Until now confined to a niche, the foldable smartphone sector is expected to take up more and more space from the end of this year, notably thanks to the arrival of Apple and its iPhone Duo. Backed by eight generations of foldable smartphones since 2019, pioneer Samsung will remain the leader in this sector in 2026 with 38% market share, according to the latest figures from Counterpoint (ahead of Huawei in third place with 22%).
Apple iPhone Duo, 25% market share upon launch
With 25% market share (or around 6 million units shipped), Apple will be second, even though the company has only just arrived and the final quarter is already well underway. Not only is Apple expanding its lineup, but the creator of the iPhone Duo is also directly challenging the current Korean champion.
Record growth of +37% expected in 2027
In 2027, the total foldable smartphone market will see growth of +37%, the largest since 2022, thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in a new format, and of course to Apple's arrival. This momentum will also allow this market segment to reach the symbolic milestone of 100 million cumulative units shipped by the end of 2026, eight years after the launch of the Royole Flex Pai in 2018, with the research firm estimating that the next 100 million will be sold in just three years.
Even better for the Cupertino company, Counterpoint analysts predict that in 2027, in its first full year of sales, Apple will see shipments more than double to reach around 40% market share, which would allow it to overtake Samsung and take the top spot on the global podium.
Tarun Pathak speaks, research director at Counterpoint
« Apple’s arrival will certainly increase competition in the premium segment, commented Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint. However, foldable phones still represent only a very small share of the global smartphone market, so this category has room to grow far beyond current volumes. Samsung continues to drive innovation, Huawei remains strong in China, and we are seeing more and more manufacturers prepare new designs and new formats. This broader participation should help expand the market over the coming years ».
