Global foldable smartphone shipments decline in Q3, Samsung leads

Global foldable smartphone shipments declined 1 per cent in the third quarter this year -- its first-ever Q3 decline -- as Samsung reclaimed the top spot with a 56 per cent market share, a report said on Tuesday.

The global foldable market appears to have entered a transitionary phase where it is facing challenges as it progresses from a niche segment to the mainstream, according to Counterpoint Research.

“User satisfaction is particularly high with book-type foldable devices, but the prohibitively high prices remain the biggest obstacle to mass adoption,” said senior analyst Jene Park.

If manufacturers give serious consideration to improving price accessibility, along with achieving further technological reliability and enhancing consumer perceptions, this phase can be overcome, Park added.

Samsung regained its position as the global market leader, driven by the Z6 series launch.

However, the brand's unit shipments fell 21 per cent (on-year). Among its new models, the book-type Galaxy Z Fold 6 delivered a modest performance, while the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 6 struggled to match its predecessor's sales.

As the foldables supply chain matures, Samsung is increasingly facing strong competition from in North America from Moto with its full range of sub-$1000 Razr flip foldables, and in Western Europe from Honor with its attractive and thin Magic V series book-type foldables.

Notably, Xiaomi recorded the highest YoY shipment growth among foldable brands at 185 per cent. This growth was driven by the addition of its first clamshell model, the Mix Flip, and its official debut in markets outside China.

The brand's global shipment share rose to 6 per cent this quarter, its highest since entering the foldable market in Q1 2021, said the report.

Honor and Motorola remained among the fastest-growing brands in the foldable market, both benefiting from their flagship devices launched in June and July, it added.