model, male consumers in their 30s and 40s represented 57 per cent of Z Fold3 preorders. Female customers aged 25-45 were the biggest buyers of the Z Flip3 as they accounted for 35 per cent of the model's preorders.