Abstract:
Smart Analytics Global (SAG) estimates based on its Smartphone 360 data that global foldable screen mobile phone shipments in the third quarter of 2026 will decrease by 2% year-on-year, slightly exceeding 7.5 million units. Samsung leads the way with a shipment share of 69%, a new high since 2023, with shipments increasing 13% year-on-year. Galaxy Z Fold8’s strong performance after its launch also led to double-digit growth in Samsung’s foldable machine shipments in South Korea and Europe.
Huawei ranks second with a share of about 14%, but it fell 4 percentage points year-on-year. SAG believes that weak demand in the Chinese market, rising prices of high-end mobile phones, and intensified competition within Huawei's product line have all affected its performance; the newly launched Pura X View is also said to have diverted some of the demand for Pura X and Pura X Max. Motorola, owned by Lenovo, ranked third, with its share increasing by about 2 percentage points year-on-year. The expansion of the Razr 70 series in different countries and sales channels is its growth boost.
Sales estimates of the Galaxy Z Fold8 within about two months after its launch show that it contributed more than half of Samsung’s folding screen shipments in the quarter. Ice Universe, the tipster, estimates that the phone shipped approximately 2.85 million units in about 55 days from August 7 to September 30, equivalent to an average of more than 50,000 units per day; this number is not the official sales volume announced by Samsung. The third-quarter data does not include Apple's iPhone Duo, which did not start shipping until October 23.
SAG has lowered its full-year global foldable screen mobile phone shipment forecast for 2026 due to slower-than-expected ramp-up of Apple iPhone Duo production capacity, manufacturing issues related to screen durability, and weak demand in the Chinese market. The agency predicts that the global folding screen market will resume growth in 2027, with shipments increasing by approximately 55% year-on-year. If production capacity improves and supply is expanded to more markets, Apple may achieve more than 40% of global folding screen shipments by then.
SAG also predicts that Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Apple's foldable iPhone and new phones from Chinese manufacturers will promote the popularization of wide-screen folding forms. It is expected that such models will account for approximately two-thirds of global folding screen shipments in 2027. High selling prices will remain the main obstacle for foldable screen phones to further enter the mass market.
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