In 2025, the market for foldable mobile phones demonstrated a 10% expansion compared to 2024, but in 2026, a 30% hike in shipments is anticipated. According to the analytical firm IDC, the key driver will become Apple’s foldable iPhone entering the market.
Aside from Apple, Samsung and Huawei are providing vigorous rivalry in this arena. Samsung, already well-known for their Flip and Fold models, are designing new TriFold and Wide Fold form factors. Huawei, in turn, has unveiled its own solutions, including the TriFold Huawei Mate XT and the widescreen Huawei Pura X.
In the third quarter of 2025, Huawei captured 68.9% of the foldable smartphone market share in China.
It is expected that four primary categories of foldable smartphones will be present in the 2026 market:
Flip phones: compact gadgets that open into full-size smartphones (like the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Motorola Razr).
Book-style: devices that unfold into mini-tablets (such as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Oppo Find N5, Honor Magic V5). These are optimized for reading and web browsing due to their aspect ratio when unfolded.
TriFold: gadgets with three sections, offering diverse usage modes (phone, mini-tablet, wide-screen tablet) — for instance, Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold and Huawei Mate XT.
Widescreen foldables: smartphones featuring a broad display, intended for consuming media and reading (like the Huawei Pura X). The 16:10 aspect ratio ensures minimal black bars when viewing videos.
Rumor suggests Apple intends to release the iPhone Fold in a widescreen foldable configuration with a larger external screen. Samsung is similarly developing a comparable Wide Fold device with a 4:3 internal display. It is anticipated that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 alongside the new Wide Fold in July, preceding Apple, whose foldable device is rumored to launch in the autumn.
Despite their considerable expense, the novel form factors of foldable smartphones promise to inject variety into a market dominated by conventional candybar designs.
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