Analysts at Counterpoint say that the foldable smartphone market is about to enter a phase. After a cyclical recovery last year, 2026 will mark the beginning of a more sustainable expansion phase.
While last year’s strategy for many smartphone makers was to normalize inventory and proceed with extra caution when it came to new releases, this year we will likely see a more aggressive push into the foldable segment.
Thanks to technological advancements and better execution, the book-style foldables have become more popular and now account for 52% of all foldable sales. The analysts predict that their share will reach 65% this year.
The improvements in hardware have also shifted consumer perception of these devices. They are now seen as good productivity-led value propositions instead of just a tech showcase or a form-factor novelty.
The report also highlights the importance of Apple releasing its foldable iPhone this fall, as it’s expected to boost foldable sales even further.
In response to Apple’s foldable iPhone, other smartphone makers are rumored to release their wider, book-style foldables to compete with the first iPhone Fold (tentative name) directly. Samsung is doubling down on its book-style foldable lineup as it’s working on a wider foldable like the iPhone Fold. Honor and Oppo are also rumored to be working on wide foldables.
Moving forward, the companies will continue to offer clamshell foldables as complementary devices within the style-led and entry-premium market segments.
Source
