Global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to grow 20% in 2026 compared to 2025, with Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone as one of the driving factors behind the increase, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes.
DigiTimes notes that while the overall smartphone market is being forced to contend with a tighter supply of upstream logic chips and higher memory prices, the foldable segment is expected to keep expanding. While Samsung is expected to retain its lead in the category, Apple, Huawei, and other brands are expected to help to drive growth. The fourth calendar quarter of 2026 is pegged as the year’s most important sales period.
The publication’s sources tell it that wider foldable designs and Apple’s move into foldables are giving the category an additional boost. Close to eight years of product development have made foldables more mature and spurred manufacturers to increase shipments.
Apple is expected to debut its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models this September, reports indicate the Cupertino company has told suppliers to prepare to build around 10 million units this year.
While Samsung’s own experience shows that early pre-order campaigns can generate strong launch-period sales, the bigger growth phase is expected to be during the fourth quarter. That period is expected to expand overall demand and drive shipment growth. While prices will be high for the new foldable smartphones, demand should remain strong, as most consumers already expect device prices to rise. However, that will depend on whether or not the price increases are seen as reasonable.
