Sales forecasts doubled by 2028
Indeed, according to the firm Omdia, this growth will be more than +22% between 2025 and 2026, and on average +20% until 2028 at a minimum. In fact, where worldwide distribution stood at 18.2 million units in 2025, it will be almost doubled to reach 36 million in 2028.
The wide format to revive the market
The new format introduced by Samsung this year, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but above all the arrival of the very first foldable-screen iPhone (with the same 4:3 format) are the arguments for revitalizing this sector. In response, more Android manufacturers will also release their foldable with this wide format in 2027. “In a year marked by constraints weighing on the supply chain and by market uncertainty, foldable smartphones are emerging as the most promising growth segment in the industry,” commented Zaker Li, senior analyst at Omdia. Huawei was the first to offer this new wide format with the Pura X Max in May 2026, followed by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 in August. As other major manufacturers prepare to launch similar products in the coming months, this new category is driving a new wave of growth in the foldable smartphone market”.
A market still held back by production costs
By 2030, annual distribution is expected to reach 45 million foldable smartphones, even if this sector will then account for only 3% of total phones sold. These devices are indeed still expensive, due to the complex components they are made of (screen, hinge), which are still costly to produce.
