According to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Foldable Smartphone Tracker and Forecast, foldable smartphone shipments are estimated to reach 101.5 million in 2027 from 78.6 million in 2026.
“At the moment, foldables remain niche. But it is an important segment for brands looking to maintain leadership in innovation and a premium market presence,” said Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Research.
Samsung and Apple may lead the market
The market research firm said that Samsung and Apple will account for the biggest market share. Samsung will be the top company and Apple will be a close second.
“Samsung and the Chinese OEMs have been very active, especially in their home markets, with China emerging as the biggest market globally last year. If you want to make it in foldables, you have to make it there,” Kang added.
It also claimed that foldables will account for 39% of all smartphone shipments in 2027. While Samsung has just launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphones, Apple is yet to unveil any plans to launch a foldable iPhone.
“In the long term, we are waiting to see what Apple does. We are looking at 2025 as the possible year of iPhone’s foldable debut, which could provide another growth spurt for the segment,” senior analyst Jene Park noted.
Foldable smartphone shipment in Q1
Recently, a report by Counterpoint Research said that the global foldable smartphone market increased 64% year-on-year (YoY) in Q1 2023, based on sell-in volume, to reach 2.5 million units. The development was significant because the foldable market rose amid a 14.2% YoY decline in the overall global smartphone market during the same period.
“When we look at the current consumer response, our latest Global Foldable Smartphone Preference Survey shows a willingness to purchase for the majority of respondents, most notably among current users. This is a good sign and tells us the hype around foldables is legitimate,” Park added.
