Samsung’s reign as the dominant force in the foldable smartphone market has come to an end, with Huawei ascending to the top spot. According to data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung’s market share has plummeted from 58% to 23% in a year, while Huawei has surged ahead with a 35% share. This shift underscores the intensifying competition within the foldable smartphone segment.
Motorola has also made significant inroads, registering an impressive 1,473% growth in shipments and capturing 11% of the market. The company’s Razr 2023 has proven to be a popular model in North America.
Honor, which has spun off from Huawei as an independent brand, has also made substantial gains, growing its market share from 3% to 12%. The release of the sleek Honor Magic V2 has contributed to this growth.
Despite the launch of the OnePlus Open and Google’s Pixel Fold, as well as foldable offerings from Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi, these brands have been grouped into the “Others” category, highlighting the fierce competition in the foldable smartphone market.
A notable trend emerging from the data is the increasing popularity of larger-screen foldable smartphones. For the first time since 2021, shipments of these devices have surpassed those of clamshell foldables such as the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Razr Plus. This shift indicates a growing preference for foldable phones with larger displays.
The timing of this data and Samsung’s fall from the top spot is significant, as Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in July. These devices will replace the current Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 models, which have been on the market for nearly a year. Motorola is also rumored to be preparing new versions of its Razr folding phones for release soon.
While Huawei and Honor have made significant strides in the foldable smartphone market, Samsung and Motorola are expected to play a major role in shaping the industry in the second half of 2024.
