Counterpoint Research: Cumulative global folding screen smartphone shipments will exceed 100 million units by the end of 2026

The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to the latest global folding screen smartphone market forecast released by Counterpoint Research, the global folding screen smartphone market is expected to reach an important cumulative shipment milestone in 2026. By the end of 2026, the cumulative global shipment volume of folding screen smartphones will exceed 100 million units. This marks the eighth year of development of the industry since the launch of the first commercial folding screen phone in 2019.

With the official entry of Apple (AAPL.US), combined with the increase in demand for wide-folding products from Samsung and Huawei, demand for folding screen phones is expected to increase further, driving global folding screen phone shipments to increase 37% year-on-year in 2027. As the market growth rate increases, we expect the folding screen phone market to reach the next milestone of cumulative shipments of 100 million units within the next three years.

Global folding screen smartphone shipment growth rate forecast

2020 to 2027

Source: Counterpoint Research folding screen smartphone market forecast, August 2026

Currently, folding screen phones only account for about 2% of the overall smartphone market, which means there is still plenty of room for growth in this category. Samsung continues to lead the innovation of folding screen products, and with its rich design matrix, Huawei is still the core driving force in the Chinese market. With its upcoming folding screen products, Apple is expected to bring a new wave of high-end users to the field, while other brands are also increasing their investment. Xiaomi (01810) is about to release the Xiaomi 18 Fold, while Motorola, Honor, Google (GOOGL.US), vivo, and OPPO are also developing new folding screen products, including larger models.

This series of market activity will further accelerate market growth in 2027, and global folding screen phone shipments are expected to increase 37% year on year next year. Apple's annual sales performance will be an important driving factor. It is expected that its shipments will more than double, and its market share is expected to reach 40%. At the same time, thanks to the positive initial market response of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and the market potential saved by Huawei's Pura X Max, the wave of transformation towards wide folding designs is likely to continue.

Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research, said, “Apple's entry will further increase competition in the high-end market, but folding screen phones currently still account for a small share of the overall smartphone market, so there is still an opportunity for this category to expand further based on current shipments. Samsung continues to drive innovation, and Huawei's performance in the Chinese market is still strong. We are seeing more and more OEMs developing new designs and forms. Broader market participation is expected to help the market continue to expand over the next few years.”

Apple's entry into the market may quickly have an impact on the market. Counterpoint Research predicts that Apple will ship up to 6 million folding screen iPhones in 2026, which will help it occupy 25% of the global market share and rise to second place, behind Samsung's 38%, and 22% ahead of Huawei. Considering the relatively short sales window expected this year, it is particularly significant that Apple has reached this ranking so quickly after entering this category.

Global folding screen smartphone market share forecast 2026

Source: Counterpoint Research folding screen smartphone market forecast, August 2026

The rise in production capacity in the early days of the launch of Apple's folding screen phones is expected to be more constrained by the supply side rather than the demand side. As initial production is still expected to be limited, it is anticipated that sales and deliveries may not reach full scale immediately after product launch this week. With the gradual increase in production capacity, product supply is expected to gradually expand in different regions.

Liz Lee, Deputy Director of Counterpoint Research, said, “The supply of Apple's first folding screen iPhone is expected to be limited during the initial production climb phase, which is why we have set a maximum shipment forecast limit of 6 million units in 2026. Even with a short sales window, we still expect Apple to occupy 25% of the global folding screen phone market and directly rise to second place. This will be a positive start, and it also fully demonstrates that even when production capacity is not fully ready, Apple may still have a big impact on this category.”

For the folding screen mobile phone market, the real differentiating advantage will be the user experience, which will help drive category expansion and spawn new application scenarios for a wider range of consumers, covering the two major fields of productivity and content consumption. The price of folding screen phones is still three times that of traditional straight-plate smartphones, and it is expected that it will take several years for them to become popular.