Samsung keeps foldable lead as smartphone market grows 21%

Samsung is forecast to remain number one in foldables in 2026 as the global foldable smartphone market grows about 21% year over year, Counterpoint Research says. Apple’s expected first foldable iPhone should heat up competition, while Samsung leaders argue seven years of know-how will not be matched overnight.

Key Takeaways

• Counterpoint projects global foldable smartphone shipments to rise 21% YoY in 2026.
• Samsung is tipped for about 32% share and the top spot; Apple could take roughly 25% in its debut year.
• Growth drivers include premium book-type demand, fiercer vendor rivalry, and Apple’s expected entry.
• Samsung CEO TM Roh says seven years of foldable experience “cannot be caught up with overnight.”
• EVP Jay Kim says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 got thinner and lighter after years of consumer feedback.

Why is the foldable smartphone market growing in 2026?

According to Counterpoint Research’s Foldable Smartphone Market Forecast, global foldable shipments are expected to expand 21% year over year in 2026.

Analysts tie that climb to ongoing demand for premium book-type devices, stronger competition among major smartphone brands, and Apple’s expected move into the category. For readers tracking Future Tech & AI Wonders, the forecast signals foldables are shifting from niche to mainstream premium.

Samsung is projected to keep the lead with about a 32% share. Apple is forecast to capture roughly 25%, with Huawei at 24%, Motorola at 8%, and HONOR at 3%.

Will Apple’s foldable iPhone dethrone Samsung?

Not in Counterpoint’s 2026 outlook—Samsung still sits first—but the landscape tightens fast. Apple’s debut share would place it second globally and, SamMobile notes, give Galaxy Z Fold phones their first serious worldwide rival, especially in the United States.

Speaking after Galaxy Unpacked in London, Samsung Electronics CEO and mobile head TM Roh said the technological prowess and customer understanding built over seven years in foldables “cannot be caught up with overnight.” He added that fiercer competition would push Samsung to extend its lead by “setting new standards.”

SamMobile also notes Apple’s first foldable is expected to compete closer to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, while Samsung still offers the Galaxy Z Flip clamshell line—something Apple does not appear to match soon.

What is Samsung saying about timing and the Galaxy Z Fold 8?

In a TechRadar interview, Samsung EVP Jay Kim said consumers now better understand why the company has long pushed foldable design. “We made it thinner and lighter because that was the biggest sort of feedback we got for many, many years,” Kim said, adding that the only condition is “you can’t compromise anything.”

Counterpoint Associate Director Liz Lee called 2026 “a new phase” for foldables: Apple’s entry should lift awareness and raise the premium bar, yet Samsung retains advantages in product maturity, channel reach, and foldable user experience—especially with wider designs suited to multitasking and AI features across apps.